cold war section 2 Flashcards

1
Q

What was the brain drain?

A
  • Followed formation of two dictions in Germany in 1949, differences were beginning to arise between the two.
  • West Germany received Marshall Aid n became a prosperous country w a high standard of living
  • East Germany received much less help from ISSR and economic policies were VERY unsuccessful
  • Many restrictions of the people’s freedom n were closely monitored by secret police
  • By 1958, 3 million ppl had crossed the boarder, these ppl included engineers, technicians n teachers (workers East Germany highly depended on)
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2
Q

Consequences of brain drain

A
  • East Germany receiving less help led to low standard of living and shortage of basic food.
  • Due to restrictions on ppl’s freedom, many East Germans decided to migrate to West Berlin from where they could free,y travel around the country.
  • Not only was East Germany losing valuable ppl, but this was also a propaganda disaster for communism.
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3
Q

Khrushchev’s Berlin ultimatum

A
  • 27 Nov 1958, K demanded that Berlin should be demilitarised n Western troops were to withdraw n Berlin should become a free city (w its own independent government)
  • Gave them a time limit of 6 months
  • If they failed to meet these conditions, K would hand over control of all routes into Berlin to the gov of East Germany
  • This meant that Western were forced to acknowledge East Germany was a legitimate country
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4
Q

Consequences of ultimatum and brain drain and give 4 important summits
(give four points)

A
  • major impact on US-USSR relations
  • The West saw this as an attempt to spread communism
  • Both countries had a large number of nuclear weapons, meaning that there would be great casualties is they decided on war over Berlin
  • Summit meetings: Geneva, Camp David, U2 crisis, Vienna
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5
Q

Summit meeting: Geneva (May 1959) (3)

A
  • Foreign ministers met (significant as only reps were there)
  • Held in Geneva, Switzerland (politically neutral land)
  • Both sides put forward proposals, but no agreements made (shows countries were not working well together)
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6
Q

Summit meeting: Camp David (Sept. 1959) (3)

A
  • Eisenhower n Khrushchev met for 1st time face-to-face in presidential ranch (significant as it shows US trust)
  • No agreements made but USSR withdrew ultimatum (relations improving)
  • Further talks planned in Paris for following summer (intentions to work together to make changes)
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7
Q

Summit meeting: U2 crisis (1 May 1960)

A
  • USSR shot down an American U-2 spy plane over land
  • US tries to claim that it was a weather plane blown off-course but pilot (Gary Powers) admitted to being on a spy mission after Soviet interrogation
  • Eisenhower refused to apologise saying that the spy missions were unavoidable
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8
Q

Summit meeting: Vienna ( June 1961)

A
  • Kennedy had a policy of building up US’s military forces n trying to resolve difficulties with USSR
  • Khrushchev believe Kennedy was inexperienced n would be able to use him. His rep had also suffered after the failed US invasion of Cuba at ‘Bay of Pigs’
  • ## Khrushchev renewed the Berlin Ultimatum at this summit n ultimately no decisions were made
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9
Q

Consequences of reinstatement of Berlin ultimatum

A
  • JFK n Khrushchev relationship became strained
  • JFK increased spending on armed forces by 2 billion to protect the US (shows that the US was prepared to fight over Berlin)
  • The building of the Berlin Wall
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10
Q

What was the Berlin Wall?
give a date too

A
  • On the 12 Aug 1961, East German troops built a barbed wire fence around Berlin and between East n West Berlin, which later became concrete.
  • This was used to prevent East Germans freely travelling to West Germany
  • Consequence of Berlin Ultimatum
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11
Q

Consequences of building of Berlin Wall

A
  • Brain drain was solved
  • Berlin physically split into East n West ideologies
  • Escape attempts ( one woman threw a mattress out her window, landed but later died from her injuries)
  • Families split for nearly 40 years
  • Other attempted escapees were shot w 130 ppl killed
  • JFK’s ‘ich bin ein Berliner’ speech, also was treated like a ‘rockstar’ as he was showered with flowers n ppl chanted his name
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12
Q

Importances of building the Berlin Wall

A
  • Berlin physically split into East n West ideologies
  • Partially propaganda for USSR - wall showed that USSR had to ‘lock’ ppl into East Berlin to keep them from leaving
  • Less likelihood that US n USSR would go to war over Berlin - Kennedy said ‘a wall is better than war’
  • Shows that East n West could no longer peacefully negotiate
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13
Q

What was the Cuban Revolution?

