*1945-1952: richest country in the world; Truman years; beginning of Cold War (Marshall Plan and Truman Doctrine)*
*1948: Soviet blockade of Berlin / USA airlifts supplies in*
*1949: NATO formation*
*1950-1954: Red Scare: concern that communists were infilitrating the USA and its government*
*McCarthyism: the practice of making accusations of disloyalty especially of pro-Communist activity, often unsupported or based on doubtful evidence. Senator Joseph McCarthy led these accusations against individuals. Many careers ruined.*
1952-1960: Eisenhower Years - commander of D Day, very popular, ended the Korean War which had gone on between 1950 and 1953, beginning of US aid to Vietnam
1955: Geneva Summit: France, Great Britain, USSR, and USA - first post WW II meeting
*1956: Suez Canal Crisis*
1958: Eisenhower Doctrine (extension of the Truman Doctrine to the Middle East)
1959: Khruschev visits the USA
*1960: 'U-2 incident' ruins second summit in Paris*
1960-63: Kennedy Years: youngest President ever, narrow victory over Nixon
*1961: Soviets build Berlin Wall (see map a and map b)- Kennedy refused to remove US troops from W. Berlin*
- Vietnam commitement (advisers)
- Bay of Pigs Affair
*1962: Cuban Missile Crisis*
1963: Kennedy assassinated
1964-68: Johnson Years
- *Civil Rights Act ('64): end to segregation of Blacks*
- 'Great Society' idea: improve medical care and end discrimination
- *Civil Rights movement at its peak (Martin Luth King)*
- 'Black Power' (militant extremists - Malcolm X)
- Martin Luther King assassinated in 1968
1968-74: Nixon Years
- 'Peace with Honor': Vietnam war ended in '72
*- 'detente' (easing of tensions) with USSR and China*
*- SALT I signed - beginning of nuclear arms reductions*
- China: 1972 - Nixon visits, Taiwan kicked out of the United Nations and replaced by Communist China
*- 1973 - WaterGate Scandal - Nixon's reelection committee bugged opposition, caught, Nixon and other high ranking officials tried to cover up, Nixon forced to resign*
1974-76: Ford Years (Nixon's VP): able to get *Helsinki Accord* signed in '75
*1976-80: Carter Years*
- '77 - Panama Treaty: Canal would be Panama's in 2000
-* '78 - helped in getting peace agreements between Israel and Egypt (i.e. Camp David Accords)*
- '79: American embassy seized in Iran by Muslim extremists loyal to Ayatollah Khomeini, Carter unable to free hostages - loss of prestige
*1980-88: Reagan Years*
- former actor, Governor of California, very popular, 'less government the better' theme
- *enormous military build up*
- *belief that Communists cannot be trusted*
-USA needs to be tough eg aid to Contras in Nicaragua, invasion of Grenada
- USA a target for Muslim extremists
- Star Wars missile defence system proposal
*1989: Bush becomes President (VP under Reagan)*
*1989: Berlin Wall removed: symbolic end to the Cold War*
