History of Cold War in Timeline
The Cold War (1947-1991) was a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western and Eastern Blocs. While avoiding direct military conflict, the superpowers engaged in proxy wars, an arms race (including nuclear weapons), technological competition like the Space Race, espionage, and propaganda. The conflict involved ideological and economic competition, embargoes, and rivalry in sports. It ended with the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
1 day ago : Cold War: CIA Declassifies Alien Attack Files Amidst Blame Game on America.
Declassified CIA files reveal a Soviet clash with aliens during the Cold War. Witnesses claimed soldiers were turned to stone. Meanwhile, debate continues about America's role and blame in the Cold War's origins.
1917: October Revolution
Following the 1917 October Revolution, some Russian cities were renamed, such as Leningrad to Saint Petersburg, Sverdlovsk to Yekaterinburg, and Gorky to Nizhny Novgorod.
October 1945: Orwell's "You and the Atomic Bomb" Essay
In October 1945, George Orwell used the term 'cold war' in his essay "You and the Atomic Bomb", contemplating a world living under the threat of nuclear warfare.
February 1946: Kennan's "Long Telegram"
In February 1946, George F. Kennan's "Long Telegram" from Moscow articulated the US government's hard line against the Soviets, forming the basis for US strategy toward the Soviet Union.
September 1946: Novikov Telegram
In September 1946, the Soviet side produced the Novikov telegram, which portrayed the US as being in the grip of monopoly capitalists preparing for world supremacy in a new war.
1946: Betrayal of Venona Project in 1946
In 1946, Kim Philby and Bill Weisband betrayed the decryption project and dispatched it to the USSR
January 1947: US and Britain merge German occupation zones into "Bizone"
On January 1, 1947, the US and Britain merged their western German occupation zones into "Bizone."
February 1947: British Announcement and Soviet Actions
In February 1947, the British government declared its inability to continue funding the Greek Kingdom in its civil war against Communist insurgents. Simultaneously, Stalin orchestrated the rigged 1947 Polish legislative election, openly violating the Yalta Agreement. The US responded with a policy of containment.
April 1947: Baruch's "Cold War" Speech
In April 1947, Bernard Baruch, in a speech written by Herbert Bayard Swope, proclaimed that "we are today in the midst of a cold war."
June 1947: Enactment of the Marshall Plan
In June 1947, the United States, in accordance with the Truman Doctrine, enacted the Marshall Plan, pledging economic assistance to all European countries willing to participate.
September 1947: Creation of Cominform
In September 1947, the Soviets created Cominform to enforce orthodoxy within the international communist movement and tighten political control over Soviet satellites through coordination of communist parties in the Eastern Bloc.
1947: National Security Act of 1947
In 1947, Truman signed the National Security Act of 1947, which established the Department of Defense, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and the National Security Council (NSC). These entities became the main bureaucracies for US defense policy during the Cold War.
1947: Start of the Cold War
In 1947, the Cold War began, marking a period of geopolitical rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union and their allies, without direct military conflict but through proxy wars, ideological battles, and technological competition.
1947: Marshall Plan Introduction
In 1947, the Marshall Plan was introduced by the US to provide financial aid to rebuild Europe and prevent the spread of communism, which was rejected by the Soviet Union.
1947: Truman Doctrine Declared
In 1947, the US declared the Truman Doctrine, initiating the policy of "containment" of communism.
1947: Foundation of the Free Territory of Trieste
In 1947, the neutral buffer state Free Territory of Trieste, was founded with the United Nations. It was split up and dissolved in 1954 and 1975, also because of the détente between the West and Tito.
April 1948: Truman Signs Marshall Plan
On April 3, 1948, President Harry S. Truman signed the Marshall Plan, committing the US government to providing over $13 billion (equivalent to $189 billion in 2016) in economic assistance to Western European countries. This program later contributed to the creation of the OECD.
June 1948: Start of the Berlin Blockade
In June 1948, Stalin instituted the Berlin Blockade, preventing Western supplies from reaching West Germany's exclave of West Berlin.
December 1948: Berlin Municipal Elections
On December 5, 1948, the Berlin municipal elections produced a turnout of 86% and an overwhelming victory for the non-communist parties, dividing the city into East and West. 300,000 Berliners demonstrated and urged the international airlift to continue, and US Air Force pilot Gail Halvorsen created "Operation Vittles", which supplied candy to German children.
1948: Western European Countries Set German Rebuilding Effort
Following Soviet refusals to participate in a German rebuilding effort set forth by western European countries in 1948, the US, Britain and France spearheaded the establishment of the Federal Republic of Germany from the three Western zones of occupation in April 1949.
1948: Communist Coup in Czechoslovakia
In 1948, Czech Communists executed a coup d'état in Czechoslovakia, forming the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, the only Eastern Bloc state previously allowed to retain democratic structures. This event shocked Western powers and eliminated opposition to the Marshall Plan in the US Congress.
1948: Marshall Plan Launched
In 1948, the Marshall Plan was launched by the US to assist Western Europe's economic recovery.
