Cold War

Despite their ideological differences, the United States and the Soviet Union become allies in the wars against Germany.

Stalin begins to spread communism across Europe after the war ends, and tension grows between the United States and the Soviet Union.

The United States offers assistance to countries that reject communism after Great Britain halts aid to Turkey and Greece.

Berlin is divided into two separate cities, and Europe itself splits as the countries align themselves with the opposing major powers.

A Chinese civil war between the factions of Mao Zedong and Chiang Kai-Shek brings the armed forces of the United States onto the battlefield to oppose communism.

A look at the period in which Stalin securely dominated eastern Europe, China embraced communism, and anti-communist hysteria spread in the United States.

Stalin's death brings hope that tensions will ease between the Soviet Union and the United States, and Nikita Khrushchev becomes the new Soviet Leader.

The Soviet Union launches its first satellite into orbit while the United States' own space program lags behind.

The Soviet Union solves the problem of people leaving East Germany to the free West by stopping open transit and building a secured ring around West Berlin.

President Kennedy confronts Kruschev when the Soviet Union begins to deploy nuclear missiles in Cuba

The United States continues its containment of communism by becoming involved in Vietnam's ongoing struggle, leading to enormous public disapproval of the policy.

A look at how technology shaped the politics of the Cold War era, including the United States' Mutual Assured Destruction strategy and the introduction of missiles with multiple payloads.

An examination of the effects of the Cold War upon the populace, including civil rights movements and protests that led to policy changes.