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Formation of the Eastern Bloc
The Eastern Bloc was formed approximately between 1945-1990. The Eastern Bloc was a group of European communist countries aligned politically and economically with the USSR. It was a sphere of influence for the Soviet Union, in which they had direct or indirect control over countries that were members. Countries that were members include Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Yugoslavia. -
Postwar Occupation and Division of Germany
After World War II and the Potsdam Conference, Germany was divided into four sectors. France, Great Britain, and the United States occupied the western democratic sector, while the Soviet Union occupied the eastern communist sector. The capital city Berlin was also divided into the east and west. The Western sector aimed to rebuild Germany, as opposed to the Soviets who dismantled Germany for their gain. -
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Cold War
The Cold War is "cold" because there was no direct military fighting between the US and the Soviet Union but they were still aggressively competing. -
Greek Civil War
The Greek Civil War was a conflict where communists tried to overthrow the Greek government but were unsuccessful. The guerilla army, ELAS (National People’s Army of Liberation) fought the Greek Government of over Nazi occupation. With the help of the British, the communists were defeated. -
Enactment of Marshall Plan
On April 3, 1948, President Truman signed the act known as the Marshall Plan. The Marshall Plan aided Europe financially in rebuilding after WWII. It aided countries so they had stable democratic systems of government. -
Berlin Blockade and Airlift
Joseph Stalin imposed the Berlin Blockade and cut off transportation between West Berlin and West Germany. the US and UK responded by airlifting food and supplies to Berlin. it was one of the first major conflicts of the Cold War and increased tension between the Soviets and US. -
Chinese Communist Revolution
In 1949 the Chinese Communist Party won a civil war and Mao Zedong created the People's Republic of China. China became a communist country in 1949 and became the world's largest socialist state. The nationalists who lost the civil war retreated to Taiwan. -
Korean War
The Korean War was a conflict between North Korea and South Korea, that started when North Korea invaded South Korea. Communist North Korea was supported by the Soviet Union while democratic South Korea was supported by the US. Fighting concluded in 1953, but Korea is still divided into two sides. -
Overthrow of the Mossadegh Government in Iran
In 1953 a coup overthrew the Prime Minister, Mohammad Mosaddegh. The coup was funded by the US and UK. Mosaddegh wanted to nationalize the country's oil industry which threatened the UK's control over Iran's oil. The government was overthrown through bribery, riots, and threats. -
Cuban Revolution
The Cuban Revolution was a military effort to overthrow the Cuban government. It started after a coup put Fulgencio Batista as the head of state. Fidel Castro organized an armed attack on the Cuban military. The rebel army would eventually defeat the Cuban army and become a Communist country. -
Overthrow of the Guatemalan Governent
A coup in 1954 replaced a democratically elected President with a military dictatorship. The Guatemalan government was communist. The coup was backed by the US and CIA. The US was involved because they wanted to protect their own interests and feared communism would spread. -
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a conflict between the communist government of North Vietnam against democratic South Vietnam. North Vietnam wanted to unite the country under communism. The US helped South Vietnam but North Vietnam won the war in 1975. -
Bay of Pigs Invasion
The Bay of Pigs Invasion was a failed military operation in Cuba in 1961. It was an attack by the CIA to push Fidel Castro from power. The US feared a communist government and wanted to overthrow Castro to form a government that the US supported. -
Building the Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was built by the Soviets to prevent East Berlin citizens from escaping to West Berlin. The wall separated Germany into a distinct communist sector. The wall was complex and citizens were forbidden to pass. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis happened when the Soviet Union began to secretly install missiles in Cuba. The US confronted the Soviet Union and blockaded Cuba. The two countries reached an agreement to withdraw the missiles and avoid a nuclear conflict. -
Prague Spring
Prague Spring was a period of liberation in Czechoslovakia. Czechoslovakia broke free from Soviet rule. The USSR invaded Czechoslovakia to stop the reform and unite the communist bloc. -
Soviet War in Afghanistan
The Soviet Union declared war on Afghanistan over fear of a growing Muslim population that threatened their control. The Muslim rebels defeated the Soviet Union. Afghanistan became a breeding ground for terrorists after the war. -
Tiananmen Square Massacre
The Tiananmen Square Massacre was a series of protests in China. The protests were for greater human rights and political liberation. The Chinese government ordered the massacre and hundreds to thousands died. -
Fall of Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall opened on November 9, 1989, and no longer divided East and West Berlin. The Soviets had much opposition to the wall and accidentally opened the wall too quickly. Many from The East flooded to the West and the wall was slowly torn down. -
Fall of the Soviet Union
The Soviet Union collapsed on December 26, 1991. Factors that led to the collapse were economic troubles, Gorbachev's policies, and nationalism. Gorbachev's reform led to an increase in protests and independence among its states. Gorbachev resigned and Yeltsin became president of a new Russian democracy. -
9/11 Attacks
The 9/11 attacks occurred when planes were hijacked and two planes crashed into the World Trade Centers. Nineteen terrorists from al-Qaeda hijacked four planes and one hit the Pentagon while the other crashed into a field in Pennsylvania. Al-Qaeda wanted to weaken the US. It was the worst terrorist attack on the US. The War on terror started after the 9/11 attacks.