1948: Italian Christian Democrats defeat Communist-Socialist alliance in 1948 elections
In 1948, under the leadership of Alcide De Gasperi, the Italian Christian Democrats defeated the powerful Communist–Socialist alliance in the elections.
1948: Agreement for Merger of Western German Areas
In early 1948, representatives of several Western European governments and the United States announced an agreement for a merger of western German areas into a federal governmental system. They also began to re-industrialize and rebuild the West German economy, including the introduction of a new Deutsche Mark currency.
January 1949: Truman's Inaugural Address and Point Four Program
In January 1949, during his inaugural address, President Truman declared international development as a key part of U.S. foreign policy for the first time, resulting in the Point Four Program.
January 1949: Institutionalization of the Molotov Plan
In January 1949, the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance institutionalized the Molotov Plan, the Soviet Union's alternative to the Marshall Plan involving subsidies and trade with central and eastern Europe.
April 1949: North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Founded
In April 1949, Britain, France, the United States, Canada and eight other western European countries signed the North Atlantic Treaty, establishing the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
April 1949: Creation of "Trizone" with the Addition of France
In April 1949, France's zone was added, resulting in the creation of the "Trizone".
May 1949: Stalin Lifts Berlin Blockade
In May 1949, Stalin lifted the Berlin Blockade, which was as much a logistical as a political and psychological success for the West; it firmly linked West Berlin to the United States.
1949: Soviets create network of mutual assistance treaties
By 1949, the Soviets created a network of mutual assistance treaties in the Eastern Bloc.
1949: Communist Victory in China
In 1949, Mao Zedong's People's Liberation Army defeated Chiang Kai-shek's United States-backed Kuomintang Nationalist Government in China. The Kremlin promptly created an alliance with the newly formed People's Republic of China.
1949: Formation of NATO
In 1949, The United States and its Western European allies formed NATO, which was essentially a defensive agreement against Soviet influence.
1949: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty propaganda effort
In 1949, a major propaganda effort called Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty began. It was dedicated to peacefully dismantling the communist system in the Eastern Bloc by serving as an alternative to the Soviet Bloc's controlled press.
1949: End of American Atomic Monopoly
In 1949, the American atomic monopoly ended. This contributed to the Truman administration's decision to escalate and expand its containment doctrine.
1949: Formation of German Republics in 1949
In 1949, the London Six-Power Conference resulted in the Soviet boycott of the Allied Control Council, marking the beginning of the full-blown Cold War and the end of hopes for a single German government. This led to the formation of the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic in 1949.
1949: Soviet Atomic Device Detonation
In 1949, the USSR detonated its first nuclear weapon, four years after the American detonation, thanks to crucial information delivered by atomic spies from the United States' Manhattan Project.
1949: Division of Europe and Key Events
In 1949, the USSR had installed satellite governments in Eastern Europe and North Korea, leading to the political division of Europe by an "Iron Curtain". The USSR also tested its first nuclear weapon in 1949 and allied with the People's Republic of China. The US founded the NATO military alliance in 1949 as well.
June 1950: North Korea Invades South Korea
In June 1950, after years of mutual hostilities, Kim Il Sung's North Korean People's Army invaded South Korea. The United Nations Security Council backed the defense of South Korea. A UN force of sixteen countries faced North Korea.
June 1950: Korean War outbreak and West Germany Rearmament
In June 1950, the Korean War broke out which changed the calculations and Washington fully supported the rearmament of West Germany. Washington also named Dwight D. Eisenhower in charge of NATO forces and sent more American troops to West Germany.
1950: US Discovery of Venona Project Betrayal in 1950
By 1950, the US discovered that Kim Philby and Bill Weisband had betrayed the decryption project and dispatched it to the USSR in 1946.
1950: Start of the Korean War
In 1950, the Korean War began, becoming an early confrontation in the Cold War.
1950: NSC 68 Document and Expansion of Containment Doctrine
In 1950, the Truman administration, influenced by advisor Paul Nitze, saw containment as implying complete rollback of Soviet influence in all its forms, following the guidelines set in NSC 68 document, which proposed reinforcing pro-Western alliance systems and quadrupling spending on defense.
1951: Nationalization of Anglo-Iranian Oil Company
In 1951, Iranian prime minister, Mohammad Mosaddegh, nationalized the British-owned Anglo-Iranian Oil Company.
1951: US Formalizes Alliances, ANZUS Treaty
In 1951, the US formalized a series of alliances with Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand and the Philippines, including the ANZUS treaty, guaranteeing the United States a number of long-term military bases.
1952: Stalin's Proposal for Unified Germany
In 1952, Stalin repeatedly proposed a plan to unify East and West Germany under a single government chosen in elections supervised by the United Nations, if the new Germany were to stay out of Western military alliances, but this proposal was turned down by the Western powers.
July 1953: Korean Armistice Agreement Approved
In July 1953, the Korean Armistice Agreement was approved, marking the end of major hostilities in the Korean War. The conflict galvanized NATO to develop a military structure.
