Introducing
Your new presentation assistant.
Refine, enhance, and tailor your content, source relevant images, and edit visuals quicker than ever before.
Trending searches
20th Century Timeline
COLD WAR TIMELINE
Julie Pugh
Pearl Harbor
On December 7th, 1941, hundreds of Mitsubishi A6M2 fighter planes dropped bombs on one of America’s naval bases in Honolulu. The bomb destroyed nearly 20 naval vessels and more than 2,400 Americans died.
The bombing of Pearl Hrabor led to the US entering WWII. The US created atomic bombs, which led to the Cold War.
40s
Atomic Bombing
August 6-8 1945
Bombing of Hiroshima
In August of 1945, the United States dropped two devastating bombs called "Little Boy" and "Fat Man" on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. On August 6th, an America Boing B-29 fighter plane dropped "Little Boy" on Hiroshima, Japan. Two days later, "Fat Man" was dropped on Nagasaki. These bombs killed between 129,000 and 226,000 people. There is still radiation in these cities, even today.
After realizing the Atomic Bomb's potential, the Soviet Union desperately needed one as powerful, and when it was developed, the Cold War started between the US and USSR.
Vietnam War
The Soviet Union sought to spread communism through the North of Vietnam. After hearing this, the US enters Vietnam to stop the spread of communism and establish a capitalist economy. On November 1, 1955, President Eisenhower sends American troops to battle in Vietnam, officially starting the Vietnam War. This proxy war lasted from 1955 to 1975 and was fought in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.
The US and USSR continuously had proxy wars during the cold war. Both countries controlled people to fight in these wars, but the US nor USSR ever fully fought them. Doing this instigated one another and both would do anything to be the most powerful.
50s
The Space Race Begins
Space Race
On November 1st, 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik II out of Moscow, carrying the first living creature into space. This starts a different type of battle, a race, to whom can reach the moon!
Berlin Wall
In 1949, Germany split into two parts: The East (USSR/ Communism), and the West (US/ Capitalism). The East and West battled often, and in 1961, East Germany built a wall separating the two.
The Berlin Wall signified an "Iron Curtian" as Winston Churchill states in his speech, 1946. This solidates the rivallry of Communism vs. Capitalism and the Cold War.
60s
The Space Race to the moon!
Space Race pt. 2
On December 21st, 1968, the US launches Apollo 8 into the Moon's orbit. On July 20th, 1969 Apollo 11 lands on the moon, making the Astronaught and proud American, Neil Armstrong, to be the first man on the moon. He plants an American Flag on the moon, signifying democratic victory.
The US beat the Soviet Union in the Space Race to the moon. This causes more tension between the US and USSR during the Cold War.
South Vietnam No Longer
On August 15th, 1973 the Paris Peace treaty offically ended the Vietnam war and American troops departed Vietnam. South Vietnam had no allies anymore. On April 30th 1975, North Vietnam invades the South, eventually capturing Saigon. This represents the fall of the South, and Vietnam becomes fully Communist.
This is a win for the USSR, after 8 years of bloodshed and war, Victory! The US needed to gain their power back.
70s
SALT Treaty
On May 26th, 1972, the United States and Soviet Union made an agreement to limit their production and possession of weaponry and missles (Strategic Arms), as well as nuclear weapons.
From this treaty, the worldwide threat of Nuclear War reduced, which brought relief to many. The Cold War was finally cooling down.
Hold Fire!
Chernobyl Disaster
On April 26th, 1986, the Chernobyl Nuclear Powerplant in Ukraine exploded unexpectantly, and was the most radioactive in history. The explosion killed 2 workers immediately, and killed many more in later years from radiation. In comparison, the Chernobyl disaster had 400 more times of radiation than the atomic bombing in Japan.
People started to question their leader Mikhail Gorbachev, and after this the Soviet economy started to fall. The Cold War was coming to a close.
80s
Fall of Berlin Wall
The Fall of the Berlin Wall
On November 9th, 1989 the East German boarder troops started to tear down the Berlin Wall. 5 days prior, half a million people stood by the wall in protest of it's purpose.
This was a huge stepping stone signifying an end to the Cold War. Democratic and Republic no longer were divided so extremely. One year later, Germany unified as one counry.
The Warsaw Pact
On May 14th, 1955, the Warsaw Pact was created. It was founded by communist countries in the east, and the pact unified the countries as one. Around 40 years later, on July 1st, 1991, the Warsaw Pact officially ended, splitting up the communist countries. The Soviet Union and its economy was on rapid decline with no allies. The US along with other supporting western countries were winning the Cold War.
90s
The Soviet Union is Out for the Count!
The Official End
On December 25th, 1991, the Soviet Union leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, resigned from office. The next day, December 26th, marked the official date of the end of the Cold War. 45 years of an ongoing fight for power, and fear of nuclear disaster.