| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1815 | -The Congress of Vienna redraws the European
map. The Concert of Europe attempts to preserve this settlement, but it
fails to stem the tide of liberalism and nationalism that sweeps over the
continent. -Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo by Wellington brings a conclusion to the Napoleonic Wars and start of British supremacy |
| 1837–1901 | -Queen Victoria's reign is considered the apex of the British Empire and is referred to as the Victorian era. |
| 1848 | - The Communist Manifesto published. - Revolutions of 1848 in Europe |
| 1853–56 | - Crimean War between the United Kingdom, the Ottoman Empire, the French and Russia |
| 1857 | - Indian Mutiny |
| 1861–65 | - American Civil War between the Union and seceding Confederacy- First "industrial" war |
| 1866 | - Austro-Prussian War results in the dissolution of the German Confederation and the creation of the North German Confederation and the Austrian-Hungarian Dual Monarchy. |
| 1869 | - The Suez Canal opens linking the Mediterranean to the Red Sea |
| 1871 | -Franco-Prussian War ends with creation of Germany in Versailles - German Economy growing fast, European population increasing, Ottoman empire collapsing, Germany had angered Austria before - Bismarck strives to keep Austria and Russia happy, isolate France |
| 1873 | -Dreikaiserbund Between Russia Germany Austria |
| April 1875 | - “War in sight” Crisis – German article inspired war thoughts, France felt threatened, nobody wanted war |
| July 1875 | - Balkan uprisings – loss of DKB unity |
| 1877-78 | - Russo-Turkish war – Britain and Austria get what they want, First Balkan Independences - Berlin Congress – ended R-T War, Russia blamed Germany for loss and pulled out of DKB |
| 1879 | - Dual alliance with Austria – to scare Russia into an alliance |
| 1881 | - Three emperor’s Alliance – temporarily reduced anger |
| 1882 | - Triple Alliance with Italy – further scare Russia - Renewal of DKB – Bismarck’s plan worked |
| 1884-85 | Berlin West Africa conference – Opened Africa and set rules, conflict between FR and BR. -Signals the start of the European "scramble for Africa". Attending nations also agree to ban trade in slaves. |
| 1885-87 | - Bulgarian Civil War – Russia backed Bulgaria, Austria backed Serbia – DKB destroyed |
| June 1887 | - Last chance at keeping peace with Russia – last for 3 years, only with Russia |
| June 1888 | - Kaiser Wilhelm II inherits power John Röhl – “manic depressive” |
| 1890 | -Wilhelm "drops the pilot"- Bismarck is kicked out of power by Wilhelm -Reinsurance treaty let lapse/not renewed – seen as against friendship with Austria - Caprivi new chancellor |
| 1891 | - Schlieffen Plan created - Franco-Russian political agreement, France and Russia agree to discuss before going to war |
| 1893 | - Agrarian League Formed – combat Caprivi’s aggressive tariffs and farmers' subsidies |
| 1894 | - Franco-Russian military Alliance comes to being – agree to help if attacked by a member of the triple alliance |
| 1894-98 | - Dreyfus Affair – French military accused of giving secrets to Germany; shows corruption and degree of anti-Semitism at highest levels |
| 1897 | - Weltpolitik – Establishment of Germany as a world Power – Navy, Colonies, Threat tactics, attempted to scare Britain into an alliance |
| 1899, 1902, 1903 |
- Austro-Italian Agreements – Franco-Italian Agreements – Austro-Russian Agreement Dual, Triple alliances rendered non-existent, Germany doesn’t care |
| 1900 | - German Navy Law |
| 1901 | Victoria dies |
| 1902 | - Britain Naval treaty with Japan – so Britain doesn’t worry about Pacific |
| 1904-05 | - Russo-Japanese War – Russians humiliated |
| 1904 | - Entente cordiale – loose agreement between FR and BR, settled African disputes |
| 1905 | - First Moroccan Crisis – France allowed to extend into Morocco, Germany’s Weltpolitik attempts to separate FR and BR, instead relationship strengthened, German humiliation |
| 1906 | - Germany invests in building Dreadnoughts, challenging Britain -Algeciras conference – BR, FR and RU make Germany promise to stay out of Morocco |
| 1907 | - Britain and Russia settled their disputes, of which in Persia - Triple Entente – not firm but still split Europe, alarmed by Germany’s actions |
| 1908 | - Daily Telegraph Interview – Wilhelm too threatening, insulted too many, embarrassment, Weltpolitik doomed - Bosnian Crisis – Austria claims Bosnia, Russia objected but no escalation, nobody cared, Russia vowed to not back down again |
