April 22, 2013
POST WORLD WAR II

1945

• United Nations established
• Following WWII, the eastern European countries occupied by the U.S.S.R. during the war continue to be occupied by the USSR
• US/Soviet conflict over Iran (oil and access to the Middle East were issues)

1946

• March, Winston Churchill's "Iron Curtain" speech

1947

• George F. Kennan introduces the word "CONTAINMENT" which becomes the key approach to the US foreign policy toward the spread of communism.  The US wants to "contain" it; i.e., not let it spread.
• March, TRUMAN DOCTRINE:  US policy "to support free peoples who were resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or outside pressure":  This was adopted by the US as a result of the need to protect Greece and Turkey from communism.  COLD WAR begins.
• COLD WAR:  the political tension that developed between the United States and the Soviet Union after WWII.  Due largely to Joseph Stalin's failing to keep promises to withdraw Soviet forces from eastern European countries.
• June: MARSHALL PLAN adopted by US toward European countries following WWII; it was an economic plan to reconstruct European countries following WWII; the Soviet Union refused to allow it in those eastern European countries that it continued to control.
• United Nations recommends that Palenstine be divided into a Jewish state and an Arab state;  the Arabs reject this.

1948

• June:  Berlin Airlift due to actions taken by the Soviet Union in regard to the divided Germany.
• Nation of Israel created in May; war breaks out between teh Arabs and the Jews; war lasts until 1949
• HARRY TRUMAN ELECTED PRESIDENT

1949

• May:  US, GB, and France create German Federal Republic; Soviets create German Democratic Republic in October and is under Soviet control
• April:  NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) created (1955: Soviets create their version called the WARSAW PACT)
• October:  People's Republic of China created; Chiang Kai-shek flees to Formosa (Taiwan).

1950

• North Korea invades South Korea; starts the Korean War (Conflict); lasts until 1953 when an armistice signed; still in effect today.

1952

• DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER ELECTED PRESIDENT

1953

• Stalin died; internal struggle for power; last until 1955 when Nikita Khrushchev emerges as leader of USSR

1956

• Khrushchev's de-Stalinization policy announced; Hungarian revolution against communism; Suez Crisis
• EISENHOWER RE-ELECTED PRESIDENT
• US supplies the South Vietnamese army in its civil war against the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese army

1957

• USSR puts Sputnik into orbit
• US begins strong focus on math and science in public schools

1958

• US launches Explorer I

1960

• JOHN F. KENNEDY ELECTED PRESIDENT; LYNDON JOHNSON VICE-PRESIDENT

1961

• BERLIN WALL built by Soviets
• Kennedy increases military aid to South Vietnam and sent 10,000 military advisors to help
• April:  Bay of Pigs incident

1962

• CUBAN MISSLE CRISIS between the US and USSR due to the Soviets putting missles in Cuba

1963

• Diem of South Vietnam overthrown and assassinated by South Vietnamese generals
• President Kennedy assassinated; Johnson beccomes President

1964

• GULF OF TONKIN RESOLUTION by Congress;  gives President Johnson authority to introduce combat troops in South Viet Nam

1965

• US begins bombing NVN; NVN army troops enter SVN
• March:  first US Marines in a combat role in SVN

550,000 US troops will be invovled in Vietnam at the height of US involvement there.

1968

• President Johnson will not seek re-election; growing opposition to the war in the US and growing Civil Rights tension affects his decision.
• RICHARD NIXON ELECTED PRESIDENT; Nixon announces the transferral of combat operations to South Vietnamese army; means the gradual phasing out of U.S. troops but US airpower would support SV troops

1973

• PARIS PEACE ACCORDS;  NV troops could remain in SVN;  NLF recognized as a legitimate political group in SVN; US could continue to supply SVN militarily; US combat troops to leave.

EFFECTS OF VIETNAM WAR

• 58,000 U.S. troops died
• 300,000 wounded
• $150 billion spent
• Was longest war to that time

ADDITIONAL TERMS

• Montgomery Bus Boycott
• Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka
• Joseph McCarthy
• Civil Rights Act of 1964: outlaws discrimination in public accomodations and by employers.  It also adid the federal government in desegregation of schools and in the protection of voting rights.