<Li> October 7: The Soviets declare their zone of Germany to be the German Democratic Republic, with its capital at East Berlin . </Li> <Li> October 16: Nikos Zachariadis, leader of the Communist Party of Greece, declares an end to the armed uprising . The declaration brings to a close the Greek Civil War, and the first successful containment of communism . </Li> <Li> December 27: Sovereignty is handed over to United States of Indonesia from the Netherlands through the Dutch - Indonesian Round Table Conference with Sukarno as the first president of the newly formed federation . </Li> <Ul> <Li> January 5: The UK recognizes the People's Republic of China . The Republic of China severs diplomatic relations with the United Kingdom . </Li> <Li> January 19: China officially diplomatically recognizes Vietnam as independent from France . </Li> <Li> January 21: The last Kuomintang soldiers surrender on continental China . </Li> <Li> February 12: The Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China sign a pact of mutual defense . </Li> <Li> March 11: Kuomintang leader Chiang Kai - shek moves his capital to Taipei, Taiwan, establishing a stand - off with the People's Republic of China . </Li> <Li> April 7: United States State Department Director of Policy Planning Paul Nitze issues NSC 68, a classified report, arguing for the adoption of containment as the cornerstone of United States foreign policy . It would dictate US policy for the next twenty years . </Li> <Li> May 11: Robert Schuman describes his ambition of a united Europe . Known as the Schuman Declaration, it marks the beginning of the creation of the European Community . </Li> <Li> June 25: North Korea invades South Korea, beginning the Korean War . The Soviet Union cannot veto, as it is boycotting the Security Council over the admission of People's Republic of China . </Li> <Li> July 4: United Nations forces engage North Korean forces for the first time, in Osan . They fail to halt the North Korean advance, and fall southwards, towards what would become the Pusan Perimeter . </Li> <Li> September 30: United Nations forces land at Inchon . Defeating the North Korean forces, they press inland and re-capture Seoul . </Li> <Li> October 2: United Nations forces cross the 38th parallel, into North Korea . </Li> <Li> October 5: Forces from the People's Republic of China mobilize along the Yalu River . </Li> <Li> October 22: Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, falls to United Nations forces . </Li> <Li> October 22: China intervenes in Korea with 300,000 soldiers, catching the United Nations by surprise . However, they withdraw after initial engagements . </Li> <Li> November 15: United Nations forces approach the Yalu River . In response, China intervenes in Korea again, but with a 500,000 strong army . This offensive forces the United Nations back towards South Korea . </Li> </Ul>

List the events that led to the cold war