1953: Cheddi Jagan wins election in British Guiana, then forced to resign
In 1953, Cheddi Jagan, the leftist People's Progressive Party (PPP) candidate, won the position of chief minister in a colonially administered election in British Guiana. However, he was quickly forced to resign after Britain suspended the nation's constitution.
1953: Dwight D. Eisenhower Inaugurated as President
In 1953, Dwight D. Eisenhower was inaugurated as President of the United States. Eisenhower moved to reduce military spending by a third while continuing to fight the Cold War effectively.
1953: Death of Joseph Stalin
In 1953, Joseph Stalin died. Nikita Khrushchev eventually won the ensuing power struggle by the mid-1950s.
1953: Operation Ajax in Iran
In 1953, President Eisenhower implemented Operation Ajax, a covert coup operation by the CIA to overthrow the Iranian prime minister, Mohammad Mosaddegh, who had nationalized the British-owned Anglo-Iranian Oil Company in 1951. The pro-Western shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, assumed control as an autocratic monarch.
1953: End of the Korean War
In 1953, the Korean War ended in a stalemate.
1954: French acceptance of abandonment of Vietnam
In 1954, France accepted a negotiated abandonment of their neo-colonial stake in Vietnam, granting full sovereignty to the anti-communist State of Vietnam on June 4. The Geneva Conference in July resulted in peace accords, dividing Vietnam between a pro-Soviet North and a pro-Western South at the 17th parallel north.
1954: Guatemalan coup d'état
In 1954, the Guatemalan coup d'état, backed by the CIA, overthrew the left-wing President Jacobo Árbenz, leading to the installation of a military junta headed by Carlos Castillo Armas. This new government reversed progressive land reforms, returned nationalized property to the United Fruit Company, established a National Committee of Defense Against Communism, and enacted a Preventive Penal Law Against Communism at the request of the United States.
1954: Formation of SEATO
In 1954, the United States formalized a series of alliances with Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand and the Philippines, including SEATO, guaranteeing the United States a number of long-term military bases.
1954: Dissolution of the Free Territory of Trieste
The neutral buffer state Free Territory of Trieste, founded in 1947 with the United Nations, was split up and dissolved in 1954 and 1975, also because of the détente between the West and Tito.
1955: West Germany Joins NATO and establishment of the Bundeswehr
In 1955, Washington secured full German membership of NATO, and the Bundeswehr, the West German military, was established.
1955: Division within People's Progressive Party (PPP) leadership
In 1955, following the imprisonment of the PPP's leadership after Cheddi Jagan's victory, the British maneuvered the organization into a divisive rupture.
1955: Formation of the Warsaw Pact
In 1955, the Soviet Union countered NATO with the Warsaw Pact, which had similar results with the Eastern Bloc.
1955: Warsaw Pact Founded
In 1955, the Soviet Union formed the Warsaw Pact, a military alliance, in response to NATO.
November 1956: Khrushchev's "We will bury you" Declaration
On 18 November 1956, Nikita Khrushchev famously declared, "Whether you like it or not, history is on our side. We will bury you" while addressing Western dignitaries at a reception in Moscow's Polish embassy. He later claimed he was referring to the historical victory of communism over capitalism, not nuclear war.
1956: Dissent Emerges After 1956
After 1956, dissent began to appear among European and American Communists, who were financed by the KGB and involved in its intelligence operations.
1956: Beginning of the Sino-Soviet alliance breakdown
After 1956, the Sino-Soviet alliance began to break down due to ideological differences and leadership disputes between Mao Zedong and Nikita Khrushchev.
1956: Khrushchev Denounces Stalin
In 1956, Nikita Khrushchev denounced Joseph Stalin and proceeded to ease controls over the party and society in an effort of de-Stalinization.
1956: Suez Crisis and US Nuclear Superiority
In 1956, during the Suez Crisis, Eisenhower's possession of nuclear superiority allowed him to face down Soviet threats to intervene in the Middle East. Declassified US plans for retaliatory nuclear strikes in the late 1950s included the "systematic destruction" of 1,200 major urban centers in the Soviet Bloc and China, including Moscow, East Berlin and Beijing.
1956: Hungarian Revolution
In 1956, in response to a popular anti-communist uprising, the new regime formally disbanded the secret police, declared its intention to withdraw from the Warsaw Pact and pledged to re-establish free elections. The Soviet Army invaded, suppressing the Hungarian Revolution.
1956: Regional commanders demand autonomy in Indonesia
In 1956, the non-aligned Indonesian government of Sukarno faced a major threat as several regional commanders began demanding autonomy from Jakarta.
August 1957: Soviet Union launches first ICBM
In August 1957, the Soviet Union successfully launched the world's first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).
1957: Khrushchev's Nuclear Threats
From 1957, Khrushchev openly and repeatedly threatened the West with nuclear annihilation, claiming that Soviet missile capabilities were far superior to those of the United States. He declared his ultimate goal was "peaceful coexistence".
