World History Timeline

Timeline

341 events

20th century

  2. 1949★★★★★

    State of Vietnam established

    France establishes the State of Vietnam within the French Union, with former emperor Bảo Đại as head of state.

    Politics· Vietnam, France
  3. April 4, 1949★★★★★

    NATO founded

    Twelve North American and Western European countries sign the North Atlantic Treaty in Washington, creating the NATO collective defence alliance.

    TreatyPolitics· United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Italy, Portugal, Norway, Denmark, Iceland
  4. May 23, 1949 – October 7, 1949★★★★★

    Germany divided: West and East Germany founded

    The Federal Republic of Germany is founded in the Western occupation zones, followed by the German Democratic Republic in the Soviet zone.

    Politics· Germany
  6. December 1949★★★★★

    ROC government retreats to Taiwan

    Defeated in the Chinese Civil War, Chiang Kai-shek's government withdraws to Taiwan and makes Taipei its provisional capital.

    WarPolitics· Taiwan, China
  7. December 27, 1949★★★★★

    Netherlands transfers sovereignty to Indonesia

    Following the Hague Round Table Conference, the Netherlands formally transfers sovereignty to the United States of Indonesia, ending the Indonesian National Revolution.

    TreatyPolitics· Indonesia, Netherlands
  8. January 26, 1950★★★★★

    Constitution of India comes into force

    The constitution drafted under B. R. Ambedkar comes into force, making India a republic; the day is celebrated as Republic Day.

    Politics· India
  9. June 25, 1950 – July 27, 1953★★★★★

    Korean War

    North Korean forces cross the 38th parallel; the war, drawing in US-led UN forces and China, ends in an armistice in 1953.

    War· South Korea, North Korea, China, United States
  10. September 8, 1951★★★★★

    Treaty of San Francisco

    Japan signs a peace treaty with the Allied powers, ending the occupation when it takes effect in 1952.

    Treaty· Japan, United States
  11. July 23, 1952★★★★★

    Egyptian Revolution of 1952

    The Free Officers Movement overthrows King Farouk; Egypt becomes a republic and Gamal Abdel Nasser soon rises to lead it.

    RevolutionPolitics· Egypt
  12. 1953 – 1956★★★★★

    Land reform in North Vietnam

    A land reform campaign in the North redistributes land, accompanied by many executions; the government later acknowledges errors and launches a rectification in 1956.

    PoliticsEconomy· Vietnam
  13. March 5, 1953★★★★★

    Death of Joseph Stalin

    Joseph Stalin, leader of the Soviet Union since the mid-1920s, dies near Moscow, opening the way to de-Stalinisation under Khrushchev.

    DeathPolitics· Russia
  14. April 25, 1953★★★★★

    Structure of DNA published

    James Watson and Francis Crick publish the double-helix model of DNA in Nature, drawing in part on Rosalind Franklin's X-ray diffraction data.

    Science· United Kingdom
  15. May 29, 1953★★★★★

    First ascent of Mount Everest

    Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay become the first people confirmed to reach the summit of Mount Everest, the world's highest peak.

    Exploration· Nepal
  16. August 19, 1953★★★★★

    1953 Iranian coup d'état

    Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh, who had nationalised the oil industry, is overthrown in a US- and UK-backed coup that strengthens the Shah.

    Politics· Iran
  17. 1954 – 1955★★★★★

    Operation Passage to Freedom

    During the 300-day free-movement period after the Geneva Accords, roughly 800,000 to one million people, many of them Catholics, move from North to South Vietnam.

    Politics· Vietnam, United States, France
  18. March 13, 1954 – May 7, 1954★★★★★

    Battle of Điện Biên Phủ

    The Việt Minh assault the French garrison at Điện Biên Phủ; their victory on 7 May leads to the Geneva Accords.

    War· Vietnam, France
  19. May 17, 1954★★★★★

    Brown v. Board of Education ruling

    The US Supreme Court rules that racial segregation in public schools is unconstitutional.

    Politics· United States
  20. July 21, 1954★★★★★

    Geneva Accords on Indochina

    The Geneva Conference ends the First Indochina War, temporarily partitioning Vietnam at the 17th parallel pending elections planned for 1956.

    Treaty· Vietnam, France, Laos, Cambodia, Switzerland
  21. October 10, 1954★★★★★

    Việt Minh takes over Hanoi

    The Vietnam People's Army takes control of Hanoi as French forces withdraw under the Geneva Accords.

    Politics· Vietnam, France
  22. November 1, 1954 – March 19, 1962★★★★★

    Algerian War of Independence

    The National Liberation Front (FLN) fights French rule; the war ends with the Évian Accords and Algerian independence in 1962.

    WarRevolution· Algeria, France
  24. April 18, 1955 – April 24, 1955★★★★★

    Bandung Conference

    Delegates from 29 Asian and African nations meet in Bandung to promote Afro-Asian cooperation and oppose colonialism, a forerunner of the Non-Aligned Movement.

    Politics· Indonesia
  25. October 26, 1955★★★★★

    Proclamation of the Republic of Vietnam

    After the 23 October referendum deposing Bảo Đại, Ngô Đình Diệm proclaims the Republic of Vietnam with himself as president.

    Politics· Vietnam
  26. November 1, 1955 – April 30, 1975★★★★★

    Vietnam War

    A conflict between North Vietnam and the Viet Cong on one side and South Vietnam, backed by the United States and its allies, on the other; it ends with the fall of Saigon in 1975.

