Major Turning Points in the Cold War

1. The Yalta Conference (1945)

   • When: February 4-11, 1945
   • Leaders Involved: Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Joseph Stalin
   • Why It Matters: This meeting set the rules for Europe after World War II. They decided how to split Germany and talked about creating the United Nations, which would lead to future conflicts.

2. The Iron Curtain Speech (1946)

   • Given by: Winston Churchill
   • Where: Fulton, Missouri
   • Why It Matters: This speech showed that the Cold War had begun. Churchill warned everyone about the Soviet influence in Eastern Europe and used the phrase "Iron Curtain" to explain the divide between Western countries and communist Eastern countries.

3. The Truman Doctrine (1947)

   • Announcement Date: March 12, 1947
   • Why It Matters: This was a U.S. policy promising to help countries fighting against communism. It was a big change for the U.S., which now focused on stopping the spread of communism. The U.S. gave $400 million to Greece and Turkey to help them.

4. The Marshall Plan (1948)

   • Announced: June 5, 1947
   • Why It Matters: This was a huge money plan, giving over $12 billion (about$130 billion today) to help rebuild Western European countries. It made communism less attractive to these nations after the war.

5. The Korean War (1950-1953)

   • Timeframe: June 25, 1950 – July 27, 1953
   • Casualties: About 2.5 million people (both military and civilian)
   • Why It Matters: This was the first fight in the Cold War. It showed the U.S. was serious about stopping communism, and they joined the war with support from the United Nations.

6. The Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)

   • Duration: October 16-28, 1962
   • Key People: John F. Kennedy, Nikita Khrushchev
   • Why It Matters: For 13 tense days, the U.S. and the Soviet Union were almost in a nuclear war because the U.S. found out about Soviet missiles in Cuba. This led to the U.S. forming a blockade around Cuba.

7. Détente (1970s)

   • Key Agreement: SALT I (1972)
   • Why It Matters: This was a time when the U.S. and the Soviet Union tried to ease their tensions. They talked about controlling nuclear weapons, but they still held onto their different beliefs.

8. Fall of the Berlin Wall (1989)

   • When: November 9, 1989
   • Why It Matters: The Berlin Wall’s fall was a sign that communist rule was ending in Eastern Europe. This event indicated that the Soviet Union was crumbling, marking a big change in the Cold War.