| 1909 | - Naval Race peaks – negotiations attempted but unsuccessful and weakens relationship – “We want eight and we won’t wait” (Dreadnoughts At End) Britain – 29 Germany – 17 |
| 1911 | - Second Moroccan Crisis Agadir – Morocco requests French troops, Wilhelm sends gunboat, threat fails again, naval pact between BR and FR |
| 1912 | - Germany is socialist with SPD in power (until 1932) “First Balkan War” – The balkans defeat the Turks and divide up land - Britain and Germany organize peace conference to end the dispute, Germany thinks because of british cooperation, they will follow Germany in the next conflict - A-H chief of staff Hotzendorf urges war with Serbia (as he has for a long time) |
| 1913 | - “Second Balkan war” – Bulgaria is not satisfied and fights Serbia for more, Serbia defeats Bulgaria and gains confidence to attack even larger nation |
| 1914 | - German Army at 8.5 million, much larger than all others but Russian was growing fast, scared Germany June 28- Archduke Franz Ferdinand assassinated in Sarajevo, Bosnia by Gavrilo Princip on a Serbian holiday, Black hand July Crisis July 5- Germany assures Austria that they will stick to their treaty, Black Hand July 13- Austrian judicial system says Serbia had no part in crime July 23- Austria gives Serbia 48 hour ultimatum “made to be unacceptable” July 25- Russia requests time extension Serbia rejects ultimatum - only the point of Austrian police in Serbia July 26- Russian towns on the border place din a state of war July 28- Kaiser Wilhelm thinks there is no reason for war because of Serbia’s only part-rejection of the ultimatum - Austria declares war on Serbia July 29- Austria bombards Belgrade Russia mobilises Aug 1- Germany mobilises and declares war on Russia France mobilises Italy declares neutrality Aug 3- Belgium refuses German demands Germany declares war on France Aug 4- Britain declares war on Germany after they rejected their demands Claimed following neutrality agreement from 1839, but first regiment sent to Baghdad Aug 6- Austria declares war on Russia |
| 1915 | - Lusitania sinks |
| 1917 | Feb - Zimmerman Telegram – German secretary of state assures Mexico of German backing in a US attack, was intercepted Mar - Russian Revolution overthrows the Tsar Apr 6- US declares war Nov 7 - (25 October under old calendar.) The Bolsheviks, led by Lenin, seize power in Russia. |
| 1918 | Jan - USSR surrenders/signs armistice with Germany Mar 3- USSR signs Treaty of Brest-Litovsk – Tim Snyder: Holocaust begins here c. April 1918-November 1920. Period of Allied intervention in Russian civil war in opposition to Bolsheviks: British, French, US and Japanese forces side with the 'Whites' against Lenin. 1Mar 24- German Operation Michael with 1 million more soldiers from the east to reinforce the west and outnumber the Allies by 10% Sept 29- Ludendorff informs the Kaiser that only an armistice could save the doomed army now Oct- October Revolution in Germany - Turkey signs armistice Oct 29- Sailors at Kiel mutiny, revolution is spread rapidly -An independent Yugoslavia is proclaimed – the Black Hand succeeded Nov 3- A-H armistice with Allies, although the country doesn’t exist anymore Nov 7- Bavarian monarchy abdicates Nov 9- Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicates to the Netherlands - Weimar Republic proclaimed Nov 11- Germany signs an armistice |
| 1919 | Jan - Spartacists Putsch from Left wing January 19- Constituent Assembly elections; SPD wins 38% March- Hungarian Soviet Republic declared March 5- Formation of Communist International, by Lenin, to encourage Communist revolution worldwide. April- Communist revolution succeeds in Bavaria May- Soviet Socialist republic of Bavaria proclaimed June 28 - Treaty of Versailles – 200 pages, 440 clauses Wilson 14 points – §231 “War Guilt”, §232 Reparations, §156 Shandong 400 on Germany, 14 on LoN, created angry small countries July 31- Weimar Constitution adopted Sept- Treaty of St. Germain – reparations Austria is a country and weak – no bond between AUS and GER Lost 15mil people, led to extreme hyperinflation, 30,000 army Nov- Treaty of Neuilly – Bulgaria pays reparations, the most under Germany, 20,000 army |
