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Potsdam Conference
The U.S., Britain and Soviet Union leaders met to discuss the issue of defeated Germany and the military campaign against Japan. The leaders decided that Germany would be able to rebuild on a democratic/peaceful basis, divided into 4 zones and parts of Germany would be given to Poland. It was discussed that the U.S. would drop the atomic bomb if Japan did not surrender. Japan didn't surrender, and the U.S. dropped the atomic bomb on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki (Potsdam Conference). -
NATO
The U.S., Canada and the western European countries established NATO, which is a military alliance with the countries that signed to join NATO. The alliance was created to defend themselves from the Soviets and Eastern Europe. The effects of NATO was that there was greater economic and political freedom. Anti-Soviet independence movements become stronger and more common. International tensions also became an issue because of the alliance (North Atlantic Treaty Organization). -
Korean War
North and South Korea fought against each other in a war that lasted around 3 years. The Soviets had taken over North Korea and the U.S took over South Korea. The UN wanted the countries back together, but the Soviets refused to vote for a new government. At the end of the war, over 1 million South Korean lives were lost, 1 million Chinese lives were lost, 500 thousand North Koreans had died, and 37 thousand American lives were lost. Korea also remained divided (Korean War). -
Vietnam War
Vietnam was split in two countries. The North wanted to unite the country into a Communist nation. Communist rebels erupted in the South. The South was losing many supporters because of their Catholic leader. He was killed and the military took over the government. The U.S, helped and trained the South army. In the end, North Vietnam won the war and the country became a Communist country called Vietnam. Around 1 million Vietnamese soldiers died and around 58,000 U.S. troops died (Vietnam War). -
Warsaw Pact
The Soviet Union created a strong defense alliance with Eastern Europe. The alliance was to protect the Soviets and Eastern Europe from potential military threats from the West. The Soviets wanted to strengthen the satellites from Eastern Europe, to prevent them having ties with the West. With the Soviets taking over, most of the countries’ nationalism came back to try and to revolt from the Soviets. The Soviets quickly shut all of the protest down and took away their freedoms (Warsaw Pact). -
Suez Crisis
Egypt nationalized the Suez canal. They declared a martial law in the canal zone. France and Britain secretly tried to regain control of the canal to depose Nassor, the Egyptian president. The U.S. decided not to finance Egypt’s construction of Aswan High Dam. In the end, Nassor won and was a hero for Arabs and Egyptians. Israel didn't get their freedom to use the canal, but they did get shipping rights at the Straits of Tiran. Britain and France lost influences in the Middle East(Suez Crisis). -
Sputnik
The Soviet Union launched its first artificial satellite. Later on, the U.S. finally launched its first satellite. The United States wanted to catch up to the Soviets by making advanced technology. The success of Sputnik was a major impact on the Cold War (Sputnik). -
Cuban Missile Crisis
American planes took pictures of of Soviet missiles in Cuba. The United States then put blockade around Cuba, which the Soviets tried to breach. The Soviets were to remove the missiles if the U.S. didn’t invade Cuba. The Soviets finally did agree to remove the missiles from Cuba if the U.S. would avoid invading Cuba. A direct “hot line” was created to defuse other situations similar like the Cuban crisis. Two treaties were signed after removing the missiles (History.com Staff). -
Glasnost
Glasnost, which was the Soviet policy of open discussion of political and social issues, was introduced after Perestroika, which was a program aimed to reconstruct the Soviet economic and political policy. Glasnost dramatically changed and opened up the individual freedom of expression in the country. It gave all the medias more freedom to publish and editorials talking about the depressed conditions, which the Soviet government could not correct them (Glasnost). -
Perestroika
The economic bureaucracy feared they would lose power, took control much of the program. The program reduced the direct involvement of the Communist Party leadership in the country and helping the local government’s authority. Congresses were created in each Soviet republic, ,making it the first time for there to be candidates that were non communists (Perestroika).
