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Truman announces the Truman Doctrine
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Truman signs the Marshall Plan.
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Stalin orders the blockade of land routes to Berlin.
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The three Western powers launch the Berlin Airlift.
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NATO is founded.
NATO is an acronym North Atlantic Treaty Organization. NATO is an intergovernmental military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty. The first countries to join it were Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom and the United States. There are now 28 members. All members sided with the US. -
The Soviet blockade of Berlin ends.
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Truman signs the Mutual Security Act.
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Eisenhower becomes President of the United States.
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Stalin dies
Having overseen the deaths of between 8 million and 10 million of his own people, Stalin wasn't that great of a guy. It made us happy when he died, hopeful that the next ruler would be kinder towards the US. Our hopes were not met. Stalin's death did not mark a better relationship with the Soviets. He died of cerebral hemorrhage. -
Nikita Khrushchev becomes leader of the Soviet Communist Party.
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The US ice hockey team beat the USSR.
The American team was made up of college atheletes and amateur hockey players. The Soviet team was made up of pro players. The Soviet had won 7 or the last 8 olympic gold medals in ice hockey, so the US had the odds stacked against them. Led by coach Herb Brooks, they beat the Soviets and made history in a game that is now known as the "Miracle on Ice". The US went on the win the gold medal, while the USSR won the silver.
