Events with tag - Cold War

June 5, 1947

Marshall Plan Announcement

Secretary of State George C. Marshall announces a massive economic recovery program for post-World War II Europe at Harvard University, committing $13 billion in American aid to rebuild war-torn European nations.

April 4, 1949

NATO Foundation

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was established in Washington D.C. with twelve founding members, creating a military alliance based on collective defense principles to counter Soviet influence in Europe.

May 1, 1950

US Involvement in Vietnam War

The Vietnam War began with US providing $10 million in military aid to French forces in 1950, gradually escalating to full combat operations by 1965 following the Gulf of Tonkin incident in 1964.

September 15, 1950

Incheon Landing

A daring amphibious assault led by General Douglas MacArthur that became a turning point in the Korean War. The operation involved 261 naval vessels and 70,000 troops, successfully cutting North Korean supply lines and leading to the recapture of Seoul.

April 22, 1954

McCarthy Hearings

The Army-McCarthy hearings of 1954 marked a pivotal moment in American political history, featuring televised congressional investigations into alleged Communist infiltration of U.S. institutions, ultimately leading to Senator McCarthy's downfall.

January 31, 1958

Explorer 1 Launch

The historic launch of Explorer 1, America's first successful satellite, marked the nation's entry into the Space Age and led to the groundbreaking discovery of the Van Allen radiation belts.

July 29, 1958

NASA Establishment

President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act, establishing NASA as a civilian space agency in response to the Space Race with the Soviet Union. The agency officially began operations on October 1, 1958.

October 7, 1958

Project Mercury Launch

NASA initiates Project Mercury, America's first human spaceflight program, marking the beginning of the U.S. space program and its response to the Soviet Space Race following Sputnik 1's launch.

January 1, 1961

NASA Apollo Program Launch

The Apollo program began in 1961 when President John F. Kennedy declared America's intention to land humans on the Moon before the decade's end. This ambitious $28 billion initiative involved over 400,000 people and led to numerous technological breakthroughs.

February 20, 1962

Mercury-Atlas 6: First American Orbital Flight

On February 20, 1962, astronaut John Glenn became the first American to orbit Earth aboard Friendship 7 spacecraft during the Mercury-Atlas 6 mission. The historic flight lasted 4 hours and 55 minutes, completing three orbits around Earth at an altitude of 162 miles.

February 20, 1962

John Glenn's Historic Orbital Flight

On February 20, 1962, astronaut John Glenn became the first American to orbit Earth aboard Friendship 7 spacecraft, completing three orbits during a 4-hour and 55-minute mission that marked a crucial milestone in the Space Race.

November 22, 1963

JFK Assassination

President John F. Kennedy was assassinated during a motorcade in Dallas, Texas. The fatal shooting occurred at 12:30 PM CST in Dealey Plaza, marking one of the most significant events in American history.