Top-Rated Free Essay
Preview

Important Events in Contemporary History

Good Essays
397 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Important Events in Contemporary History
INT1010 Contemporary World One Event #1: The Korean War 1950 On June 25th 1950, communist North Korea proceeded to invade western- supported South Korea to unite Korea by force. Significance to contemporary history: Event #2: Malayan Independence 1957 What happened? Significance to contemporary history: Malayan Independence reinforced the ending of colonialism in South East Asia. Also, it signified the ability and right to self-rule for previously colonized states. Following independence, Malaya’s tin and rubber export also gave a significant boost to the US dollar. Event #3: The formation of the Berlin Wall 1961 What happened? In August 1961, a physical partition of between East and West Germany was put in place in Berlin under the command of President Khrushchev. Significance on contemporary history: The Berlin Wall symbolized the acceptance of the status quo in Europe by both sides. The most significant aspect of the Berlin Wall is arguably the fact that it clarified worldwide the difference between the two superpowers and their varying political system. The Berlin Wall went on to become the symbol of the ultimate measure of inadequacy of communism. Event #4: The Cuban Missile Crisis 1962 Significance to contemporary history: The Cuban Missile Crisis marks the first and only time the world has come close to a nuclear war. As a result, both The Soviet Union and The United States worked towards improving their communication and easing tensions, which led to the creation of a ‘hot-line’ between American and Soviet capitals. However, both parties also continued the development of their nuclear weapons, which resulted in a world of mutually assured destruction (MAD). Event #5: Islamic Revolution In Iran (also known as the Iranian Revolution) 1979 What happened? Significance in contemporary history: The revolution brought much attention to Islam and interest in the concept “neither East nor West” that is, not American or Soviet policies. The newly Islamic republic also called for the overthrow of or other monarchies and the replacement of them with Islamic leaders. Internally, the revolution gave rise to the improvement of healthcare and education while also, eliminating secularism and the American influence in the government. Bibliography Timon Singh, ‘The Construction of The Berlin Wall’, 2009, http://www.euinfrastructure.com/news/construction-of-the-berlin-wall/, accessed 23 March 2010 Anthony Best, International History of the Twentieth Century and Beyond, Oxon 2004, p240-242, 250-253, 463-466.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Unit 9 Final Project

    • 548 Words
    • 3 Pages

    In 1961, millions of people crossed the Berlin wall escaping from the tyrannical oppression of The Soviet Union. This event was probably the biggest symbolism of the fall of communism in history as the Berlin wall was at that time commonly known as the symbol of communism. This event was also a major milestone to the end of the cold war. During the time of the cold war The United State and The Soviet Union kept guns pointed at each other pretty much at all times.…

    • 548 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The Berlin crisis between 1958 and 1961 was a primary issue for the USA and the USSR. Since the end of World War Two in 1945, Berlin had been divided into the West Berlin (for the USA, UK and France) and East Berlin (for the USSR). Both sides were determined to keep control of their half of Berlin and it was seen as vital in the strength and success of each country as a whole. US General Clay said ‘when Berlin falls, western Germany will be next. If we mean to hold Europe against communism we must not budge’. This suggests that keeping control of West Berlin was incredibly important to the Americans and if they were to lose…

    • 3914 Words
    • 16 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    On the fateful day in November the “symbol” of communism, the Berlin Wall, was tore down by both the West in East Germans. This act signified the culminating point of the Revolutionary changes sweeping Europe, and the eventual fall of the Soviet Union and most Communism as people. Throughout the Soviet era, the side of West Germany was under harsh Communist rule. This breaking down of the wall had such a greater meaning, it was the birth of freedom to all those currently oppressed. Such an action had great repercussions on the world, back then and yet still today.…

    • 1222 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Cold War Dbq Analysis

    • 569 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Berlin was an immediate victim to the Cold War. Berlin was shared amongst 4 powers, the French, British, United States and the Soviet Union.(doc 3a) Since Berlin was shared with the Soviet Union, part of Berlin was communist as the other half wasn't. The Soviet Union built a wall to keep capitalist ideas out of their sector of Berlin.(doc 3b) Not only did the Soviet Union build this wall but they also blockaded the city hoping to force out the western sector. This attempt failed as the United States responded with the Berlin airlift which brought food and supplies to Berlin each day. Germany wasn't…

