Cold war Timeline by Lexie Garcia

The Cold War -March 12, 1947 - 1991

legarc31433 — 2025-05-02 17:00:44 UTC

The USSR (Soviet union) and the United States found many differences but their biggest was indirect conflict between the United States beliefs in capitalism and the USSR's beliefs in communism.

Yalta conference - February 4th, 1945

legarc31433 — 2025-05-05 16:50:11 UTC

Franklin D Roosevelt, Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin had a meeting to discuss what to do with Germany and its damage after the war. They decided to split Germany into 4 zones each being controlled by the Soviet Union, Britain, France and the US.

Potsdam Conference July 17th-August 2nd, 1945

legarc31433 — 2025-05-09 16:57:22 UTC

The allied leaders known as President Harry S. Truman, Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin came together to discuss the four territories of Germany, peace treaties and what to do with Japan because they were still at war and it must end. During this conference Truman had hinted that they had a new weapon in store against japan being the atomic bomb. There was many disagreements on how they should end the war against japan.

"The Iron Curtain" 1946 - 1990

legarc31433 — 2025-05-21 17:27:46 UTC

“The Iron curtain” was a metaphorical time period in which there was much division between western and eastern europe. Western europe was under the control of the United states while the east was controlled by the soviet union. The US believed that capitalism was a better approach while the USSR wanted a communist society. These opinions crashed and caused lots of division later leading to the Berlin wall which became the symbol for the iron curtain by showing the physical barrier between the west and east of europe .

Truman Doctrine March 12, 1947

legarc31433 — 2025-05-22 04:24:14 UTC

President Truman Harry created a US policy stating that the US would hand out economic, military and political aids to democratic nations to resist the spread of a communist society. This was the beginning of ending the US’s choice of isolationism as it allowed them to get involved in international affairs.

The containment policy, 1948 - 1950

legarc31433 — 2025-05-22 04:29:20 UTC

The containment policy was another name for the Truman doctrine (and marshall plan) all creating strategic planning to stop the spread of communism.

The Marshall Plan April 3, 1948

legarc31433 — 2025-05-22 04:31:58 UTC

The marshall plan was a recovery program designed by the US to help western europe get rebuilt after world war 2. The US gave $13 billion dollars in aid to european nations creating much stability while preventing communism from spreading. The marshall plan became highly successful as it was a foundation for future foreign aid foundations.

Germany was divided, 1949.

legarc31433 — 2025-05-22 04:35:15 UTC

After world war 2, Germany became divided into 4 different zones being controlled by the United states, France, Britain and the Soviet Union. When these zones face political differences they joined teams and created two groups known as the Federal Republic of Germany (West germany, owned by the american, french and british) and the German Democratic Republic (East germany, owned by the soviet union)

Berlin Blockade April, 1948

legarc31433 — 2025-05-22 04:38:00 UTC

The Berlin Blockade was one of the first upcoming problems of the cold war. The soviet union wanted to put the US, britain and france into a blockade by entirely cutting off railways, roads and any canal access that came into and out of berlin hopefully causing the people to evacuate. The soviets did this as a way to protect themselves from the Marshall plan as the soviets saw it as a threat. By doing this it created more tension and aggression.

Berlin Airlift 1948 - 1949

legarc31433 — 2025-05-22 04:40:03 UTC

During the berlin blockade the US had to find a way to aid supplies to berlin. They teamed up with the UK and created the Berlin airlift, planes that would fly in and aid supplies. This showed that they would not back down easily and also defended the people and helped protect them.

The Building of the Berlin Wall August 13, 1961

legarc31433 — 2025-05-22 04:42:56 UTC

The Berlin wall was a physical barrier that divided east and west berlin. This wall was built to prevent the east germans from traveling to the west showing the real divisions between europe or later known as “the Iron Curtain”

The formation of NATO April 4, 1949

legarc31433 — 2025-05-22 04:45:58 UTC

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was started by president Harry Truman due to the threat of the soviets starting another war. This military alliance was formed with the US, Canada, 32 other countries of North America and Europe all providing protection against the Soviet Union.

Bay of Pigs Invasion April 17, 1961.

legarc31433 — 2025-05-22 04:48:34 UTC

The US came up with a plan to invade Cuba and take out its head communist leader, their attempt was to send in fake Cuban exiles. This plan failed poorly due to the lack of air support. The exiles were taken out quickly which created lots of tension and conflicts such as the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Cuban Missile Crisis October 16th-29th 1962.

legarc31433 — 2025-05-22 04:51:16 UTC

The US discovered nuclear missile sites in Cuba and reacted with a naval blockade. Extreme negotiations began and led to a 13 day confrontation between the US and Soviet Union, almost causing a nuclear war.

The Korean War June 25, 1950

legarc31433 — 2025-05-22 04:52:49 UTC

The Korean war was a fight between north and south korea. After world war two, north and south korea were divided by the united states taking control of the south and the soviet union taking control of the west. These two nations have had a long past of conflict due to their differences in politics. It was fueled by the US’s policy of containment and trying to stop the spread of communism, something the soviet union strongly believed in.

The Vietnam War November 1, 1955

legarc31433 — 2025-05-22 04:54:59 UTC

The Vietnam war played a big part in the cold war with the rising tensions of political conflicts. Vietnam was another nation that was split into two parts by the US and Soviet Union after world war two. The war was fought over which political party it would take place in.

The Antiwar Movement (during the vietnam war) between 1964 - 1973

legarc31433 — 2025-05-22 04:56:50 UTC

The anti war movement were multiple ranging protests from small to big as it gained more intensity.

Detente, 1970s

legarc31433 — 2025-05-22 04:58:39 UTC

Detente was a peacemaking statement era in which it tried to ease the conflicts of the cold war. This involved more negotiation and communication between the US and Soviet Union.

Nixon’s trip to China February 21, 1972

legarc31433 — 2025-05-22 05:00:04 UTC

In 1972 president Richard Nixon took a trip to china to shake hands with its Chinese emperor. Although it has much bigger significance, it was a sign of the end of isolationism and created normal diplomatic relations with China.

Fall of the Soviet Union December 26, 1991

legarc31433 — 2025-05-22 05:01:44 UTC

This resulted in the end of the cold war but has multiple contributing factors such as economic and political conflicts, the weakening of moscow's control over eastern europe and nationalist movements. The soviet union collapsed as it was too weak to compete with western europe.