| 1920 | Poland invades Lithuania, claims capital Mar- General Wolfgang Kapp leads coup attempt in Berlin April- Civil war in Ruhr area June- Treaty of Trianon – Hungary loses 2/3 of country and must pay reparations, 35,000 army, 3/4 people, June 6- Holborn: “a turning away from democracy”. Nationalists, with 15%, go far right; Independents cut heavily into SPD vote; original Weimar coalition never again a majority. Aug- Treaty of Sevres; No more Ottoman empire – straits opened - France begins Little Entente – until 1927 – distrust with LoN |
| 1921 | March- Upper Silesia Plebiscite; mixed result - War between Poland and USSR ends with Treaty of Riga July 21- Hitler becomes leader of NSDAP |
| 1921-22 | - Washington Naval conference Outside LoN – arms control for countries US 5, UK 5, Japan 3, France 1.8 |
| 1922 | -Treaty of Rapallo – Germany and Russia join and no longer isolated Germany could produce weapons, undermining ToV -Mussolini takes power |
| 1923 | - By the end of 1923, a sandwich inflated from 4 marks to 4 trillion marks Super hyperinflation – Burning bills produced more warmth than the wood Nazis support, in one month, up 255x – 6,000-55,000 -Treaty of Lausanne – replaced Sevres, turkey could close straits -Corfu Incident – Italy invades Greece but LoN takes side of Italy -German defaults because of reparations, Allies invade industrial Ruhr – didn’t consult LoN and 132 dead (same as LW bombing London, forced 150,000 out of homes Britain and France don’t trust each other October- Leftist coalition government in Saxony and Thuringia October 24-25 - Communist uprising in Hamburg Nov- Stresemann establishes Rentenmark and stabilises economy Nov 9- Hitler’s Munich Beer Hall Putsch – perhaps influenced by Stresemann’s call to stop resistance in the Ruhr |
| 1924 | January 21- Death of Lenin. - Dawes Plan – American Loans to Germany, stabilise economy, reduce reparations April 1- Hitler sentenced to five years in gaol |
| 1925 | - Bulgarian Incident – Greek soldiers invade Bulgaria over killed soldiers and Macedonia, LoN tells Greece to leave - Locarno treaties – Germany treated differently, reinforced western borders (not eastern) Stresemann “Voluntarily gave land to France” |
| 1926 | - Germany is admitted into the League of Nations |
| 1927 | - Germany’s Economy is returned to its pre-war levels |
| 1928 | January- Stalin becomes the dominant leader in USSR - German unemployment 2 million - NSDAP- 2.6% support nationwide - Kellogg-Briand Pact – Countries promise not to use war as a means for national security |
| 1929 | Young Plan – more American investments, Germany pays way less than before Oct 4- Stresemann dies Oct 29- Wall Street crash Dec- Stalin's birthday coverage demonstrates assumption of power -USSR's first 5YearPlan starts but is backdated to 1928 |
| 1930 | Jan- Young Plan reduces German reparations - London Naval Conference begins; 10-10-7 |
| 1931 | July- Hoover’s Moratorium – One year ban on all reparations payments between countries, France first declines then accepts Sept- Japan marches into Manchuria – by Feb establishes control, LoN sends Lord Lytton a year late, report only implemented in 1933 |
| 1932 | -German unemployment hits 6 million, tripled with depression June - Lausanne talks – to help Germany repay, America didn’t accept, lose money, had to go back to Young plan July- NSDAP replaces SDP as largest party with 37% support October- Iraq becomes first and only League mandate to gain independence November- NSDAP loses 2 million votes with 33% support |
| 1933 | Jan 30- Hitler appointed Chancellor - Bullock:"jobbed into office by old guard" Feb- Disarmament conference in Geneva – Germany walked out because they wanted to rearm – France reorganises Little Entente - Japan rejects LoN report on Manchuria and walks out of League Feb 27- The Reichstag is set on fire, still unclear who did it – Hitler took advantage of this and issued emergency decree to suspend civil rights Mar 5- Federal elections, Nazis receive 43.9% – still no majority - Riots “in celebration” – Hitler replaces local governments with Nazis because they are incapable of control Mar 10- Hitler orders riots should stop – begin of large-scale propaganda Mar 23- Enabling Act passed for 4 years – Hitler given dictatorial powers – passed because communists, socialist held out by SA and Hitler agreed to respect church April- Officials with questionable racial, ethnic background are dismissed -Gestapo created May 2- Hitler abolishes all trade unions through SA and SS and create the DAF trade union, membership obligatory June 22- SPD outlawed as hostile party July 14- Germany is a Single Party State July 8- Hitler signs concordat with the Pope – both parties will leave other alone Oct- Germany leaves the League of Nations November 17- US opens diplomatic relations with USSR for first time. |
