1941 - German invasion of Soviet Union created a degree of unity between the "Big three" powers.

1942 - Disagreements over the postwar reconstruction of Europe began to emerge, a major issue being the future of Poland.

1944 - Moscow conference agreed to the division of Germany into zones and the independence of Austria, but no agreement was reached on the rest of Europe.

Feb 1945 - The Yalta conference produced an outline agreement on the future of Poland.

July 1945 - The Postdam conference reinforced the divisions between East and West. US wanted to open up Europe for free Capitalist trade. USSR wanted Germany for reparations and East Europe for trade.

1947 - Zonal division of Germany created the basis for permanent division as economic conflicts between East and West increased.

The Marshall Plan - declared the US to be willing to help Europe in its efforts to recovery.

1949 - The Molotov Plan offered Soviet help to all the Communist states.

NATO A military alliance is formed.

1950-53 - The Korean War.

1952 - The UN General Assembly created the UN Disarmament Commission.

Oct 1956 - Protesting against Soviet domination a revolt broke out in Hungary.

Nov 1956 - The Soviet army crushed the revolt.

1962 - The Cuban Crisis occurs.

1963 - Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty was signed between the United States and the Soviet Union.

1964-73 - The Vietnam War.

1968 - The United States, the Soviet Union and Britain and eighty- seven other non-nuclear states signed the Nuclear Non- Proliferation Treaty.

Aug 20-21 1969 - Troops drawn from USSR, East Germany and Bulgaria invaded Czechoslovakia.

1972 - SALT-I agreement was signed. The main aim was to improve the mutual relations between the two Super Powers.

1978 - A special session on disarmament was held. It was, to date, the most representative session.

1979 - SALT-II agreement was signed between the US and the Soviet Union.

1990 - The two German states are united.

1991 - START-I was signed by the American President

George Bush and the President of the Soviet Union,Mikhail Gorbachev.

1993 - START-II was signed.

Dec 1991 - The leaders of eleven of the Soviet states signed an agreement at Alma Ata. This agreement acknowledged the end of the Soviet Union and the establishment of a new Commonwealth of Independent States.

Sept 1997 - The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty signed by 146 countries.