    War· Vietnam, United States, Laos, Cambodia
  27. December 1, 1955 – December 1956★★★★★

    Rosa Parks and the Montgomery bus boycott

    Rosa Parks is arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger, sparking a year-long bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama.

    Politics· United States
  28. October 23, 1956 – November 10, 1956★★★★★

    Hungarian Revolution of 1956

    A nationwide uprising against Hungary's Soviet-backed government is crushed by Soviet forces.

    Revolution· Hungary, Russia
  29. October 29, 1956 – November 7, 1956★★★★★

    Suez Crisis

    After Nasser nationalises the Suez Canal, Israel, Britain and France attack Egypt but withdraw under US and Soviet pressure.

    WarPolitics· Egypt, Israel, United Kingdom, France
  30. March 6, 1957★★★★★

    Ghana gains independence

    The British Gold Coast became independent Ghana under Kwame Nkrumah, the first sub-Saharan African colony to gain independence after World War II.

    Politics· Ghana, United Kingdom
  31. March 25, 1957★★★★★

    Treaty of Rome establishes the European Economic Community

    Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands sign the treaty creating the European Economic Community, forerunner of the European Union.

    TreatyEconomy· Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands
  32. August 31, 1957★★★★★

    Independence of the Federation of Malaya

    Tunku Abdul Rahman proclaims the Federation of Malaya's independence from Britain at Merdeka Stadium in Kuala Lumpur.

    Politics· Malaysia, United Kingdom
  33. October 4, 1957★★★★★

    Launch of Sputnik 1

    The Soviet Union launches Sputnik 1, Earth's first artificial satellite, opening the Space Age.

    TechnologyExploration· Russia, Kazakhstan
  34. 1958 – 1962★★★★★

    Great Leap Forward

    A campaign of rapid industrialisation and collectivisation leads to a great famine that kills tens of millions.

    EconomyPoliticsDisaster· China
  35. 1959★★★★★

    Ho Chi Minh trail established

    North Vietnam forms Group 559 to build a supply network through Laos and Cambodia to the South along the Trường Sơn range.

    War· Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia
  36. January 1, 1959★★★★★

    Triumph of the Cuban Revolution

    Dictator Fulgencio Batista flees Cuba and revolutionary forces led by Fidel Castro take power.

    Revolution· Cuba
  37. 1960★★★★★

    "Year of Africa": 17 nations gain independence

    In 1960, seventeen African countries gained independence, most of them former French colonies along with Nigeria, Somalia and the Congo.

    Politics· Nigeria, DR Congo, Senegal, Mali, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Madagascar, Somalia, Niger, Chad
  38. March 21, 1960★★★★★

    Sharpeville massacre

    South African police opened fire on a crowd protesting pass laws at Sharpeville, killing 69 people; the ANC and PAC were subsequently banned.

    Politics· South Africa
  40. June 30, 1960 – 1965★★★★★

    Congo Crisis

    Immediately after independence from Belgium, the Congo descended into secession, foreign intervention and civil war, ending when Mobutu Sese Seko seized power in 1965.

    WarPolitics· DR Congo, Belgium
  41. September 14, 1960★★★★★

    OPEC founded

    Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela found the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries at the Baghdad Conference.

    Economy· Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela
  42. December 20, 1960★★★★★

    National Liberation Front founded

    The National Liberation Front of South Vietnam (Viet Cong) is founded to oppose the South Vietnamese government.

    PoliticsWar· Vietnam
  43. January 17, 1961★★★★★

    Execution of Patrice Lumumba

    Patrice Lumumba, the first prime minister of independent Congo, was deposed, captured and executed in Katanga, with the involvement of Katangan secessionist authorities and Belgian officials.

    DeathPolitics· DR Congo, Belgium
  44. April 12, 1961★★★★★

    Gagarin becomes the first human in space

    Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin orbits the Earth aboard Vostok 1, becoming the first human in space.

    ExplorationTechnology· Russia, Kazakhstan
  45. April 17, 1961 – April 20, 1961★★★★★

    Bay of Pigs Invasion

    CIA-backed Cuban exiles land at the Bay of Pigs in an attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro but are defeated within days.

    War· Cuba, United States
  46. August 13, 1961★★★★★

    Construction of the Berlin Wall

    East German authorities begin erecting barriers, later a wall, sealing off West Berlin from East Berlin, a defining symbol of the Cold War.

    Politics· Germany
  47. 1962 – 1971★★★★★

    Operation Ranch Hand

    The US Air Force sprays herbicides, including dioxin-contaminated Agent Orange, over large areas of South Vietnam, with lasting health and environmental effects.

    WarDisaster· Vietnam, United States
  48. October 11, 1962★★★★★

    Second Vatican Council opens

    Pope John XXIII opens the Second Vatican Council, which brings sweeping reforms to the Catholic Church.

    Religion· Vatican City
  49. October 16, 1962 – October 28, 1962★★★★★

    Cuban Missile Crisis

    A 13-day standoff between the United States and the Soviet Union over nuclear missiles in Cuba brings the world closest to nuclear war.

    Politics· Cuba, United States, Russia
  50. October 20, 1962 – November 21, 1962★★★★★

    Sino-Indian War

    China and India fight a Himalayan border war over Aksai Chin and present-day Arunachal Pradesh, ending in a unilateral Chinese ceasefire.

    War· India, China
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