Major Cold War Events
Key Leaders
Policies And Doctrines
Alliances And Organizations
Cold War Conflicts
100

In 1948–1949, the United States and its allies flew food and supplies into a city cut off by the Soviet Union.

What is the Berlin Airlift

100

This U.S. president led the country during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Who is John F. Kennedy  

100

This policy promised U.S. support to countries resisting communism.

What is the Truman Doctrine

100

This military alliance formed in 1949 to defend Western countries from Soviet aggression.

What is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization

100

This war from 1950–1953 divided Korea into communist North Korea and democratic South Korea.

What is the Korean War

200

This 1962 crisis occurred when the Soviet Union placed nuclear missiles in Cuba.

What is the Cuban Missile Crisis 

200

This Soviet leader was the main rival of Kennedy during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Who is Nikita Khrushchev

200

This program gave billions of dollars to help rebuild Western Europe after World War II.

What is the Marshall Plan

200

This Soviet-led military alliance formed in 1955 in response to NATO.

What is the Warsaw Pact

200

This long conflict in Southeast Asia involved U.S. forces trying to stop communist North Vietnam.

What is the Vietnam War

300

This wall was built in 1961 to divide East and West Berlin and became a symbol of the Cold War.

What is the Berlin Wall

300

This U.S. president challenged the Soviet Union and later urged, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”

Who is Ronald Reagan

300

This U.S. strategy aimed to stop communism from spreading to new countries.

What is the Containment

300

This international organization was created after World War II to promote peace and cooperation.

What is the United Nations

300

This 1961 invasion attempt by Cuban exiles failed to overthrow Fidel Castro.

What is the Bay of Pigs Invasion

400

This 1989 event symbolized the collapse of communist control in Eastern Europe.

What is the Fall Of The Berlin Wall

400

This U.S. president announced the Truman Doctrine to stop the spread of communism.

Who is Harry S. Truman

400

This 1964 congressional resolution allowed the U.S. to expand military involvement in Vietnam.

What is the Gulf Of Tonkin Resolution

400

This U.S. intelligence agency played a major role in spying and covert operations during the Cold War.

What is the Central Intelligence Agency

400

This 1979–1989 war occurred when the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan.

What is the Soviet–Afghan War

500

This 1956 uprising in Eastern Europe was crushed by Soviet forces after citizens protested communist rule.

What is the Hungarian Revolution Of 1956

500

This Soviet leader introduced reforms called glasnost and perestroika.

Who is Mikhail Gorbachev

500

This policy under President Richard Nixon aimed to transfer combat responsibilities in Vietnam to South Vietnamese forces.

What is Vietnamization

500

This Soviet security agency was responsible for intelligence and secret police activities.

What is the KGB

500

This event in 1968 saw Soviet troops invade a country to stop democratic reforms known as the Prague Spring.

What is the Prague Spring