1957: Cheddi Jagan wins colonial elections again
In 1957, Cheddi Jagan again won the colonial elections in British Guiana, despite Britain's reconsideration of its view of him as a Soviet-style communist.
1957: Rapacki Plan Proposal
In 1957, Polish foreign minister Adam Rapacki proposed the Rapacki Plan for a nuclear free zone in central Europe. It was rejected by leaders of West Germany, Britain, France and the United States.
February 1958: Declaration of the Revolutionary Government of the Republic of Indonesia-Permesta Movement
In February 1958, dissident military commanders in Central Sumatra and North Sulawesi declared the Revolutionary Government of the Republic of Indonesia-Permesta Movement, aiming to overthrow the Sukarno regime. They were joined by civilian politicians and received covert aid from the CIA due to their anti-communist stance.
April 1958: Shooting down of Allen Lawrence Pope
In April 1958, American pilot Allen Lawrence Pope was shot down after a bombing raid on government-held Ambon, exposing CIA involvement in aiding the Indonesian rebels.
November 1958: Khrushchev's Berlin Ultimatum
During November 1958, Khrushchev made an unsuccessful attempt to turn all of Berlin into an independent, demilitarized "free city". He gave the United States, Great Britain and France a six-month ultimatum to withdraw their troops from the sectors of West Berlin, or he would transfer control of Western access rights to the East Germans. NATO formally rejected the ultimatum.
January 1959: Cuban Revolution
On 1 January 1959, the 26th of July Movement, led by Fidel Castro and Che Guevara, seized power in the Cuban Revolution.
1959: CIA Defector Investigation
From 1959 to 1973, the CIA required that East Bloc defectors undergo a counterintelligence investigation before being recruited as a source of intelligence.
1959: Cuban Revolution
In 1959, the Cuban Revolution resulted in the installation of the first communist regime in the Western Hemisphere.
1959: Upswing in diplomacy and Khrushchev's visit to the US
In 1959, there was an upswing in diplomacy, including a two-week visit by Khrushchev to the US.
1959: Increase in US troop levels in Vietnam
Under President John F. Kennedy, US troop levels in Vietnam grew from just under a thousand in 1959.
March 1960: Eisenhower approves CIA plans to overthrow Castro
In March 1960, Eisenhower gave approval to CIA plans and funding to overthrow Castro and Cuba began negotiating for arms purchases from the Eastern Bloc.
May 1960: U-2 Spy Plane Scandal
The planned two-power summit for May 1960 was disturbed by the U-2 spy plane scandal, in which Eisenhower was caught lying about the intrusion of American surveillance aircraft into Soviet territory.
June 1960: Independence of the Republic of the Congo
In June 1960, the Republic of the Congo, also known as Congo-Léopoldville, gained independence from Belgium.
January 1961: Eisenhower severs relations with Cuba
In January 1961, just prior to leaving office, President Eisenhower formally severed relations with the Cuban government.
August 1961: Surrender of rebel guerilla bands in Indonesia
By August 1961, the last remaining rebel guerilla bands in Indonesia surrendered, marking the end of the military conflict against the central government.
1961: US support to South Vietnam
Between 1954 and 1961, the United States sent economic aid and military advisers to strengthen South Vietnam's pro-Western government against communist efforts to destabilize it.
1961: Cheddi Jagan wins colonial elections
In 1961, Cheddi Jagan won the colonial elections again, despite Britain's shift in viewing the left-wing Jagan as a Soviet-style communist. The United States pressured the British to withhold Guyana's independence.
1961: Kennedy Orders Increase in Defense Spending
In 1961, Kennedy ordered a massive increase in defense spending and a rapid build-up of the nuclear arsenal to restore the lost superiority over the Soviet Union. From 1961 to 1964, the number of nuclear weapons increased by 50 percent, as did the number of B-52 bombers to deliver them. The new ICBM force grew from 63 intercontinental ballistic missiles to 424. Kennedy also called on cities to construct fallout shelters.
1961: Construction of the Berlin Wall
In 1961, Soviet-allied East Germany constructed the Berlin Wall to prevent citizens from fleeing to West Berlin.
1961: Operation Mongoose devised
In 1961, The Kennedy administration devised Operation Mongoose, a program of terrorist attacks and other destabilization operations to oust Castro.
1961: Sino-Soviet Split
In 1961, relations between the USSR and China broke down, leading to the Sino-Soviet split.
1961: Antarctic Treaty comes into force
In 1961, the Cold War's first arms control agreement, the Antarctic Treaty, came into force.
1961: Creation of the Non-Aligned Movement
In 1961, the consensus reached at Bandung culminated with the creation of the Belgrade-headquartered Non-Aligned Movement.
1961: Berlin Crisis of 1961
The Berlin Crisis of 1961 was the last major incident in the Cold War regarding the status of Berlin and post–World War II Germany.
1961: Khrushchev's Nuclear Threats
Through 1961, Khrushchev openly and repeatedly threatened the West with nuclear annihilation, claiming that Soviet missile capabilities were far superior to those of the United States. He declared his ultimate goal was "peaceful coexistence".