A
  • A military n political effort to overthrow the gov of Cuba between 1953 n 1959.
  • Fidel Castro overthrows Cuba’s pro-US gov.
  • Cuba only 90 miles away from Florida
  • American businesses heavily invested in Cuba.
  • New Castro gov took over all land n became communist.
  • US banned import of Cu an sugar which threatened bankruptcy
  • Castro becomes allied w Khrushchev n Soviet Union
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14
Q

What was the Cuban Missile Crisis 1962? (6)

A
  • A 13 day confrontation between the governments of the US and SU, when American deployments of nuclear missiles in Italy n Turkey were matched by Soviet deployments of nuclear missiles in Cuba.
  • Khrushchev’s plan to put missiles on Cuba, protecting Cuba and placing missiles within striking distance of US
  • Vienna summit - Khrushchev thinks Kennedy is weak. 25th Sept 1962 114 SU ships to Cuba w warheads n long range missiles
  • Kennedy’s advisors r split into ‘hawks’ and ‘doves’.
  • Hawks want aggressive policy e.g. attack Cuba w nuclear weapons.
  • Doves advised caution , recommending diplomatic strategies
  • An immediate suggestion was a naval blockade to stop the 114 ships
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15
Q

What were the ‘13 days’ 16th Oct - 28th Oct 1962?

A
  • Closest world has ever been to a world war during the Cold War time period
  • 20th - US naval blockade
  • 22nd - Kennedy publicly declares blockade n calls on Khrushchev to recall ships
  • 23rd - Khrushchev sends letter - SU will break through blockade
  • 24th - 18 SU ships turn around to avoid confrontation. Kennedy demands removal of missiles or SU invasion
  • 25th - SU n US on high alert. Kennedy writes to Khrushchev
  • 26th - SU to remove missiles if no US Cuban invasion
  • 27th - SU secret letter - SU remove missiles in Cuba if US not invade n remove missiles in Turkey
  • 28th - Secret deal accepted - no one knows US missiles removed from Turkey
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16
Q

What was the Bay of Pigs

A
  • Eisenhower agreed to a scheme where Cuban exiles in USA were trained by the CIA to then invade Cuba n remove Castro. Kennedy continued this, assuming Castro was unpopular.
  • 1500 Cuban exiles in Florida, w some US backing, attempted the plan
  • The force was defeated in 2 days n the US were humiliated
  • Relations strengthened between the SU and Cuba as Castro asks SU to defend Cuba
    1961
17
Q

Bay of Pigs: Kennedy’s plan

A
  • Kennedy became president in 1960 n decided to hatch a new plan to support plant to replace Castro w a capitalist government
  • His plan was to instruct CIA to train n equip a group of Cuban refugees.
  • They invaded the Bay of Pigs in April 1961
  • The ppl of Cuba supported Castro’s government
  • The US-backed force was defeated within 2 days
  • In spite of victory, Castro felt vulnerable n feared another US attack so turned to USSR for more support.
18
Q

Consequences + Importance of Cuban Missile Crisis

A

Cons:
- Khrushchev authority questioned
- Outer Space Treaty signed 1967
Imp:
- NATO is weaker
- Khrushchev kicked out

19
Q

Consequences + Importance of Cuban Revolution

A

Cons:
- Cuba relationship with USSR very good
- Cuba relationship w USA worsens

Imp:
- Cuba-USSR relationship was now not purely trade; military alliance

20
Q

Consequences + Importance of Bay of Pigs

A

Cons:
- Castro asked Khrushchev for support
- Castro showed images of wrecked planes to journalists
- Humiliation for USA

Imp:
- USSR and Cuba relationship stronger as it was now military alliance
- Defeat became public humiliation for USA
- Communism was growing

21
Q

What led to the Prague Spring happening?

