Cold War (Paper 2): Turning Points

The Yalta Conference (February 1945)

It resulted in agreements on the division of Germany and the establishment of the United Nations.

The Potsdam Conference (July-August 1945)

Held after Germany's surrender and solidified the division of Germany and Berlin into zones of occupation.

The Truman Doctrine (1947)

Committed the United States to support countries resisting communism, marking the formal beginning of the policy of containment.

The Marshall Plan (1947-1951)

Provided economic aid to war-torn European countries, aiming to rebuild Western Europe and prevent the spread of communism.

The Berlin Airlift (1948-1949)

Solidified the division of Germany and Berlin into East and West, symbolizing the larger East-West confrontation.

The Formation of NATO (1949)

Marked a formal military alliance between Western European countries and the United States, aimed at countering Soviet influence in Europe.

The Korean War (1950-1953)

Intensified US military commitments in Asia, established US Cold War air superiority, and marked a significant hot spot in the Cold War

The Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)

It highlighted the dangers of nuclear brinkmanship. Led to the establishment of direct communication between Washington and Moscow.

The Prague Spring (1968)

A period of liberalization in Czechoslovakia, suppressed by Soviet military intervention.

The Fall of the Berlin Wall (1989)

Symbolized the end of communist control in Eastern Europe and signaled the imminent dissolution of the Soviet Union.