February 1962: Khrushchev learns of Operation Mongoose
In February 1962, Khrushchev learned of the Operation Mongoose project, and preparations to install Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba were undertaken in response.
November 1962: End of Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis, which occurred between October and November 1962, brought the world closer to nuclear war than ever before. The aftermath led to efforts in the nuclear arms race at nuclear disarmament and improving relations.
1962: Starfish Prime Test
In 1962, the United States conducted the Starfish Prime test, detonating a nuclear device in the upper atmosphere, which amplified concerns over the militarization of space.
August 5, 1963: Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Signed
On August 5, 1963, the United States, the Soviet Union, and over 100 other nations signed the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, prohibiting nuclear weapons tests in the atmosphere, outer space, and underwater.
1963: Triumph of Liberalism
Between 1963 and 1965, American domestic politics experienced the triumph of liberalism, as noted by historian Joseph Crespino.
1963: US endorsement of a coup against Ngo Dinh Diem
In 1963, South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem's heavy-handed crackdown on Buddhist monks led the US to endorse a deadly military coup against Diem.
1964: Ousting of Khrushchev
In 1964, Khrushchev's Kremlin colleagues managed to oust him, allowing him a peaceful retirement. He was accused of rudeness, incompetence, ruining Soviet agriculture, bringing the world to the brink of nuclear war, and becoming an "international embarrassment" when he authorized construction of the Berlin Wall.
1964: Gulf of Tonkin incident and Resolution
In 1964, the Vietnam War escalated further following the controversial Gulf of Tonkin incident. The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution gave President Lyndon B. Johnson broad authorization to increase US military presence, deploying ground combat units for the first time and increasing troop levels to 184,000.
1964: Kennedy Orders Increase in Defense Spending
In 1964, the number of nuclear weapons increased by 50 percent, as did the number of B-52 bombers to deliver them. The new ICBM force grew from 63 intercontinental ballistic missiles to 424. Kennedy authorized 23 new Polaris submarines, each of which carried 16 nuclear missiles.
1965: Triumph of Liberalism
Between 1963 and 1965, American domestic politics experienced the triumph of liberalism, as noted by historian Joseph Crespino.
January 27, 1967: Outer Space Treaty Signed
On January 27, 1967, the United States, the Soviet Union, and the United Kingdom signed the Outer Space Treaty, which established space as a domain for peaceful purposes and prohibited the placement of nuclear weapons in orbit or on celestial bodies.
October 10, 1967: Outer Space Treaty Enters into Force
On October 10, 1967, the Outer Space Treaty, signed earlier in the year, officially entered into force, solidifying the agreement to use space exclusively for peaceful purposes and banning the placement of weapons of mass destruction in space.
August 1968: Soviet Invasion of Czechoslovakia
In August 1968, the Soviet Army, along with Warsaw Pact allies, invaded Czechoslovakia in response to the Prague Spring, leading to emigration and protests from various countries.
1968: Prague Spring in Czechoslovakia
In 1968, Czechoslovakia experienced the Prague Spring, a period of political liberalization that included increasing freedom of the press, freedom of speech and freedom of movement, along with economic and governmental reforms.
1968: Invasion of Czechoslovakia
In 1968, the Warsaw Pact invaded Czechoslovakia to suppress the Prague Spring.
1969: Sino-Soviet Border Tensions Peak
In 1969, tensions along the Chinese-Soviet border reached their peak, leading to a planned Soviet nuclear strike against China, which was intervened by United States President Richard Nixon.
1969: Apollo Moon landings
In 1969, the United States achieved the Apollo Moon landings, which astronaut Frank Borman later described as "just a battle in the Cold War."
1972: Era of "Peaceful Coexistence" Proclaimed
In 1972, Nixon and Brezhnev proclaimed a new era of "peaceful coexistence" and established the policy of détente between the superpowers, accompanied by agreements to strengthen economic ties.
1972: Nixon's Visit to China
In 1972, President Richard Nixon visited China, initiating a policy of rapproachment to shift the balance of power towards the West in the Cold War.
1972: US-China Diplomatic Contacts
In 1972, the US initiated diplomatic contacts with China, and the US and USSR signed treaties limiting nuclear arsenals.
1973: CIA Defector Investigation End
From 1959 to 1973, the CIA required that East Bloc defectors undergo a counterintelligence investigation before being recruited as a source of intelligence.
1973: Nixon Seeks Most Favored Nation Status with USSR
In 1973, Nixon announced his administration's commitment to seeking most favored nation trade status with the USSR, which was later challenged by Congress in the Jackson-Vanik Amendment.
1973: International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
In 1973, The Soviet Union signed legally-binding human rights documents, such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, but they were neither widely known or accessible to people living under Communist rule.
1973: 1973 oil crisis
In 1973, during the oil crisis, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) cut their petroleum output, which raised oil prices and hurt Western economies, but helped the Soviet Union by generating a huge flow of money from its oil sales.
1974: Strengthening Economic Ties
Between 1972 and 1974, the United States and the Soviet Union agreed to strengthen their economic ties, including agreements for increased trade.
