What suggests that the first theory of Khrushchev’s intentions for the Cold War is correct?
(1955)Visited Britain&USA; said that ideas of supporting Communist revolution over & necessary to live in peace with West (peaceful co-existence); (July) Summit Meeting Geneva - USA, Britain, France, USSR; closed down Cominform, released 1000s political prisoners, invited Tito (Yugoslavia) to Moscow; said wanted to improve living standards Soviet citizens & Eastern Europeans
What is the first theory of Khrushchev’s intentions for the Cold War?
Did a lot to thaw tension, thought ‘peaceful co-existence’ was essential for world peace
What is the second theory of Khrushchev’s intentions for the Cold War?
Attempt to thaw it was incomplete (partial)
What suggests that the second theory of Khrushchev’s intentions for the Cold War is correct?
Planned to reduce arms expenditure; denounced Stalin as tyrant - removed statues, secret police less active, more consumer goods produced (de - Stalinisation) BUT satellite states (e.g Hungary) not allowed to de-Stalinise as much - worried about losing buffer
What is the third theory of Khrushchev’s intentions for the Cold War?
Did not thaw out Cold War necessarily, ‘peaceful co-existence’ only solution’
What suggests that the third theory of Khrushchev’s intentions for the Cold War is correct?
1955 West Germany admitted to NATO, so Warsaw Pact set up. After Warsaw Pact USSR cancelled wartime alliances w/ Britain & France; 1956 revolts against Communism in Poland & Hungary ruthlessly put down; 1957 Space Race; 1960 Nuclear Arms race; 1961 Berlin Wall
Why were the Hungarians unhappy in 1945?
Lack of cultural freedom: control on press etc, no freedom of expression/speech, children only educated on Communist way
Rule by fear: government ruled by AVO (secret police) who used terror methods, leader of Catholic Church imprisoned
Poor living standards: industrial workers - low pay, severe food shortages bc collective farming, industrial productions not used to benefit people - sent to USSR
Presence of Soviet troops: created atmosphere similar to Germans in ww2, Red Army stationed in large towns& cities
Why was there an uprising in Hungary in November 1956?
1947: Communist control tightened. All non-communist parties banned. establishment of terror state
1949: leader of Catholic Church - life imprisonment. Standards of living deteriorated
1955: Rakosi(communist leader) threw Nagy(non communist leader) out of government
1956: Rakosi was sacked to try stop demands of independence. Nagy made prime minister. NOV - UPRISING
Why did the USSR invade Hungary in 1956?
Gov control of press & radio ended, non-communists allowed to participate in government, free democratic elections promised - made Communism look bad. Nagy announced Hungary would leave Warsaw Pact - threatened Soviet Union’s military safety
What were the results of the Hungarian Uprising for the USSR and Communism?
Seen as military victory for Khrushchev
USSR looked cruel & brutal
What were the results of the Hungarian uprising for Hungary?
4000 killed & 200,000 fled to West
Hungary returned to being a pro - communist state
Nagy arrested & executed
Hard-line communist government set up under Janos Kadar
What were the results of the Hungarian uprising for the West?
USA unable to ‘roll back’ communism
NATO poor reputation: ‘No Action: Talk Only’
West more afraid of USSR - increased Cold War tension
1000s of British people resigned from Communist party
Explain the U.S. Developments in the space race from 1945 - 1970
1950: announced space exploration programme
1955: plans to develop man-made satellite
1958: (Jan) Explorer I satellite, (Jul) NASA
May 1961: First American man in space
1961-1970: Apollo manned space programme
1962: John Glenn orbited Earth
1965: (May) First American space walk
1969: (Jul) Neil Armstrong surface of moon Apollo 11
Explain the Soviet developments of the Space Race from 1945 - 1970
1957: (15 May) Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile: launch missile into space & bring it down on target in USA, (Oct) satellite in space (Sputnik), (Nov) Sputnik II, more advanced, carried a dog
1959: (Sept) Luna II reached moon (Oct) Luna III pictured other side of moon
1961: first human in space
1963: first woman in space
1965: (Mar) first space walk
What were the events of the U2 crisis may 1960?
1 May - A U2 plane flown by Gary Powers brought down by Soviet missile. Films & tapes recovered from plane
5 May - USSR announced shooting down of U2. Eisenhower denied it was spying
7 May - Khrushchev announced that Powers will be put on trial for spying
14 May - Khrushchev refused to attend Paris Summit meeting unless all U2 flights cancelled & Eisenhower apologised
16 May - Eisenhower cancelled U2 flights but refused to apologise. Khrushchev walked out of Summi
What were the results of the U2 crisis for the USA?
John F Kennedy president 1960
Acceleration of espionage - government tried to find new spying methods/systems
Eisenhower & republicans recieved criticisms abroad
Americans blamed for crisis - reputation shattered
What were the results of the U2 crisis for Cold War tension?
‘Thaw’ & ‘peaceful co-existence’ ended as Khrushchev had proved that USA were spying
USA placed armed forces on alert - expected retaliation from USSR - led to USSR rearmament, building of nuclear missile sites across world
Paris Summit Meeting cancelled - progress towards peaceful solutions halted, no Test Ban Treaty on nuclear weapons, no disarmament
China & USSR brought closer together - Chinese convinced the peace with USA would never happen
What were the aims of East Germany after 1949?
Create Communist state
Forge strong relationship with USSR
Keep German economy weak
Retain Germany as member of Communist Bloc
What were the aims of West Germany after 1949?
Ensure survival of capitalism
Strengthen Germany’s relationship with West
Rebuild strong economy
Use Germany as trading partner
Why did Khrushchev build the Berlin Wall?
Stop people moving from East to West
Force East Germans to remain Communist
Stop East Germans seeing a ‘better life’ in west
Stop skilled workers leaving East
U2 crisis showed that west could not be trusted
What were the consequences of building the Berlin Wall for Berlin?
Number of people moving from East to West reduced
Not a war over Berlin issue
No of deaths attempting to cross the wall 136 - 200
What were the consequences of building the Berlin Wall for Kennedy and the USA?
Propaganda victory - could portray Khrushchev as a dictator
Kennedy criticised by some for not acting in an aggressive manner
What were the consequences of building the Berlin Wall for Khrushchev and the USSR?
Khrushchev seen by West as a dictator
If communism was so perfect, why was it necessary to turn it into a prison?
East Germany gained more control over citizens
Had to give up hope of taking control of whole of Berlin
What were the consequences of building the Berlin Wall for Cold War tension?
Khrushchev seen as aggressive/reactionary
War over Berlin issue avoided
Berlin - ‘battleground of Cold War’ for almost 30yrs
136 People died trying to cross wall