The Cold War Heats Up Significant Events of the Cold War Era

Korean War After WWII, Korea was divided into North and South Korea at the 38th parallel of latitude. North Korea-Communist, South Korea-non- Communist North Korea invaded South Korea United Nations sent forces (mainly U.S. forces) (to help South Korea) Went back to split at 38th parallel (no territory lost or gained)

Hunting Communists at Home Arms Race- U.S. and USSR raced to build more nuclear weapons. Space Race USSR launched the first satellite into space (Sputnik) 1969-U.S. astronaut Neil Armstrong was first person to walk on the moon. McCarthyism-Senator Joseph McCarthy and House on UnAmerican Activities-investigated government officials, accused Army personnel of being Communists. Hearings for Army officials on television showed that McCarthy was a bully and Red Scare ended.

Bay of Pigs Invasion U.S. trained Cuban exiles to invade Cuba and promised U.S. air support for the invasion. At the last minute, JFK cancelled the U.S. air support and the exiles were defeated. It was a major U.S. foreign policy failure.

Cuban Missile Crisis Khrushchev (Dictator of USSR) built bases in Cuba for Soviet nuclear weapons. Pointed at the U.S. JFK ordered a U.S. blockade of Cuba Closest U.S. and USSR came to nuclear war Khrushchev agreed to remove the missiles from Cuba and U.S. agreed not to invade Cuba and to remove missiles from Turkey.