1974: Jackson-Vanik Amendment Attached to Trade Act
In 1974, the Jackson-Vanik Amendment was attached to the Trade Act, linking the granting of most-favored-nation status to the USSR to the right of persecuted Soviet Jews to emigrate.
1975: Helsinki Accords Signed
In 1975, agreements were concluded to stabilize the situation in Europe, culminating in the Helsinki Accords signed at the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe.
1975: End of the Vietnam War
1975: Dissolution of the Free Territory of Trieste
The neutral buffer state Free Territory of Trieste, founded in 1947 with the United Nations, was split up and dissolved in 1954 and 1975, also because of the détente between the West and Tito.
January 1977: Reagan's Expectation in Relation to the Cold War
In January 1977, Ronald Reagan stated his expectation for American policy toward the Soviet Union: "We win and they lose."
April 1978: PDPA Seizes Power in Afghanistan
In April 1978, the communist People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) seized power in Afghanistan during the Saur Revolution, leading to an uprising and civil war.
September 1979: Taraki Assassinated, Amin Assumes Presidency
In September 1979, Khalqist President Nur Muhammad Taraki was assassinated in a coup within the PDPA orchestrated by Hafizullah Amin, who then assumed the presidency.
December 1979: Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan
In December 1979, Soviet special forces assassinated Hafizullah Amin during Operation Storm-333, and installed Babrak Karmal as his successor, leading to direct Soviet involvement in the Afghan civil war.
1979: US Assistance to Mujahideen
By mid-1979, the United States had started a covert program to assist the mujahideen in Afghanistan, who were fighting against the Soviet-backed government.
1979: US and China Establish Diplomatic Relations
In 1979, President Carter and Chinese Communist Party leader Deng Xiaoping signed the Joint Communiqué on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations, marking the culmination of the rapprochement between the United States and China.
1979: SALT II Undermined
In 1979, President Jimmy Carter's efforts to limit the arms race with a SALT II agreement were undermined by events including the Iranian Revolution, the Nicaraguan Revolution, and the Soviet coup in Afghanistan.
1979: Soviet war in Afghanistan
In 1979, the Soviet Union initiated its war in Afghanistan, sending nearly 100,000 troops to support its puppet regime. Muslim guerrillas, aided by the US, China, Britain, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, resisted the invasion. The conflict became known as "the Soviets' Vietnam", coinciding with internal decay and domestic crisis in the Soviet system.
1980: Hammer's Influence on Western Trade with Soviet Union
According to Christian Science Monitor in 1980, Armand Hammer more or less single-handedly laid the groundwork for the state of Western trade with the Soviet Union.
1980: Carter Responds to Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan
In 1980, President Carter responded to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan by withdrawing the SALT II treaty from ratification, imposing embargoes, increasing military spending, and boycotting the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow.
1980: Reagan Wins 1980 Presidential Election
In 1980, Ronald Reagan won the presidential election, vowing to increase military spending and confront the Soviets.
1980: US State Department prediction
In 1980, a senior US State Department official predicted that the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan resulted in part from a specific cause.
December 1981: Martial Law Imposed in Poland
In December 1981, Poland's Wojciech Jaruzelski reacted to the crisis by imposing a period of martial law, leading to economic sanctions from Reagan.
1981: Military Buildup in United States
In 1981, President Carter began massively building up the United States military after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, which was accelerated by the Reagan administration.
1982: Reagan Attempts to Cut Off Moscow's Access to Hard Currency
In 1982, Reagan tried to cut off Moscow's access to hard currency by impeding its proposed gas line to Western Europe, causing ill will among American allies and leading to a retreat on the issue.
September 1983: 1983 Soviet nuclear false alarm incident
During the early hours of 26 September 1983, the 1983 Soviet nuclear false alarm incident occurred; systems in Serpukhov-15 underwent a glitch that falsely indicated several intercontinental ballistic missiles were heading towards Russia. Officer Stanislav Petrov correctly identified it as a false alarm, preventing a retaliatory strike. He has been credited as "the man who saved the world".
September 1983: Korean Air Lines Flight 007 shot down
On 1 September 1983, the Soviet Union shot down Korean Air Lines Flight 007, a Boeing 747, killing all 269 people on board. The airliner, en route from Anchorage to Seoul, was shot down for flying through Russian prohibited airspace due to a navigational mistake. The Soviet Air Force treated the unidentified aircraft as a U.S. spy plane. In September 1983, this incident increased support for military deployment.
November 1983: Able Archer 83 exercise
In November 1983, the Able Archer 83 exercise, a realistic simulation of a coordinated NATO nuclear release, occurred. The Soviet leadership feared that a nuclear attack might be imminent. This event was perhaps the most dangerous moment since the Cuban Missile Crisis.
1983: Reagan administration interventions
In 1983, the Reagan administration intervened in the Lebanese Civil War, invaded Grenada, bombed Libya and backed the Central American Contras in Nicaragua. While the interventions in Grenada and Libya were popular, the backing of the Contra rebels was controversial. The administration's support for the military government of Guatemala was also controversial.
