During the civil war from 1953 to 1960, the activities were centered around three main events: the Taiwan Straits Crises, the East German Uprising, and the Civil Rights Movement.
Taiwan Straits Crises: Tensions between the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Republic of China (ROC) resulted in armed conflict over strategic islands in the Taiwan Strait. The importance of these islands was rooted in their proximity to China and Taiwan and their role in the Chinese Civil War. The United States actively intervened on behalf of the ROC during these crises. 1
East German Uprising: In June 1953, workers in East Berlin rose in protest against government demands to increase productivity. This led to widespread riots across hundreds of East German cities and towns. The United States established an aid program to feed East Germans, which both prolonged the uprising and highlighted the repression under communism. 2
Civil Rights Movement: The civil rights movement in the United States aimed to end racial discrimination and gain equal rights for Black Americans. It began in the late 1940s and ended in the late 1960s. The movement was mostly nonviolent and resulted in the passage of laws to protect constitutional rights. Key events during this period included the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court ruling, the Montgomery bus boycott sparked by Rosa Parks, and the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech. 3
These three events were significant during the civil war period from 1953 to 1960, each with its own unique circumstances and impact on the political and social landscape of the time.