A timeline for the Cold War. In case you couldn't tell. It's difficult I know.
Created by anothercoldwartimeline on Jan 14, 2011
Last updated: 01/20/11 at 11:31 PM
Tags: Cold war
In an attempt to save the crumbling Soviet Union, Gorbachev tried to create a coalition that supported reform, and would help the Soviet economy, which threatened the USSR. As the USSR gave more power to it's republics, many wanted independence, or to become democratic. Eventually, after a Coup, President Yeltsin was put into power over the Russian federation and the Soviet Union was dissolved.
Gorbachev came into power only hours after the death of the previous Soviet leader. In his attempts to help stabilize the USSR's economy and make it's government more democratic, he led to the downfall and dissolve of the USSR.
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In 1980 and 1984, the olympics were boycotted by the US and the Soviet Union respectively. The US announced it's boycott after the USSR invaded Afghanistan and did not pull out it's troops. Four years later during the next Olympics, the USSR announced it's own boycott, blaming the US and anti-communist propaganda that it was spreading. After the USSR announced it's boycott, 13 soviet allies joined it's boycott.
After the Tet offensive, America began pulling it's troops out while still training South Vietnamese troops. However, South Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia were later either dissolved, or became Soviet territory after the American loss. Canadians returning home were not welcomed with open arms, as many Canadians were still firmly against the war. A memorial was never made or supported by the government until 30 years later when Vietnam veterans made one and pressured the government.
The Bomarc Anti-aircraft missile was offered to Canada by the US as part of the NORAD agreement. The Surface-to-Air (SAM) guided missiles would have had a range of up to 640 km, and replaced the Avro Arrow. 56 of the systems were transported and set up over Canada, however the Canadian government did not make it clear that it wanted the Bomarc-b system, which employed nuclear warheads. When this became known, it gave rise to a dispute over whether or not Canada should use Nuclear weaponry. In the end, Canada rejected the nuclear war heads, which resulted in poor Canadian-American relations. In 1963, once a liberal government came into power, Canada accepted the nuclear warheads, though they were phased out by the 70's.
After an agreement made by the USSR and Cuba, missile bases with Medium Range Ballistic Missiles (MRBMs) were shipped to Cuba, allowing almost every part of the US to be hit. The US learned of this from a U2 spy plane. The US government decided it would be better to simply stop ships on their way to Cuba than to invade. Mean while the UK built missile basses of it's own, and others were put up in Italy and Turkey. Eventually an agreement was made, and the missile bases were destroyed, as were the ones in Europe. Because of the Canadian position on Nuclear weaponry, the lack of advanced consultation, on the US's part, and the imbalanced nature of the American Cuban policy, Canada was reluctant to help. However when Soviet ships moved towards the quarantine zone support for action to be taken increased.
The Berlin wall was made to stop emigration from the eastern soviet controlled side to the western democratic side. Patrols were place along the eastern side in an attempt to stop anyone attempting to cross over. As a result, the western side was covered in graffiti while the eastern side remained baron. The wall signified the division between the east and the west, the soviets and the USA. It represented the split created by the iron curtain almost perfectly, an 11 foot impenetrable force.
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Canada's Arrow, a airplane capable of Mach 2 speeds at an altitude of 50,000 ft. The project was considered to be an achievement for Canadian Aerodynamics, how ever high costs and the changing dynamics of war led to it's cancellation. One of the first air craft to travel at Mach 2, the expense of creating them was part of the reason the project was scrapped, and the prototypes destroyed. It was then "replaced" with the Bomarc system from the US, as part of NORAD.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) was formed between Canada and the USA as a way to protect North American air space from a possible soviet union. This treaty eventrually lead to the Bomarc-B missile crisis.
The Soviet Union became the first country to launch a artificial satellite into Earths orbit. As a result, it created the space race, in which the Soviet Union and the USA tried to one up another in terms of technology. Because the USSR managed to launch the first man made satellite, they had a large advantage. Due to their rivalry with the USA the space race resulted in the creation of new technologies, and the reform of the American school system.
The Distant Early Warning Line (DEW line) is a radar system built along the Northern artic reigon in Canada. It served as a way to detect a possible Soviet land invasion, or Soviet bombers that were inbound for North American air space. The system ran from Alaska to Greenland, and was more effective than the Mid-Canada line and the joint system Pinetree line. The DEW line was paid for by the USA, and was built mainly by Canadian labour, and was owned by the USA until 1990.
The Vietnam War started as a result of the US moving troops into South Vietnam in order to help combat the Soviet supported North Vietnam. Though the Canadian government tried to remain neutral, many Canadians joined the US army to go to Vietnam for multiple reasons, including helping the fight against communism and in order to learn skills that the Canadian military wasn't teaching, as a result of it being cut back, or for personal reasons.
Cuba becomes a communist state, after a revolution, over throwing the previous dictator. The Revolution would eventually allow the Cuban missile crisis to happen.
After suffering from a stroke on the 1st of march, Stalin dies 4 days later. Was later succeeded by Georgy Malenkov.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was formed as a way of creating mutual defence between the members of NATO, in order to better combat a Soviet invasion. Members consisted of many Western European countries, the USA, Canada, Britain, and Iceland.
World War 2 ends, bringing to a close the most destructive conflict in human history. As a result of the war the USA and the USSR have emerged as super powers, either by military size, or by atomic firepower. It also acted as a lead up to the Cold War, as political differences between the USSR and the western allies prevented either side from achieving what they wanted. The western allies wanted to set up democratic governments for countries such as Germany, however the USSR wanted control over the countries surrounding it, increasing it's own security.
Igor Gouzenko, a Soviet cipher clerk defected, forwarding over 100 document revealing Soviet espionage activities in the Canadian and American governments. After being told that he and his family were to be back to the Soviet Union, Gouzenko decided to defect, as he greatly disliked the quality of life and the way politics were handled in his homeland. After the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) rejected Gouzenko, he turned to the Ottawa Journal, who also rejected him, telling him to try the Department of Justice, however no one at the time was working. He returned back to his apartment, scared that Soviet agents had learned of his attempted defection. After hiding him and his family in a neighbors apartment, he managed to show his evidence to contacts within the RCMP who were willing to listen. As a result the Canadian government became aware of Soviet spies.
The use the Atomic bomb by the Americans is an important part of the Cold War. Had the atomic bomb not been invented, then neither the USA or the USSR be able to threaten the other with complete and utter destruction. As a result of this, an invasion may have happened, as they would have been no chance of mutual destruction. It also gave America an advantage at the start of the war, as the Soviet Union would have had no way to stop or return the damage dealt by the bomb until it produced atomic weaponry itself. Ironically, the most powerful weapons available actually managed to prevent war in stead of escalating it.
Prime Minister Winston Churchill, President Franklin Roosevelt and General Secretary Joseph Stalin meet at Yalta for 7 days to decide the fate of post war Europe, especially Countries that were captured by Nazi Germany.
After the Russian Revolution, The Russian Empire becomes the Soviet Union, lead by Vladimir Lenin.
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