US IN COLD WAR

Start

Soviet resistance to establishment of democracy in Poland and Czechoslovakia

Truman Doctrine (1947)

Soviet lent their support to a communist-led rebellion against the Greek government and demanded

territory from Turkey and the right to construct naval bases in the Bosporus. President Truman

responded promptly by asking Congress to appropriate $400 million for military and economic aid to

Greece and Turkey.

Marshall Plan (1947)

Red Scare / McCarthyism

 Committee on Un-American Activities (1945-1954)

 Hiss Affair (1948)

 Ratification of North Atlantic Treaty (July 21, 1949) establishing the North Atlantic Treaty

Organization (NATO)

 McCarran Internal Security Act of 1950

Communists’ seizure of China (1949)

Korean War (1950-53)

American troops repelled the communist invasion and by October 1, 1950, won back the territory up to

the 38th parallel. China warned UN forces from crossing the 38th parallel. MacArthur launched a
massive invasion of the north. Chinese sent about 1 million soldiers into the disputed territory and drove

the UN troops back to the 38th parallel. Then Stalemate.

Election of Eisenhower: Economic conservatism and social liberalism

Eisenhower Doctrine: Congress authorized the President to extend military and economic aid to guard

the Middle East from communist expansion

Cuban Revolution (1959)

Soviet Union launched its first satellite, Sputnik, into orbit on October 4, 1957. In response, Congress

enacted the National Aeronautic and Space Act (NASA) of 1958

Bay of Pigs Invasion (1961)

Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)

In 1962, the Soviets began building missile sites in Cuba. Kennedy demanded that the bases be

dismantled and the missiles removed. US agreed that the Soviet Union would remove the missiles and

the United States would promise not to invade Cuba

Assassination of President Kennedy in Dallas, Texas, on Friday, November 22, 1963

Detente

In February 1972, Nixon visited Communist China and agreed to a joint communiqué on the need for

greater interaction between China and the United States.

SALT I: 26 May 1972

Diplomatic relations with China: U.S. entered into formal diplomatic relations with China in 1979
Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan: Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in December 1979

Carter Doctrine: 21 Jan 1980

Star Wars: Reagan constructed a space-based strategic defense system, popularly known as “Star Wars.”

Renewed Tensions: Tension between the United States and the Soviet Union escalated during the

Reagan administration. Referred to communist Russia as an “evil empire”

Iran-Contra Affair: US attempt to overthrow the Marxist Sandinista regime in Nicaragua by giving

support to Contras from money of Arms sales to Iran which were forbidden.

INF Treaty: USA and USSR agreed in Washington in December 1987 to the INF Treaty banning all

intermediate-range missiles

Decline of Communism

Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan in Feb 1989

In East Germany thousands of people fled to West Germany through the open borders of

Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Poland. Berlin Wall fell on December 22, 1989,

The Solidarity Movement in Poland produced a noncommunist government in 1990

Czechoslovakia, Romania and Hungary declared themselves free republics.

Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia the populace demanded freedom from the Soviet Union in 1991

Fall and Disintegration of Soviet Union in December 1991

Vietnam War

Division of Vietnam
After 1st Indochina War, Geneva Agreement (May 1954) divided Vietnam into two parts. Viet Minh

captured control of the northern half of what would now be called Vietnam and a noncommunist

government was established in the southern half.

American Presence in Vietnam

Eisenhower sent 3,500 troops to bolster the noncommunist southern portion of Vietnam. By 1964

approximately 21,000 American servicemen were stationed in Vietnam.

Gulf of Tonkin Incident and Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

On August 4, 1964, two U.S. destroyers were attacked in the Gulf of Tonkin. Three days later Congress

passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution permitted the President as commander in chief to take all

necessary steps to repel an armed attack against U.S. forces and prevent further aggression in Vietnam

Expansion of American Presence and Involvement in Vietnam

Johnson increased the number of troops in South Vietnam on July 28, 1965, from 75,000 to 125,000, to

serve as fighting personnel, not merely as advisers. The first major ground battle of the war involving

American soldiers took place on August 18, 1965, on the Van Tuong Peninsula.

Johnson increased the forces in Vietnam to 535,000 by 1967

Opposition to the war

Tet Offensive

On January 30, 1968, the Vietcong launched a major attack (Tet Offensive) against every important

South Vietnamese city and town, and also shelled the American embassy in Saigon. In the fighting U.S.

forces suffered heavy casualties, triggering renewed demonstrations and antiwar rallies at home
Bombing of Cambodia

In 1969, Nixon secretly ordered an intense bombing of Cambodia

Peace with Honor

Nixon announced that 25,000 troops would be withdrawn by August 1969

My Lai Massacre (1968)

Invasion of Cambodia and Laos

Nixon authorized American troops to invade and destroy communist sanctuaries in Cambodia on April

30, 1970. Expansion of American involvement in a war in Laos

Kent State University Protest

Kent State University protest in Ohio, resulted in the killing of four students by National Guardsmen on

May 4, 1970

Pentagon Papers

Publication of Pentagon Paper in 1970 further eroded confidence in the war and the administration’s

handling of it.

Paris Agreement

An agreement was between North Vietnam and South Vietnam and United States was reached on

January 27, 1973, to end the Vietnam War. Americans promised to withdraw from South Vietnam and

North Vietnam promised not to attack South Vietnam

But South Vietnamese government soon collapsed, the country was overrun by the Vietcong by 1975.