Skip to content
RichseenAtlas← JourneySign in

Cold War

When these happened

34 dated records from 1947 to 1992. Each is drawn as wide as its date is certain — a band is a band because nobody knows the year, not because the drawing is imprecise.

195019551960196519701975198019851990Truman asks Congress to support Greece and Turkey — 1947-03-12Marshall proposes European economic recovery — 1947-06-05The Berlin blockade and airlift — 1948-06-24 – 1949-05-12The North Atlantic Treaty is signed in Washington — 1949-04-04The Soviet Union tests its first nuclear device — 1949-08-29The Korean War — 1950-06-25 – 1953-07-27The Vietnam War — 1955–1975 (major US ground commitment 1965–1973)The Warsaw Treaty is signed — 1955-05-14The R-7 completes a successful full-range flight — 1957-08Sputnik 1 is launched — 1957-10-04The Berlin sector border is sealed — 1961-08-13American and Soviet tanks face each other on Friedrichstrasse — 1961-10-27 – 1961-10-28A U-2 photographs missile construction in western Cuba — 1962-10-14The Cuban missile crisis — 1962-10-16 – 1962-10-28The B-59 submarine incident — 1962-10-27The Partial Test Ban Treaty is signed in Moscow — 1963-08-05The Washington–Moscow direct link comes into operation — 1963-08-30The Non-Proliferation Treaty opens for signature — 1968-07-01Warsaw Pact forces invade Czechoslovakia — 1968-08-20 – 1968-08-21The Non-Proliferation Treaty enters into force — 1970-03-05SALT I and the ABM Treaty are signed in Moscow — 1972-05-26The Soviet intervention in Afghanistan — 1979-12 – 1989-02-15Reagan announces the Strategic Defense Initiative — 1983-03-23Korean Air Lines Flight 007 is shot down — 1983-09-01The Oko system reports a false American missile launch — 1983-09-26Exercise Able Archer 83 — 1983-11-07 – 1983-11-11The Reykjavik summit — 1986-10-11 – 1986-10-12The INF Treaty is signed in Washington — 1987-12-08The Berlin Wall opens — 1989-11-09The Warsaw Treaty Organization dissolves itself — 1991START I is signed in Moscow — 1991-07-31The attempted coup against Gorbachev — 1991-08-19 – 1991-08-21The Belavezha accords — 1991-12-08The Soviet Union is formally dissolved — 1991-12-26
34 shown · 34 dated · 0 cannot be placed on an axis · Approximate or contested. Draw a band and do not sharpen its edges.
In order34
  1. 1947-03-12Truman asks Congress to support Greece and Turkey

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  2. 1947-06-05Marshall proposes European economic recovery

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  3. 1948-06-24 – 1949-05-12The Berlin blockade and airlift

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  4. 1949-04-04The North Atlantic Treaty is signed in Washington

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  5. 1949-08-29The Soviet Union tests its first nuclear device

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  6. 1950-06-25 – 1953-07-27The Korean War

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  7. 1955–1975 (major US ground commitment 1965–1973)The Vietnam War

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  8. 1955-05-14The Warsaw Treaty is signed

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  9. 1957-08The R-7 completes a successful full-range flight

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  10. 1957-10-04Sputnik 1 is launched

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  11. 1961-08-13The Berlin sector border is sealed

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  12. 1961-10-27 – 1961-10-28American and Soviet tanks face each other on Friedrichstrasse

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  13. 1962-10-14A U-2 photographs missile construction in western Cuba

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  14. 1962-10-16 – 1962-10-28The Cuban missile crisis

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  15. 1962-10-27The B-59 submarine incident

    Sources disagree, or the dating is contested. Stated, not resolved.

  16. 1963-08-05The Partial Test Ban Treaty is signed in Moscow

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  17. 1963-08-30The Washington–Moscow direct link comes into operation

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  18. 1968-07-01The Non-Proliferation Treaty opens for signature

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  19. 1968-08-20 – 1968-08-21Warsaw Pact forces invade Czechoslovakia

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  20. 1970-03-05The Non-Proliferation Treaty enters into force

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  21. 1972-05-26SALT I and the ABM Treaty are signed in Moscow

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  22. 1979-12 – 1989-02-15The Soviet intervention in Afghanistan

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  23. 1983-03-23Reagan announces the Strategic Defense Initiative

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  24. 1983-09-01Korean Air Lines Flight 007 is shot down

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  25. 1983-09-26The Oko system reports a false American missile launch

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  26. 1983-11-07 – 1983-11-11Exercise Able Archer 83

    Sources disagree, or the dating is contested. Stated, not resolved.

  27. 1986-10-11 – 1986-10-12The Reykjavik summit

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  28. 1987-12-08The INF Treaty is signed in Washington

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  29. 1989-11-09The Berlin Wall opens

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  30. 1991The Warsaw Treaty Organization dissolves itself

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  31. 1991-07-31START I is signed in Moscow

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  32. 1991-08-19 – 1991-08-21The attempted coup against Gorbachev

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  33. 1991-12-08The Belavezha accords

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  34. 1991-12-26The Soviet Union is formally dissolved

    It happened, and the record is settled.