A
  • Czechoslovakia satellite state of SU
  • Communism disliked by majority of general population
  • Secret police ran Czechoslovakia, n ruined political opponents
  • Czech economy struggling
22
Q

Who was Novotny?

A
  • Antonin Novotny became leader in November 1957, disliked
  • Followed Stalinist
  • Attempt to fix economy failed, n Czech unhappy w lack of free will and censorship
  • Student Protest in 1966
23
Q

Who was Dubcek?

A
  • Dubcek was former leader of Slovakian Communist Party
  • Brezhnev replaced Novotny w Dubcek, his acquaintance
  • Dubcek rose to power January 5th 1968
24
Q

Socialism w a human face

A
  • Overhaul the most confining parts of communist life
  • Reform the Czech economy
  • Permit more cultural freedom
25
Q

What was the Prague Spring?

A
  • Political opposition groups being allowed
  • More power given to Czech opposition as opposed to Brezhnev
  • Less press censorship
  • Freedom of speech. Assembly, travel and religion
  • Less power given to the secret police
  • Some capitalist components added to Czech economy
  • Increased trade with the West
26
Q

Brezhnev’s predicament

A
  • Brezhnev put in a tough spot as he and Dubcek were friends but Prague Spring was threatening to destroy Eastern Bloc and Soviet grip Czechoslovakia
  • Brezhnev tried to get Dubcek to reconsider Prague Spring but Dubcek stood his ground
27
Q

Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia

A
  • B ordered 500,000 of his troops to invade Czechoslovakia and they arrived on Aug 20th 1968
  • Many Czechs protested against the invasion
  • A week later, Aug 27th, Dubcek announced end of Prague Spring reforms, which came into effect in October of that year
  • Dubcek was arrested and told by B that he betrayed socialism. He has to sign Moscow protocol
  • Gustav Husak replaced Dubcek as leader of Czechoslovakia
28
Q

Reactions to Prague Spring

A
  • Majority of students, intellectuals, workers and younger Czechoslovakian Communist Party members were very happy about Prague Spring
  • Artists and writers (e.g. Milan Kundra) wrote literature about the flaws of the Soviet communist system
  • Older Czechoslovakia Communist party members and Brezhnev disapproved Prague Spring, as well as Brezhnev’s allies in Eastern Bloc
  • Dubcek reassured Brezhnev that Czechoslovakia and the USSR would stay allies and Czechoslovakia would remain a part of the Warsaw Pact
29
Q

International reactions to Czechoslovakian invasion

A
  • All condemned invasion but sent no military aid to help the Czechoslovakians
  • USA - Tried to file resolution w UN but USSR vetoed it. US too busy w Vietnam to help Czechoslovakia
  • Western Europe - French n Italian communist parties outraged and split from USSR’s communist style, creating two sides of communism; Soviet communism in the East n Eurocommunismnin the West
  • Eastern Europe - Yugoslavia and Romania distanced themselves from Soviet Union n started relationship with China
30
Q

What was the Brezhnev doctrine?

A
  • 26th September 1968 - Brezhnev doctrine created
  • Stated that Soviet Union had the right to invade a country in Eastern Europe that was dangerous to the Warsaw Pact and Eastern Bloc
31
Q

Consequences of Prague Spring

A
  • Led to invasion
  • Led to Brezhnev Doctrine
  • Led to weakened relations w Yugoslavia n Romania
  • Worsening US-USSR relations
32
Q

Importances of Prague Spring

A
  • Soviet Union seen as aggressive internationally after invasion; esp as it was very similar to Hungarian Uprising 12 years prior
  • Reiterated for Eastern European countries that they can’t count on other countries for help