1983: Start of "Cold War II"
The American-Soviet tensions present during 1983 was defined by some as the start of "Cold War II", a "war of words".
November 1985: Geneva Summit
In November 1985, Reagan and Gorbachev held their first summit in Geneva, Switzerland to renew talks on economic issues and arms reduction.
1985: Reagan Doctrine
By early 1985, Reagan's anti-communist position had developed into the new Reagan Doctrine, which formulated an additional right to subvert existing communist governments.
1985: Gorbachev becomes General Secretary
In 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev became General Secretary of the Soviet Union. The Soviet economy was stagnant and faced a sharp fall in foreign currency earnings. These issues prompted Gorbachev to investigate measures to revive the ailing state.
1985: Gorbachev's Leadership
In 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev became the leader of the USSR and expanded political freedoms.
1985: Gorbachev becomes leader and introduces reforms
In 1985, the Soviets selected Mikhail Gorbachev as their new leader. He introduced significant changes in the economy, termed perestroika, and policy of glasnost, freeing public access to information.
October 1986: Reykjavík Summit
In October 1986, a second summit was held in Reykjavík, Iceland between Reagan and Gorbachev. The negotiations failed when the focus shifted to Reagan's proposed Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), which Gorbachev wanted to be eliminated.
1986: Peak of US Military Spending
By 1986, under the Reagan administration, the United States military spending had increased to 6.5 percent of GNP, marking the largest peacetime defense buildup in United States history.
June 1987: Gorbachev announces perestroika
In June 1987, Gorbachev announced an agenda of economic reform called perestroika. Perestroika relaxed the production quota system, allowed cooperative ownership of small businesses and paved the way for foreign investment. These measures were intended to redirect the country's resources from costly Cold War military commitments to more productive areas in the civilian sector.
December 1987: Washington Summit and INF Treaty
From 8–10 December 1987, the Washington Summit led to a breakthrough with the signing of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF). The INF treaty eliminated all nuclear-armed, ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges between 500 and 5,500 kilometers and their infrastructure.
May 1988: Moscow Summit
In May 1988, George H. W. Bush and Gorbachev met at the Moscow Summit.
December 1988: Governors Island Summit
In December 1988, George H. W. Bush and Gorbachev met at the Governors Island Summit.
1988: USSR withdraws from Afghanistan
In 1988, the USSR abandoned its war in Afghanistan and began to withdraw its forces.
August 1989: Pan-European Picnic in Hungary
In August 1989, the Pan-European Picnic in Hungary triggered a peaceful movement that Eastern Bloc rulers couldn't stop. It caused a mass exodus from East Germany and contributed to the fall of the Iron Curtain. Tens of thousands of media-informed East Germans made their way to Hungary, which was no longer willing to keep its borders completely closed or to oblige its border troops to use armed force.
November 1989: Fall of the Berlin Wall
In November 1989, the Berlin Wall fell, symbolizing the collapse of European communist governments and graphically ending the Iron Curtain divide of Europe. The 1989 revolutionary wave swept across Central and Eastern Europe.
1989: The United States had military alliances with 50 countries
By 1989 the United States had military alliances with 50 countries, with 526,000 troops stationed abroad, marking the zenith of peacetime military–industrial complexes and large-scale military funding of science.
1989: Collapse of Soviet alliance system
By 1989, the Soviet alliance system was on the brink of collapse. Communist leaders of the Warsaw Pact states were losing power due to the lack of Soviet military support. Organizations like Poland's Solidarity movement gained ground with strong popular support.
1989: End of Soviet Involvement in Afghanistan
In 1989, Mikhail Gorbachev ended Soviet involvement in Afghanistan.
1989: Negotiations and protests in Eastern Europe
In 1989, Poland and Hungary became the first to negotiate competitive elections. Mass protests in Czechoslovakia and East Germany unseated communist leaders. The communist regimes in Bulgaria and Romania crumbled, the latter due to a violent uprising. The US government was willing to consider Soviet intervention in Romania to prevent bloodshed.
1989: Revolutions in Eastern Bloc
In 1989, revolutions occurred in the Eastern Bloc, contributing to the collapse of the USSR.
1989: Revolutions of 1989
In 1989, the Revolutions of 1989 overthrew Marxist-Leninist regimes in the Eastern Bloc.
1989: Russian SFSR convenes Congress of People's Deputies
In 1989, the Russian SFSR convened a newly elected Congress of People's Deputies, and Boris Yeltsin was elected its chairman.
February 1990: Agreement on German reunification
In February 1990, Gorbachev agreed with the US-proposed Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany.
March 1990: Lithuania declares independence
On 11 March 1990, after Sąjūdis victory, Lithuania declared its independence restored, citing the illegality of the Soviet occupation of the Baltic states. Soviet forces tried to stop the secession by force in Lithuania (Bloody Sunday) and Latvia (The Barricades), causing casualties, but only bolstered international support.
