1949 China falls to Communism Mao Tse-tung Leads a communist revolution over the nationalist Chaing Kai- shek.

Communist China and the Threat of Communism Soviet Union China Soviet Union China comprised 1/3 of the worlds population. balance of power between communist and non-communist powers shifts away from the U.S. towards Soviets

1950 North Korea Invades South Korea North Korean army invades South Korea. U.S. And U.N. Come to the aid of South Koreans.

1952 The Soviets explode a Hydrogen Bomb Stalin and the Soviet Union develop a hydrogen bomb heightens the anxiety the U.S. has about the cold war.

1953 Korean war ends after Stalin dies

1954 Dien Bien Phu

1957 Sputnik Soviets beat us to space when they launch their first satellite into orbit. Space Race begins

1959 Cuban Revolution

1960 The U-2 Affair

1961 Bay of Pigs

1961 Berlin Wall

1962 Cuban Missile Crisis

1964 Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

1967 Six Day War

1968 Prague Spring

1969 SALT The first phase of Strategic Arms Limitation Talks begins in Helsinki Finland.

1972 Nixon Visits China

1975 Cambodia

1979 Afghanistan

1980 Solidarity

1983 Star Wars

1985 Gorbachev comes to Power

1987 INF Treaty

1989 Berlin Wall Falls

1991 Soviet Union Collapses