THE COLD WAR

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BERLIN BLOCKADE• The Berlin Blockade was an

attempt in 1948 by the Soviet Union to limit the ability of France, Great Britain and the United States to travel to their sectors of Berlin, which lay within Russian-occupied East Germany. Eventually, the western powers instituted an airlift that lasted nearly a year and delivered much-needed supplies and relief to West Berlin. Coming just three years after the end of World War II, the blockade was the first major clash of the Cold War and foreshadowed future conflict over the city of Berlin. This was significant as it represented the initial conflict and was the first physical division between ideologies.

THE KOREAN WAR• After world war one, Korea was

divided along the 38th parallel into North and South Korea. On June 27th, 1950, Communist North Korea invaded South Korea to reunite the divided country. The invasion was supported by the Soviet Union and condemned as an act of aggression by both the U.S and the U.N. The Korean war was significant to the timeline of the Cold War as it was the first physical conflict between the U.S and a communist nation, and because the North Korean mindset was shared with and supported by The Soviet Union, making it a proxy war between two conflicting superpowers.

THE BERLIN WALL• The Berlin Wall was both the

physical division between West Berlin and East Germany from 1961 to 1989 and the symbolic boundary between democracy and Communism during the Cold War. The Berlin Wall was erected in the dead of night and for 28 years kept East Germans from fleeing to the West. The Berlin Wall was significant to the Cold War because it was a symbol of the distinct division and conflict between competing ideologies. The East side was controlled by the Soviet Union, and the West side was divided into areas controlled by the U.S, France, and the U.K. It created great tension and hostility between the two competing powers and greatly upset the people of Germany.

BAY OF PIGS• The Bay of Pigs invasion was

an unsuccessful military invasion of Cuba undertaken by a CIA funded paramilitary group on April 17 1961. The invading force was defeated by Cuban armed forces under the command of Fidel Castro in three days. The failed invasion strengthened the position of Castro’s administration who continued to openly proclaim their intention to adopt socialism and strengthen ties with the Soviet Union, leading to the events of the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1961.

CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS• The Cuban Missile crisis in 1962

brought the Soviet Union and the U.S as close to nuclear war as they’d ever come. The Soviets were constructing missiles in Cuba. These missiles, photographed by a U-2 plane flying over western Cuba, brought the conflicting countries to a brinkmanship – the U.S quarantined Cuba and lined the perimeter with ships. The Soviets did little in response, their ships (even those carrying questionable cargo) continued on course, perhaps slowing down a little. This particular event is significant to the timeline of the Cold War as it not only brought the countries the closest to war, but it also brought to them the realization that nuclear war would be catastrophic – leading to a détente between enemies.

U.S MISSILES IN TURKEY

• During the Cold War, American intermediate range nuclear missiles and bombs were constructed in Turkey to serve as protection against the Soviet Union, should they attack and influence Soviet strategic calculation. They were to be fired as retaliation, but still contributed greatly to the placement of Soviet missiles in Cuba. It was significant as it brought the two Superpowers to a brinkmanship after the missiles were discovered in Turkey and Cuba.

RUSSIAN INVASION OF AFGHANISTAN

• In 1979, Russia invaded Afghanistan. Although poorly outfitted, the Mujahideen (Afghan freedom fighters) proved to be a formidable opponent, as they had knowledge of the terrain and weather conditions. The Mujahideen were fighting one of the most powerful military forces in the world, yet still controlled 75% of Afghanistan. Young Russian conscripts were no match against men fueled by their religion. The United Nations had condemned the invasion as early as January 1980 but a Security Council motion, calling for the withdrawal of Russian forces, had been vetoed by Russia. America supported the Mujahideen and discontinued the export of grain into Russia. It was significant as it provided the States with a preview of Soviet war tactics.

NORAD• NORAD is a bi-national organization charged

with the mission of aerospace warning and aerospace control for North America. During the 1950s, the United States aimed to deter any attacks by the Soviet Union on North American soil by threatening massive retaliation. The main Soviet menace in this era came in the form of long-range bombers that would likely fly over Canadian territory to reach American targets. Because any Soviet attack upon the U.S. would involve Canada, it was logical for the U.S. to form an official military alliance with Canada. NORAD formalized a cooperative air defense agreement that existed between the countries. It brought the two nations together to develop continental air defense plans; to maintain and operate the land-based radar and communications systems that would warn of an impending attack; and, in the event of an attack, to employ air defense forces to direct a retaliatory strike away from heavily populated areas. This was significant because it caused the Soviet Union to embark on a mission to develop their own allies and defense partners during the Cold War, stiffening the relationship between Soviet Russia and the United States.

COLLAPSE OF THE BERLIN WALL

The collapse of the Berlin Wall signified the deterioration of the Iron Curtain, the end of the Cold War, and the final straw in the

Communist Reign by the Soviet Union. It has been seen everywhere as a strong sign in support of Democracy, the will,

and the voice of the people.