April 1990: Law passed allowing republics to secede
On 7 April 1990, a law was passed allowing a republic to secede from the USSR if more than two-thirds of its residents voted for it in a referendum.
June 1990: Russia declares sovereignty
On 12 June 1990, the Congress declared Russia's sovereignty over its territory and proceeded to pass laws that attempted to supersede some of the Soviet laws.
September 1990: Signing of Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany
On 12 September 1990, Gorbachev signed the Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany, paving the way for German reunification.
1990: First free elections in the Soviet era
In 1990, many Soviet republics held their first free elections in the Soviet era for their own national legislatures.
March 1991: Referendum for the preservation of the USSR
On 17 March 1991, a referendum for the preservation of the USSR was held in nine republics, with a majority voting for preservation. The referendum gave Gorbachev a minor boost.
July 1991: Moscow Summit and START I treaty
During the final summit in Moscow in July 1991, Gorbachev and Bush signed the START I arms control treaty.
July 1991: Yeltsin elected President of Russia
In July 1991, Boris Yeltsin was elected President of Russia.
August 1991: August Coup and declarations of independence
In August 1991, the August Coup, an attempted coup d'état by hardliners, interrupted the signing of the New Union Treaty. Latvia and Estonia declared the restoration of their full independence. Gorbachev resigned as general secretary, and the party's activities were suspended.
December 1991: Dissolution of the Soviet Union
In December 1991, the Soviet Union formally dissolved, leading to the collapse of Communist governments across much of Africa and Asia.
1991: Post-Cold War themed media.
After 1991, entertainment media reflected on the Cold War era, influencing the production of feature films, novels, television and web series.
1991: Declarations of independence by Slovenia and Croatia
In 1991, as Yugoslavia fragmented, wars began after Slovenia and Croatia declared independence. Serbia, under Slobodan Milošević, opposed these moves.
1991: Beginning of decommunization in Ukraine
In 1991, decommunization started in Ukraine during and after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
1991: Dissolution of the Soviet Union
In 1991, the Cold War ended with the dissolution of the Soviet Union, marking the end of the geopolitical rivalry between the US and USSR that had lasted since 1947.
1991: Collapse of the USSR
In 1991, the USSR collapsed, marking the end of the Cold War.
February 1992: Bush and Yeltsin declare "friendship and partnership"
In February 1992, US President George H. W. Bush and Russian President Boris Yeltsin met and declared a new era of "friendship and partnership" between the United States and Russia.
1992: Start of the Bosnian War
In 1992, the Bosnian War began as part of the Yugoslav Wars, characterized by ethnic cleansing and genocide.
January 1993: Bush and Yeltsin agree to START II
In January 1993, US President George H. W. Bush and Russian President Boris Yeltsin agreed to START II, which provided for further nuclear arms reductions, building on the original START treaty.
1995: NATO intervention in Bosnia
In 1995, NATO intervened in Bosnia with airstrikes as part of Operation Deliberate Force.
1995: Moynihan Commission on Venona Project in 1995
In 1995, the Moynihan Commission reviewed the Venona project, which contained "overwhelming proof of the activities of Soviet spy networks in America, complete with names, dates, places, and deeds."
1996: Decommunization's near-universal failure
In 1996, Stephen Holmes of the University of Chicago argued that decommunization, after a brief active period, quickly ended in near-universal failure, with former communists being elected to high governmental positions.
2000: Adoption of the Russian Federation's State Anthem
In 2000, the State Anthem of the Russian Federation was adopted, using the same music as the State Anthem of the Soviet Union but with new lyrics written by Sergey Mikhalkov.
2013: "The Americans" ranked highly
In 2013, "The Americans", a KGB-sleeper-agents-living-next-door action drama series, set in the early 1980s, was ranked No. 6 on the Metacritic annual Best New TV Shows list.
July 2014: Court actions to end the registration of communist parties in Ukraine.
In July 2014, the Ukrainian Ministry of the Interior started court actions to end the registration of communist parties in Ukraine.
July 2015: Laws approved to remove communist symbols in Ukraine
In July 2015, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko signed a set of laws that started a six-month period for the removal of communist monuments (excluding World War II monuments) and renaming of public places named after communist-related themes.
December 2015: Banning of communist parties in Ukraine
By 16 December 2015, three communist parties had been banned in Ukraine; the Communist Party of Ukraine appealed the ban to the European Court of Human Rights.
2016: Renaming of places and removal of monuments in Ukraine
In 2016, as part of decommunization efforts in Ukraine, 51,493 streets and 987 cities and villages were renamed, and 1,320 Lenin monuments and 1,069 monuments to other communist figures were removed.
2016: Value of Marshall Plan Assistance in 2016
In April 1948, President Harry S. Truman signed the Marshall Plan, committing the US government to providing over $13 billion, equivalent to $189 billion in 2016, in economic assistance to Western European countries.
May 2018: Conclusion of "The Americans"
In May 2018, the six-season run of "The Americans", a KGB-sleeper-agents-living-next-door action drama series, concluded.
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