Cold War - Transformation Of The Cold War Flashcards
1
Q
Berlin Wall Facts
A
- Built in 1961
- Lasted 1961 - 1989
- 27miles long between East and West Berlin
- Families were divided
- Approx 140 people were killed trying to cross
- Border control used violence
2
Q
Why was the Berlin Wall built
A
- Prevent espionage
- Revenge after the blockade fail
- Cut off the West and enforce their power in the East
- JFK had a soft touch and Khrushchev wanted to see what America would do
3
Q
Impact of Berlin Wall on International relations - USA
A
- Insulted by the test for JFK to react or sit back and take it
- Wall = aggressive nature of the USSR
- JFK spoke negatively about communism in Berlin
- USA was relived USSR didn’t use violence
4
Q
Impact of Berlin Wall on International relations - USSR
A
- Powerful and arrogant : stems from unsureness about communism from events in Hungary
- Paranoia would’ve increased as USA would want to know what they were hiring and they would do that through espionage
5
Q
Cuba in 1961
A
- It was south of the USA
- On the island most of the businesses were owned by America and and the USA also had a huge naval base
- The USA supported to then leader of the USSR Batista as he was opposed to communism
- However the opposition leader, Fidel Castro, was well liked as he had a vision for a better Cuba which had won over the majority of Cubans
6
Q
USAs response to Fidel Castro’s rule
A
- Relations between Cuba and the USA grew worse : communist vs capitalist
- Cuban exiles fled to the USA and Castro took over a few American businesses
- in 1960 Eisenhower authorised the CIA in investigating ways to overthrow Castro
7
Q
How did Castro respond to US hostility?
A
- Assured Americans living in Cuba that they were safe and allowed USA to keep their naval base
- Summer 1960 : Cuba was allied to the USSR with a trade agreement, economic aid of $100 million and trading of arms
8
Q
Events of the Bay of Pigs Invasion
A
- 1961 : USA broke off diplomatic relations with Cuba and were no longer going to tolerate the Soviet’s ‘sphere of influence’
- The Americans sent 1400 anti - Castro exiles to Cuba armed and equipped to invade Cuba and overthrow him
- However they were met with 20,000 troops with tanks and modern weapons and all were either captured or killed.
9
Q
Effects of Bay of Pigs on International relations
A
- It suggested that the USA were unwilling to get directly involved with Cuba
- it also further encouraged the spread of communism and suggested that JFK was weak and US Foreign Policy was suspicious
10
Q
Cuban Missile Crisis - October 1962 the lead up
A
- 14th Oct : US spy plane flew over Cuba and took photos of missile sites which according to military experts where nuclear missile sites and they were being built by the USSR
- 16th Oct : JFK was informed of the discovery and formed a special team of advisors called Ex Comm
- It turned out that that Castro and Khrushchev had formed a secret agreement to place Soviet missiles in Cuba to prevent invasion from the USA
11
Q
Events of the Cuban Missile Crisis : 22nd - 28th Oct
A
- 22nd : JFK ordered a naval quarantine
- 24th : Khrushchev responded to JFK saying the US naval forces were seen as an act of aggression
- 26th & 27th : Khrushchev sent a message saying they would remove the missiles from Cuba as long as the USA didn’t invade Cuba + a second letter for the removal of Jupiter missiles from Turkey
A U2 plane was then shot over Cuba and JFK began preparing for an attack on Cuba - 27th : steps for the removal of Soviet missiles began under the supervision of the UN and guarantee that the US wouldn’t attack Cuba
- 28th : Khrushchev announced that all Soviet missiles be dismantled and removed from Cuba
12
Q
Results of the Cuban Missile Crisis
A
- Cuba stayed Communist and highly armed but missiles were withdrawn
- JFK’s reputation was removed
- Khrushchev was seen by the Soviets as a reasonable peacemaker
- A direct hotline was set up between the White House and the Kremlin
- A Nuclear Test Ban Treaty was signed in 1963
13
Q
Czechoslovakia in the 1960s
A
- Communist
- People were disappointed with their standards of living
- wanted to vote freely
- All aspects of media were highly controlled
- They feared the secret police
- People started to protest
14
Q
What did the USSR do to prevent another rebellion like Hungary?
A
- Elected new leader Alexander Dubcek - he proposed a policy of ‘socialism with a human face’
- He introduced several reforms that became known as the Prague Spring
15
Q
Prague Spring Reforms
A
- Improved standard of living
- End of press censorship
- Free elections
- Plans to increase trade with the west
- Competition encouraged
- Provision of basic human rights
