Cold War

Tehran conference, dates and details

November 1943, intended to be used to plan the strategy for the rest of the war. USA + Britain agreed to open a second front, Staling would help with Japan after Germany was defeated. Ideas for UN discussed

Yalta conference, dates and details

Feb 1945, Agreed that Germany would be divided, reparations, and that European government’s would be decided by fair elections. UN groundwork laid

When was the UN set up

25th of April, 1945

Potsdam conference, dates and details

July-August, 1945, Roosevelt and Churchill replaced by Truman and Atlee. Stalin took hard line with new leaders. Trueman delayed the meeting to prepare the atomic bomb. Germany's division was agreed

Arms Race

1945- USA develops the atomic bomb

1949- Soviet Union develops the atomic bomb

1952- USA tests the hydrogen bomb

1953- Soviet Union tests the hydrogen bomb

1957- USA tests the ICBM, Soviet Union make its first successful lauch

Long telegram, dates and details

1946, a telegram from the US ambassador in Moscow, George Kennan, suggesting that he believed Stalin wanted to forcibly destroy capitalism

The Novikov telegram, dates and details

1946, Nikolai Novikov, a soviet diplomat in Washington sends this telegram, detailing how he believed America sought to militarily dominate the world

Bizonia and Trizonia, dates and details

Bizonia formed 1947, between the UK and US

Trizonia formed 1948, now adding France

Truman doctrine, dates and details

March 12th, 1947, Truman calls the choice between capitalism and communism like that between good and evil, and announces financial aid for Turkey and Greece

Marshall plan, dates and details

June 1947, an aid package for European countries, giving a total of 12 billion dollars. Seen as “dollar imperialism” by the Soviet Union

Cominform and Comecon, dates and details

1947 - Cominform, a declaration in direct competition with the Marshall plan, suggesting that communist countries should trade only with communist countries

1949 January 25th - Comecon, an aid package directly opposing the Marshall plan for communist countries

Nato and the Warsaw pact, dates and details

1949 - Nato formed

1955- West Germany allowed to join Nato

- Warsaw pact is created

Berlin Blockade and Airlift, dates and details

1948- blockade begins, Airlift begins June 26th, also known as operation Vittles

May 1949- the blockade ends

East and West Germany formation dates

1949, the Western Federal Republic of Germany forms. First Chancellor put in place on the 15th of September

The Eastern Democratic Republic of Germany formed in October of the same year, but is only recognised in the Eastern Bloc

The Hungarian Uprising, dates and details

October 1956, the communist rule is disliked, so the progressive Imre Nagy is put in power. Navy tries to Leave the Warsaw pact November 1st, but Hungary is attacked 3 days later, and Nagy us replaced by Janos Kadar

East Berlin Refugee statistics

3 million people had left by 1958, which is 1/3 of the population

Berlin Ultimatum, dates and details

1958, and renewed in 1961, asked that Berlin be demilitarised, and that Berlin become a free city (although not really free)

First barbed wire of the Berlin wall put up, date

12th August, 1961

Kennedy's Berlin Speech, when, and famous line

June 26th, 1963, “ich bin ein berliner”

1st Geneva summit, dates and details

May 1959, proposals put forward for how Berlin should be governed put forward, but nothing is agreed. Khrushchev invited to America for Camp David

Camp David Summit, dates and details

September 1959, the first face to face meeting between Khrushchev and Eisenhower. Khrushchev withdraws the Berlin ultimatum

Paris Summit, dates and details

On May 1st, 1960, a U2 spy plane was shot down over Russia, leading to outrage, and the Soviet Union leaving the Summit before discussions can take place

Vienna summit, dates and details

June 1961, Kennedy's first conference with Khrushchev, leading to Khruschev taking a harder line. Berlin Ultimatum renewed

Cuba, before the Cuban missile crisis

Jan 1959, Cuban revolution, leaving Fidel Castro in charge

February 1960, Cuba and the Soviet Union make an economic agreement, secretly including weapons

January 1961, America cuts all diplomatic relations with Cuba

Bay of Pigs invasion, dates and details

17th of April, 1961, using 1400 Cuban exiles in attempt to incite revolution against the communist government, however it was put down by 20000 Cuban soldiers

Cuban Missile Crisis, dates and details

On the 14th of October 1962, a U2 spy plane spots Soviet missiles stationed in Cuba

the 16th to the 28th of October, known as the 13 days, were considered the period of time where the world was closest to nuclear war.

On the 22nd, Kennedy ordered a naval blockade of Cuba, as well as arming 54 nuclear weapons each with 4 warheads. On the 24th, Soviet ships reached the blockade and turned around

When was the hotline set up?

June 1963

Test ban treaty, dates and details

August 1963, no nuclear testing in space, air, or water

Outer space treaty, dates and details

1967, agreed that space should not be used for war

Nuclear non-proliferation treaty, dates and details

1968, agreed that there would be no sharing of nuclear technology

Czechoslovakia and the Prague Spring, dates and details

April 1968, Alexander Dubcek, who became the leader of the Czech communist party the same year, began putting in reforms, allowing free speech and travel

20th of August 1968- Feeling threatened by the new radicalism, Brezhnev sent 500000 Warsaw pact troops to dispose of Dubcek

Brezhnev Doctrine, dates and details

September 26th, 1968, Brezhnev doctrine put into place to threaten other countries into remaining communist

SALT (strategic arms limitation treaty) 1 and 2, dates and details

SALT 1, May 1972, placed limits on the number and locations of ICBMs and SLBMs

SALT 2, June 18th, 1979, highly technical stuff about weapons

International meeting, dates and details

1973, 33 Warsaw and Nato countries meet to extend the co-operation of SALT 1

When did Brezhnev die?

November 10th, 1982

The Helsinki Accords, dates and details

1975, A series of international agreements split into 3 “baskets” on human rights, borders, and international co-operation

Afghanistan invasion, dates and details

April 1978, the Soviet supported government takes over, lead by Taraki, but is disliked and opposed by the Mujahdeen

September 1979, Amin has Taraki assassinated and takes control, beginning to communicate with the US

December 24th, 1979, Soviets invade, and 3 days later, Amin is assassinated

The Olympic Boycotts, dates and details

1980, Moscow Olympics, 60 countries boycott, lead by USA

1984, Los Angeles Olympics, 15 communist countries boycott

Reagan Doctrine, dates and details

1985, Reagan officially announced that he would support anti communist governments and insurgent groups

Reagan speech, dates and details

1983, Reagan describes the USA as good, and the Soviet Union as evil in his speech to a Christian group

The strategic defense initiative, dates and details

1983, Reagan's proposed space based missile deflection system, also known as star wars

Geneva summit (2), dates and details

November 1985, no agreements made, but a working relationship was established between Reagan and Gorbachev

Reykjavik summit, dates and details

October 1986, considered phasing out nukes, but star wars remained a point of contention

Washington summit, dates and details

December 1987, INF treaty was signed, banning missiles of a range of 500-5500km

Moscow summit, dates and details

1988, complex details of INF treaty covered

Malta summit, dates and details

1989, no agreements made, but many considered this the end of the cold war

When did the Brezhnev doctrine get removed?

1985

When did the Berlin wall fall?

November 9th, 1989

When did the Warsaw Pact end?

July 1991

When did Gorbachev resign?

December 25th, 1991