#whatweshouldknow

I will admit that it does become difficult to keep track of what comes after what but most of us should know these events. I took some time to create a simple timeline with important events in United States history. Hopefully, this will keep us straight with regard to what happens when and for those who just do not know much about our history it will give a background on what has happened.

1940- US Presidential Election. Franklin D. Roosevelt wins reelection.

March 11, 1941- Lend-Lease Program which gives aid to Britain and China

December 7, 1941- Attack on Pearl Harbor.

A surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy on the US Pearl Harbor Naval Base.

December 8, 1941- United States enters World War II and declaring war on Japan., Germany and Italy.

September 17, 1942- The Manhattan Project

Work to proceed on creating the nuclear weapon

December 2, 1942- First Uranium U-235 is produced as a result of the Manhattan Project.

November 28, 1943- Tehran Conference

Agreement between Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet, Josef Stalin regarding the invasion of Europe.

June 6, 1944 – Normandy Landings (D-day) US allied invasion of Normandy, France.

November 8, 1944- US Presidential Election. Franklin D. Roosevelt wins reelection-

The only president to seek a fourth term

December 16, 1944- Battle of the Bulge

Germany leads a counteroffensive against the Allied forces. The Allied forces won the battle.

Winston Churchill- “This is undoubtedly the greatest American battle of the war and will, I believe, be regarded as an ever-famous American victory.”

 February 4, 1945- Yalta Conference

Major Players-President Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet Union Josef Stalin.

The Major goal of the US and GB was to get a date from the Soviet Union on when they would declare war on Japan. Stalin agreed that the soviets would declare war on Japan three months after Germany surrendered.

 The other issue was the role of France. GB wanted France to have a role and the Soviets did not want France to have a role since they did not play a role in the war. The end result was that France would be a member in the Allied control council for Germany but that the leader would not be invited to attend the “Big Three meetings”

February 16, 1945- Battle for Iwo Jima

The capture of this island off of Japan’s mainland would “cripple B-29’s returning from bombing runs.

March 1, 1945- Battle of Rhine River at Reagan, Germany

US bombers attack Berlin. Adolf Hitler destroys his own military installations

April 12, 1945- President Roosevelt dies and is replaced by Vice President Harry S. Truman

May 7, 1945- Germany surrenders. General Dwight d. Eisenhower accepted this.

June 26, 1945- United Nations founded after World War II.

July 16, 1945-Trinity Test

The first detonation of a nuclear device. 

August 6, 1945- President Harry S. Truman allows use of the atomic bomb with the bombing of Hiroshima.

August 9, 1945- President Harry S. Truman allows use of the atomic bomb with the bombing of Nagasaki, Japan.

August 15, 1945- Emperor Hirohito surrenders.

January 10, 1946- First United Nations General Assembly

July 4, 1946- Philippines are given their independence

July, 1946- Secretary of Commerce Henry A Wallace Urges Conciliatory Approach

This letter to President Truman brings to his attention what outside countries will see when the United States continues to arm themselves with:

    “ $13 billion for the War and Navy Departments, the Bikini tests of the atomic bomb and continued production of bombs, the plan to arm Latin America with our weapons, production of B-29’s and planned production of B-36’s, and the effort to secure air bases spread over half the globe from which the other half of the glob can be bombed” Henry A. Wallace

President Truman obviously ignores this

February 22, 1947- The Long Telegram

George Kennan writes Truman a telegram regarding his view of the Soviet Union and how to address them. His expressed the views of containment to the extreme. 

February 28, 1947- Ho chi Minh request for United States Assistance

President Truman obviously ignores this as well

March 15, 1947- Truman Doctrine

Provided aid to countries which would aid them from falling into Soviet control (Greece and Turkey)

September 1947- Soviets created Cominform.

This was known as a seed to the Cold War

1947- Cold War 

Eastern Bloc vs. Western Bloc (US and the Soviet Union) War waged with political, economic and propaganda fronts. The US and its allies formed NATO. The Soviet Union exploded their first atomic bomb. The Chinese came to power in mainland China. The Soviets supported the Communists North Korea and The US supported South Korea. (more to come about Korea in a later timeline)

June 5, 1947-Marshall Plan (European Recovery Program)

 A post WWII plan between US, Germany and France.  It was to restore European agricultural and industrial productivity to create stable conditions for democratic institution to survive. 

June 24, 1948- Berlin Blockade

Soviets blockaded the Allies’ connections including Railway, Roads, etc.

April 4, 1949- North Atlantic Treaty Organization

NATO was created to provide mutual defense in response to any outside power.

August 29, 1949- Soviet Union Atomic Bomb Test in Kazakhstan

November 2, 1949- US Presidential Election. Harry S. Truman wins reelection         

April 19, 1950- NSC-68.

The Presidential advisors urge Military Expansion. NSC-68 a military approach to Containment of Communism.