1940s - 1980s

U.S. was only nation with A Bomb until Soviets developed one in 1949, since then until end of cold war was an arms race to build more and new weapons between the Soviets and the U.S.

gave $400 million in military aid to Greece and Turkey to resist Communism, this policy became known as the Truman Doctrine, and would manifest itself in Containment Policy

Centralized Military, founded CIA, All under the new DOD (replacing the Department of War), and a peacetime draft

fear of communism lead to a second red scare in America, sparking Rosenburg trial and McCarthysm

Gave economic aid to Europe, though no nation under the communist sphere of influence accepted. prevented communism from spreading westward.

Military Alliance for security against Soviet Union, who formed the Warsaw Pact in response

Communist Kim Il Sung started military campaign against non communist South Korea, who recieved support from U.S., pushing up to China's border until China's intervention, leading to stalemate, and a ceasefire at the 38th parallel in 1953.

First application of containment policy (besides aid) to contain communism in North Korea

suspicious of communist infiltration of government, his accusation was cabable of ruining careers and lives until in 1954 he was exposed as fraudulant on TV

Truman cautioned MacArthur against making public statements, especially calling for bombing China (who supported NK). MacArthur didn't, and was recalled by Truman and the Joint Chiefs of Staff for insubordination

Controversial Trial of Rosenburgs, accused of selling nuclear secrets to Soviets, ending in their execution

Truman Doctrine of Containing Communism Was High Priority after NSC - 68 was signed by Truman

Soviets launched sputnik 1 into orbit, demonstrating their space superiority and missile cabapilities, starting the space race.

A U - 2 spyplane was shot down over Russia with photos of miltiary bases, which Eisenhower admitted was a covert operation. forced Kruschev to denounce Eisenhower, bringind diplomatic relations to a halt

Kennedy apporved of Eisenhower's plan to remove Communist Castro's regime with trained non communist rebels, which failed miserably and lead to a diplomatic crisis

Wall put up around West Berlin seperating non soviets from soviet Union

Cuba recieved Soviet Warheads, prompting a U.S. blockade by Kennedy. For 13 days it was very close to Nuclear War, until the Soviets backed down and removed the warheads from Cuba, if the U.S. removed warheads from Turkey. They also established a hotline from D.C. to Moscow to prevent Nuclear war in the future

Congress passed resolution allowing Johnson to use military force in Vietnam

Johnson's term over, Nixon (vice president under Eisenhower) ran against and beat Democrat Wallace

military campaign by Viet Cong and North Vietnamese communists against South and U.S.

Although it was a military defeate for the Communists, it shocked the American public, and was the beginning of public shift away from support of the war

Preparing South Vietnam for U.S. exit from the war

series of talks between Soviets and U.S. over disarmment between Carter and Brehznev, was not ratified by Senate until changes were made under the direction of Senator Joe Biden

Suggestion by Reagan to creat defensives systems using ground and space based lasers, was called Star Wars by critics

openness to end political repression and move to greater political freedom, which would lead to large amount of input of dissatisfaction with Soviet Union

enacted two new programs to appease public over economic hardships Glasnost & Perestroika

Collapse of Communist Soviet Union, Russia restructured its economy to introduce some new free market practices