    • 569 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    U.S World History 05.06

    • 401 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The reason that the bomb was dropped on Japan was because President Truman thought it was the best to get Japan to surrender. Japan was have given two different chances to surrender. But they just ignored them and went on with what they were doing. So bombing both Hiroshima and Nagasaki finally got them to surrender. Another reason was because it saved the American lives and to sped up the end of the war. With Japan surrendering, it saved 100,000 American Soldiers lives and 1,000,000 Japanese lives.…

    • 401 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Berlin Wall was an infamous monument that separated Berlin for years finally fell to reunite families. The curiosity of the citizens was finally fed, and eastern citizens finally were able to live up to their full potential. The wall provided perturbation for all of Berlin, but it was finally resolved on that fateful November 9th,…

    • 424 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The Berlin Wall, three words which bring to mind some of the most turbulent and confusing years twentieth century Germany had ever seen. Often, when discussing this topic, most of the focus mainly surrounds the construction and destruction of this great barrier. Although these topics will be discussed at length, the reasons for its construction and later destruction began long before any sign of an official barrier made an appearance.…

    • 1556 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    In the heat of the Cold War, in which the United States and the Soviet Union fought against each-other without any direct battles, and the tensions between the two countries were extremely high. The concept of brinkmanship, which is when both countries are at the brink of war for an extended period of time was exercised. This concept, of brinkmanship, stemmed from the invention of the nuclear weapon, as countries were now able to destroy entire civilizations. One of the most famous conflicts caused by nuclear weapons was the Cuban Missile Crisis (“Cuban Missile Crisis”). In the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Soviet Union brought nuclear missiles to Cuba, which is only 90 miles from the United States (“Distance from”).…

    • 1681 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The advent of nuclear weapons dawned a new and terrifying era in human history. The destructive power of the atomic bomb, demonstrated at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, ushered in a global climate of fear. Emerging from the rubble of the Second World War, the U.S. and Soviet Union became the two most dominant economic, political, and military superpowers in the global arena. Upholding fundamental ideological differences, the U.S. and Soviet Union became entrenched in their respective camps of capitalism and communism. Having acquired nuclear weapons, and illustrated their ability to use them, the U.S challenged the Soviet Union’s military might. The Soviet Union promptly accepted this challenge by successfully acquiring nuclear capabilities on par with the U.S. In effect, a nuclear arms race ensued and the Cold War began. Fear of nuclear annihilation ultimately swept across the globe and into the homes of American citizens.…

    • 2478 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    After Reagan’s famous “Tear Down this Wall”, speech, the Berlin Wall had officially been torn down by 1989, officially reuniting East and West Germany after 45 years of communist intervention. This was a very…

    • 774 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    On June 12, 1987 President Ronald Reagan visited West Berlin the sight of the Berlin Wall which was constructed by the Soviet Union in 1961, as a barrier between the East Berlin which was controlled by the Soviet Union and West Berlin, which was controlled by both the…

    • 1276 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the earliest part of the cold war the United States enjoyed a clearly superior nuclear force to the Soviet Union but eventually nuclear parity was achieved and a new phase of the cold war had started. Realizing their vulnerability each side began producing nuclear weapons at a furious rate in an attempt to stay ahead of the other. The United States adopted a policy called Mutual Assured Destruction, a.k.a. MAD where protection for the population was achieved by ensuring the capability to utterly destroy the attacker if attacked. (Wilde)…

    • 249 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Fifteen to sixteen years after World War Two, which was about 1960-1961 the Berlin Wall was built to separate East and West Berlin Germany. West Berlin was controlled by the United States, France, and the United Kingdom. East Berlin was controlled by the Soviet Union.…

    • 348 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    PALEOCENTRIC

    • 1559 Words
    • 7 Pages

    The Berlin Wallhe East from its capitalistic enemy, the West. It was also built to control the unstoppable flood of emigration from East to West Berlin.…

    • 1559 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Berlin Wall, built in August of 1961, was a physical symbol of the political and emotional divisions of Germany. The Wall was built because of a long lasting suspicion among the Soviet Union on one side and Western Europe and the United States on the other. Once World War II was over, these Allies no longer had a common purpose to hold them together. Their differences became less hidden and more irreconcilable. Where family's had to break apart and had no word about, it because the type of government's.…

    • 809 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays

Related Topics