| 1934 | Jan- State Parliaments are abolished, even though the Nazis higher up could pass laws without their consent -Polish-German non-aggression pact signed Feb- Four-Power Pact – Italy, Germany, France, Britain – agreements rarely made June 30- Night of the Long Knives – Hitler takes care of annoying SA and Röhm, also some other enemies, Hitler receives recognition for heroic act against treason – SA becomes propaganda tool, what Röhm feared. July- Attempted Nazi coup in Austria fails; Chancellor Dolfuss killed; Mussolini sends troops to border with Austria Aug 2- Hindenburg dies and Hitler issues decree, proclaiming himself Führer merging party, executive, and prime ministerial functions; armed forces swear oath of loyalty to Hitler August 16- Plebiscite allows Hitler to combine Chancellorship and Presidency - USSR joins LoN - Balkan Pact – Balkan states join in an alliance against larger nations |
| 1935 | March 16- Germany introduces Conscription April- Stresa Conference to stop Germany - German justice system centralised May- - USSR and France sign 5-year alliance, like the Franco-Russian alliance of 1894 June- Anglo-German Naval Treaty- Germany gets 35% of Royal naval tonnage Sept 15- Racial Purity law Oct- Italy invades Abyssinia, claiming land – 4 days later declared aggressor - Most aggressive action by the LoN: sanctions on Italy but not the essentials for war like oil, coal and metals Nov- Hoare-Laval Pact – Lots of Abyssinia given to Italy, no regard for natives; AJP Taylor: "The League died in 1935... was seen as useless fraud... Hitler watched November 14- Reich Citizenship Law; Law for the Protection of German Blood and Honour. Defines who was and who was not a Jew. Goal is to encourage emigration, which results in exodus of approximately 500,000 Jews in Germany and Austria. Forbids intermarriage or sexual relations between Jews and Germans; also covers relations with blacks, Sinti, and Roma. |
| 1936 | February 10- Concentration camps come under SS control March-German remilitarisation of the Rhineland May- Conquest of Abyssinia September 9- Four-year plan announced Oct- Axis Pact – Germany, Italy -Reich Office for Combating Homosexuality and Abortion established Nov- Anti-Comintern pact signed between Germany and Japan Europe is splitting yet again - Spanish Civil War begins |
| 1937 | |
| 1938 | Mar- Germany introduces Conscription April- Stresa Conference to stop Germany May- - USSR and France sign 5-year alliance, like the Franco-Russian alliance of 1894 June- Anglo-German Naval Treaty- Germany gets 35% of Royal naval tonnage Sept 15- Racial Purity law Oct- Italy invades Abyssinia, claiming land – 4 days later declared aggressor - Most aggressive action by the LoN: sanctions on Italy but not the essentials for war like oil, coal and metals Nov- Hoare-Laval Pact – Lots of Abyssinia given to Italy, no regard for natives; AJP Taylor: "The League died in 1935... was seen as useless fraud... Hitler watched November 9- Reichskristallnacht |
| 1939 | May 1- NSDAP re-opens membership rolls August 23- Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact made, dividing Poland between Germany and USSR and establishing 'spheres of influence' in Eastern Europe. September 1- Germany invades Poland September 3- Britain declares war; start of Second World War September 17- USSR attacks helpless Poland, annexes half November 30- March 12 1940- 'Winter War' fought between USSR and Finland. The war is hard-fought, but results in Soviet territorial gains. |
| 1940 |
June 15-16- Soviet forces occupy Baltic
states of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania (independent since 1918), claiming
there is a military threat to the Soviet Union; formally annexed on 1-8 August
June 22- France betrays Britain and agrees to armistice
with Germany, after German advances since May; Britain faces Germany alone;
Italy allied to Germany.
|
| 1941 | March 11- US begins 'lend-lease' economic and military aid to Britain (to USSR in November).
June 22- Germany launches invasion of
USSR.
August 11- Meeting at sea off
Newfoundland, Roosevelt and Churchill issue Atlantic Charter, promising
restoration of independence to conquered states. August-September- British and
Soviet forces occupy Iran, needed as a supply route from the West to Russia.
December 7- Japanese attack US forces
at Pearl Harbour, forcing America into the war.
December 15-18- Visit by British Foreign Secretary, Eden, to
Moscow; he finds that Stalin hopes to retain gains made under Ribbentrop-Molotov
Pact.
December 22- January 7 1942. 'Arcadia'
conference of Roosevelt and Churchill in Washington plans war strategy and
agrees to set up Anglo-American Combined Chiefs of Staff. |
| 1942 |
January 1- Twenty-six Allied countries sign 'United
Nations' declaration and agree not to make a separate peace with Germany, Italy
and Japan.
May 26- Twenty-year Soviet-British
alliance against Germany signed.
August 12-15- Churchill and Stalin meet
in Moscow to discuss war strategy.
November 8- British and American forces
land in North-West Africa; first US military involvement on land against German
forces.
December 12- Soviet-Czech alliance
signed, showing Czech desire to work with Soviets after the war.
|
| 1943 |
January 14-24- Casablanca Conference of
Roosevelt and Churchill sees announcement that Germany and her allies must
surrender 'unconditionally'
February 1- Siege of Stalingrad ends, marking turning
point in war on Russian front, after large German forces surrender to the
Soviets.
April 27- Stalin suspends relations
with Polish government-in-exile after arguments over whether Germany or USSR
carried out 'Katyn massacre' of Polish officers, after their occupation of
Poland in 1939.
May 12-25- 'Trident' conference of
Roosevelt and Churchill, in Washington, discusses possible invasion of France.
May 15- Stalin dissolves Comintern to
please the Western allies.
May 18- June 1- Hot Springs conference
near Washington discusses establishment of United Nations Relief and
Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA). Formally set up in November.
July 10- Anglo-American invasion of Sicily
begins liberation of Western Europe. July 25- Mussolini replaced in Italy by
Marshal Badoglio, ending Fascist rule there.
August 17-24- At Quebec Conference
Roosevelt and Churchill decide to invade France in mid-1944.
September 8- Italian armistice
announced; Italy soon (13 October) yet again changes sides in the war, joining
the Allies.
October 18-30- In Moscow 'Big Three'
foreign ministers lay the ground for a leaders' meeting, discuss establishment
of UN organisation and set up a European Advisory Commission to discuss policy
in post-war Germany.
November 22-26- In Cairo Roosevelt,
Churchill and China's Chiang Kai-shek discuss strategy in Far East.
November 28- December 1- First 'Big
Three' Summit between Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin in Tehran, discusses war
strategy and future cooperation.
December 4-6. At second Cairo
Conference, Roosevelt and Churchill decide Eisenhower should be Supreme Allied
Commander in West.
|
| 1944 |
June 6- 'D-Day': Anglo-American invasion
of France, code-named Operation Overlord, begins full-scale 'second front' in
the West.
July 1-22- Bretton Woods Conference, of
forty-four nations, on financial economic issues, agrees to establish
International Monetary Fund (to stabilise currencies) and World Bank (for
reconstruction and development). Soviets refuse to join.
July 21- Red Army sets up a Communist
'Committee of National Liberation' in Lublin, Poland, after 'liberating'
eastern areas of the country.
August 1- October 2- Warsaw rising of
Polish resistance's 'Home Army' against Germans. Soviets fail to provide
support for it and the rising is eventually crushed.
August 23- Germany's ally Romania signs
armistice following Soviet invasion.
September 8- Germany's ally Bulgaria
changes sides in war following Soviet invasion three days earlier.
September 11-16- At second Quebec
Conference Roosevelt and Churchill discuss post-war occupation of Germany.
September 19- Germany's ally Finland
signs armistice with USSR.
October 3 British forces begin to
arrive in Greece; its liberation is completed by 11 November.
October 7- Dumbarton Oaks Conference in
America of US, USSR, Britain and China (begun 21 August) results in draft UN
charter.
October 9-18- Moscow Conference of
Stalin and Churchill includes 'percentages deal' creating British and Soviet
spheres of influence in the Balkans.
November 7- Roosevelt re-elected
president for fourth term, beating Thomas E. Dewey.
December 3- Fighting breaks out between
British forces and the Communist resistance movement in Greece, who oppose the
restoration of the Greek monarchy.
December 25- After the fighting in
Greece Churchill himself arrives in Athens to settle the differences.
|
| 1945 |
January 1- Soviets recognise their
puppet Communist administration in Poland as the 'provisional government';
America and Britain refuse to recognise it.
January 13- Truce between British and
Communist forces in Athens is followed (February) by the Varkiza Agreement
promising a referendum on the return of the monarchy and other reforms.
January 20- Germany's ally Hungary
signs armistice with USSR.
February 4-12- Yalta Summit in Crimea
of Roosevelt, Stalin and Churchill discusses post-war Europe, UN and Far East.
March 6- Petru Groza becomes head of
Communist-led government in Romania. March 15- Stalin criticises Anglo-American
talks in Berne with local German commander about surrender of German forces in
Italy: Stalin fears these forces will be sent to the Eastern Front.
April 4- Roosevelt condemns Stalin's
criticisms of Berne talks as 'vile misrepresentations' .
April 11- Soviet-Yugoslav Treaty of
Mutual Assistance signed. (Similar treaties were signed between all Communist
Eastern European states including Soviet-Polish treaty on 21 April.)
April 12- Death of Roosevelt; succeeded
by Harry S. Truman.
April 23- Truman strongly warns
Molotov, in Washington, that Soviets must adhere to Yalta Agreements.
April 25- US and Soviet forces meet at
Torgau on the River Elbe.
April 28- Mussolini captured and hanged
by partisans.
April 30- Hitler commits suicide in
Berlin.
May 1-
Anglo-American and Yugoslav Communist forces arrive in Trieste
(previously Italian) and contest its control; danger of an armed clash.
May 8- V-E Day: formal German
capitulation in Berlin; placed under British, US, Soviet, and French
occupation.
May 11- With Germany defeated, Truman
limits 'lend-lease' to goods needed for the war against Japan.
May 14- Austria, though under joint
Allied occupation by US, Soviet, British and French is given an independent
republican government under Karl Renner.
May 21- Tito, the Yugoslav leader,
agrees to Anglo-American military government in Trieste.
June 6- Stalin agrees, in talks with US
envoy Harry Hopkins, to expand the Polish government to include pro-Western
elements.
June 21- Truman orders US forces in
Czechoslovakia and Eastern Germany to withdraw to their own occupation areas,
allowing Red Army to advance into pre-agreed areas of occupation.
Leaders of Polish resistance's 'home
government' are gaoled in Warsaw for 'anti-Soviet activities'.
June 26- At end of San Francisco
conference (begun 26 April) fifty countries launch UN charter, establishing a
new world peace-keeping organisation.
June 28- New Polish government includes
some former members of London-based government-in-exile.
June 29- Czechoslovakia hands border
area of Ruthenia to USSR.
July 5- US and Britain recognise new
Polish government, despite continued Communist predominance.
July 16- First atomic bomb successfully
tested at Alamogordo, New Mexico.
July 17- August 2. Potsdam Summit of
Big Three leaders establishes joint policies for the occupation of Germany.
July 26- British general election
results in defeat for Churchill.
August 6- Atomic bomb dropped on
Hiroshima.
August 8- Soviets betray Japanese to
occupy areas of Manchuria
August 9- Atomic bomb dropped on
Nagasaki.
August 14- Soviet treaty with Chiang
Kai-shek confirms Soviet territorial gains in China under Yalta Agreement.
August 15- Capitulation of Japan on
understanding that Hirohito can remain Emperor.
August 23- End of America's
'lend-lease' programme.
September 2- Formal Japanese surrender
to the Allies, on USS Missouri (V-J day). Communist resistance leader Ho Chi
Minh proclaims independence of Vietnam (then part of Indo-China).
September 13- After Allied agreement on
areas of occupation, British forces arrive in Saigon, southern Vietnam.
(Chinese occupy northern Vietnam.)
September 11-October 2- London
Conference: first meeting of Council of Foreign Ministers (US, USSR, Britain,
China, France) set up at Potsdam to draft peace treaties with defeated enemy
states, breaks down in disagreement, after various arguments between Soviets
and Western states.
October 5- French forces arrive in Saigon, and begin to
take over from the British.
October 24- UN formally comes into
existence.
October 27-Truman's Navy Day address
restates US commitment to Atlantic Charter principles and strong armed forces.
November 15- Truman, Attlee and
Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King agree on basic plan to control atomic
energy through UN.
November 18- Communist 'Fatherland
Front' wins rigged elections in Bulgaria. November 20- Soviets refuse to allow
Iranian troops into Iranian Azerbaijan, then under Red Army occupation leads to
Anglo-American protest.
November 27- US General Marshall sent
to China to negotiate a settlement between Nationalists and Communists, in the
hope of avoiding a civil war.
December 6- US reconstruction loan to
Britain finalised, after talks involving Lord Keynes.
December 16-26- US, Soviet and British foreign ministers meet
in Moscow and agree to new talks on peace treaties.
|
| 1946 |
January 2- King Zog of Albania formally
deposed by Communists.
January 5- Communists and Nationalists
in China agree to end fighting.
January 10- First regular session of UN
General Assembly opens in London.
February 9- Stalin speech during Soviet
elections launches new Five Year Plan and describes Second World War as
vindication of Communism.
February 11- Secret Yalta Agreement on
Far East published, showing that Roosevelt ceded territories to USSR.
February 15-18- Arrests of a major Soviet
spy ring in Canada.
February 22- From Moscow, US charge
George Kennan sends 'the long telegram' analysing Soviet expansionist
tendencies, and urging American resistance.
February 28- Speech by Secretary of
State James Byrnes marks a toughening of US public stand against USSR.
March 2- Deadline passes, under wartime
agreements, for Soviet troops to leave Iran; US and Britain begin diplomatic
pressure to remove them.
March 5- Churchill's speech at Fulton,
Missouri, condemns 'iron curtain' in Eastern Europe and calls for
Anglo-American alliance. Criticised by Stalin on 13 March.
March 6- US note to Moscow complains
about continued presence of Soviet troops in Iran.
March 24- Soviets agree to withdraw
troops from Iran. (Last troops leave 6 May.)
April 20- East German Social Democrats
forced to join Communists in 'Socialist Unity Party'.
April 25- May 16- Council of Foreign Ministers, meeting
in Paris, resumes talks on peace treaties (US, USSR, Britain, France).
May 3- US deputy governor General Clay
suspends reparations from US zone in Germany and blames Soviet and French
policy for lack of Allied agreement on Germany.
May 15- Albanians shell British ships
off Corfu.
May 26- Communists are leading party
(35 per cent) in Czech elections, and head a coalition government with
democratic parties.
June 2- Italian referendum puts an end
to the monarchy.
June 14- US Baruch Plan for control of
atomic energy published; criticised by USSR.
July 25- First underground atomic test
explosion by US at Bikini atoll.
August 1- McMahon Act by Congress
prevents US sharing atomic secrets.
September 6- Speech by US Secretary of
State Byrnes at Stuttgart declares more sympathetic policy towards Germany and
promises to retain US troops in Germany until peace is assured.
September 12- Speech by US Secretary of
Commerce Wallace calls for co-operation with USSR; as a result. Wallace is
forced to resign (20 September).
September 19- Speech by Churchill in
Zurich advocates European unity.
October 1- End of major Nuremberg war
trials: several leading Nazis executed. October 20-Berlin municipal elections
won by Social Democrats; Communists get one-fifth of vote.
December 2- 'Bizone' agreement fuses US
and British occupation zones in Germany.
December 18 First Indo-China war
begins.
|
| 1947 | January 19- Rigged elections
(originally promised at Yalta) held in Poland, despite Western complaints.
February 20- British announce
independence for India.
February 21- British inform Washington
that they can no longer provide financial aid to the Greek government.
March 4- Treaty of Dunkirk, directed
against revival of German aggression, signed by Britain and France.
March 10- April 24- US, Soviet, British
and French meet to discuss German and Austrian treaties, in Council of Foreign
Ministers in Moscow; fail to reach agreement.
March 12- Truman Doctrine speech, to
joint session of Congress, requests aid to Greek and Turkish governments to
help resist Communism; approved by Congress on 15 May.
June 5- Launch of the Marshall Plan: Harvard
speech by Marshall offers US economic aid for a European recovery plan, which
Europeans should draw up.
June 27- July 2- Soviet, British and
French foreign ministers meet in Paris to discuss the Marshall Plan; Molotov
eventually walks out of the talks.
July. George Kennan's 'X' article is
published in Foreign Affairs, providing intellectual justification for US
policy of 'containment'.
July 10- Under Soviet pressure, Poland
and Czechoslovakia turn down the invitation to discuss the Marshall Plan.
August 15- India and Pakistan become
independent.
August 29- US and Britain increase
industrial output of the Bizone, despite Soviet and French criticism.
August 31- Rigged elections ensure
Communist victory in Hungary.
September 22-23- Soviet, East European,
French and Italian Communists establish an Information Bureau (Cominform) at a
conference in Poland; Soviet representatives declare that the world is now
divided into two camps.
October- US House of Representatives'
'Un-American Activities Committee' begins to investigate Communist influence on
Hollywood. |
| 1948 | February 19-25- Communist coup in
Czechoslovakia; condemned by the West. March 10- Czechoslovakia's democratic foreign minister, Jan Masaryk, dies after falling from a window. March 17- Britain, France, Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg sign the Brussels Pact, including pledges of mutual defence. March 18- Soviet military advisers are withdrawn from Yugoslavia because of resentment at Tito's independence. April 1- Soviet officials begin regularly to interfere with Western surface traffic into Berlin. April 2- US Congress approves Marshall Aid; the Economic Cooperation Administration is established to manage it. May 10- Molotov and US Ambassador Bedell Smith on possible end to Cold War. May 14- Israel proclaimed a state (after British leave Palestine and UN agrees to partition it between Jews and Arabs); first Arab-Israeli war follows.
June 1- US, Britain and France announce
London Conference decisions including establishment of a West German state.
June 18- Western powers begin to
introduce new currency in Western Germany.
June 24- Soviets launch full blockade
of surface routes to West Berlin; Eastern bloc foreign ministers in Warsaw
condemn Western policy in Germany.
June 26- Berlin airlift begins.
June 28- To Western surprise Yugoslavia
is expelled from the Cominform; Eastern bloc denounces Tito as 'deviationist'.
July 15- 'Atomic-Capable' B29 bombers
are sent by US to bases in Britain.
November 2- Truman narrowly re-elected
president, defeating Thomas Dewey
|
| 1949 |
January 22- Chinese Communists take
Peking
January 25- Establishment of Comecon by
the USSR and its satellites.
February 18- . Berlin airlift carries
its millionth tonne of supplies.
April 4- North Atlantic Treaty signed
in Washington.
April 8-In Washington, US, Britain and
France reach agreement on terms for creating West German state.
April 20- Chinese Communist forces
cross the Yangtze, shelling British naval vessels.
May 4- USSR agrees to lift the Berlin
blockade in return for four-power talks on Germany.
May 12- The Berlin blockade is lifted.
May 30- Soviets constitute an East
German government.
June 29- US troops withdrawn from South
Korea.
August 29- Soviets explode their first
atomic bomb; announced by Truman on 22 September 15- Konrad Adenauer becomes first
Chancellor of West Germany.
September 21- Mao Tse-tong declares the
Chinese People's Republic.
October 7- East German constitution
proclaimed.
|
| 1950 |
January 12- US Secretary of State
Acheson defines a 'defence perimeter' in the Far East, running from Alaska
through Japan to the Philippines; later criticised by Republicans for omitting
Korea.
January 14- Ho Chi Minh establishes a
'Democratic Republic of Vietnam'; recognised by China on 19th and USSR on 31
January.
January 25- Alger Hiss, former State
Department official, is condemned for perjury, following allegations by
Whitaker Chambers he was a Communist; the case makes Congressman Richard Nixon
a household name.
January 31- Truman announces that
America is to build a hydrogen bomb.
February 9- Beginning of 'McCarthyism':
Senator Joe McCarthy, at Wheeling in West Virginia, claims there are over 200
Communist sympathisers in the State Department.
February 14- Sino-Soviet alliance
signed by Mao Zedong in Moscow.
April 7- US policy document NSC-68
proposes large-scale arms programme.
used.
June 27- UN, in Soviet absence, approves 'Uniting for Peace'
resolution, to send forces to Korea.
East German-Polish treaty recognises the Oder-Neisse border.
Start of Korean War: North Korean forces invade South Korea.
US forces are sent to Korea (arriving 1July); US Seventh Fleet
July 26- US makes major increase in military aid to French
in Indo- China.
September 14- In Korea, UN forces under General MacArthur
begin landings at Inchon which force a North Korean retreat.
September 28- Zhou Enlai warns UN forces not to invade North
Korea. UN forces begin to cross the 38th parallel into North Korea.
October 21- Chinese forces invade Tibet.
October 26- Chinese 'volunteers' enter the Korean War.<
The French premier launches the Pleven Plan for German
November 26- Chinese intervene in force in Korea, driving UN
forces back.
November 30- USSR vetoes anti-Chinese resolution at UN; Truman
announces there has been 'active consideration' of the use of atomic bombs in
Korea.
December 8- US ends all trade with China; Truman assures
British premier Attlee in Washington that the atom bomb will not be used. |
