1950s

• 1950

  • Jan - Truman orders development of hydrogen bomb
  • Feb - China and Soviet Union sign 30 yr friendship treaty
  • June - North Korea attacks South Korea with 100,000 troops. Truman orders US troops to Korea, Containment policy - he had low opinion polls, Republicans attacked him for not preventing China’s fall to communism. Truman could not afford to lose Korea.
  • July - UN troops arrive in South Korea. Soviet Union couldn't Veto the action, were boycotting the UN for US blocking China’s entry to UN. Douglas MacArthur organised UN troops, started to push North Korea back to the 38th Parallel.
• 1950 cont.

  • Sep - UN troops recapture Seoul. General Douglas McArthur orders troops to North Korea - extended beyond containment policy as it strayed from concept of 'Roll Back' (regaining areas from communism)
  • Nov - 250,000 Chinese troops enter North Korea - UN troops retreat
  • Dec - Chinese troops enter South Korea - UN troops retreat
• 1951

  • Jan - Chinese and North Korea troops capture Seoul
  • March - UN troops recapture Seoul. General MacArthur advocated use of atomic bomb in Korean war
  • April - General MacArthur relieved of his command by Truman as he was seen as flouting the orders of the 'Commander in Chief'
• 1953

  • March - Stalin dies and tensions between US and USSR ease
  • Sep - Khrushchev appointed First Secretary of Soviet Communist Party. End of Korean War - negotiations were hostile and US secretary of state threatened the Chinese with nuclear weapons twice to indicate US determination to end hostilities in Korea. over 54,000 US troops were killed. financial cost was est $20 billion. Containment policy proved to be emotionally and financially costly to America, caused domestic tensions - McCarthyism. Truman strengthened alliances with Asia. Defence Budget increased to $52 billion
• 1954

  • May - Battle of Dien Bien Phu, French forces defeated. Geneva Accords - split into four Cambodia, Laos and North & South Vietnam. US refused to sign the accords as it was likely communist Ho Chi Minh would win elections. US back South Vietnam leader Ngo Dinh Diem - US gave them $500 million in aid and asked them to join SEATO. Eisenhower regarded it as part of the Containment policy and the growing concept of neighbouring countries falling to communism. became known as the ‘Domino’ theory.
  • May - SEATO formed (South East Asian Treaty Organisation)
• 1955

  • May - Warsaw pact
  • Dec - Hallstein Doctrine - West Germany refused to recognise East Germany
• 1959

  • Jan - Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba