Superpower rivalry and conflict with the USSR

Question 1

When did Stalin die ?

Answer 1

5th March 1953

Question 2

How did Stalin die

Answer 2

suffered a stroke that killed him

Question 3

For some time after Stalin’s death, what was the style of leadership of the USSR ?

Answer 3

Collective leadership

Question 4

Which 3 people emerged as the leading figures under the collective style of leadership over the USSR for some time after Stalin’s death ?

Answer 4

1) Nikita Khrushchev

2) Beria

3) Malenkov

Question 5

What kind of reforms did Khrushchev, Beria and Malenkov introduce under their collective leadership of the USSR after the death of Stalin on the 5th March 1953 ?

Answer 5

There were immediate reforms to the Soviet system with an easing of taxation on peasants and the encouragement of housebuilding

Question 6

Which war did the death of Stalin help to end ?

Answer 6

The death of Stalin contributed to the end of the Korean war.

Question 7

When did Nikita Khrushchev become leader of the USSR ?

Answer 7

1955

Question 8

When did Khrushchev deliver a secret speech as leader of the USSR denouncing Stalin ?

Answer 8

Feb 1956

Question 9

What was desalinisation ?

Answer 9

This was when the Soviet Union leader, Khrushchev denounced Stalin in Feb 1956.

Question 10

What was the ‘Space race’ ?

Answer 10

a competition between the Soviet Union and the USA to dominate space due to technology becoming more advanced.

Question 11

There was talk by the USA about whether the moon or space would ‘go ___’ during the space race between the USSR.

Answer 11

red

Question 12

What did the USSR do on October 4th 1957 ?

Answer 12

the USSR put the first manmade object in to space.

Question 13

What was the first manmade object that the USSR put into pace on October 4th 1957 called and what was it ?

Answer 13

A satellite called Sputnik

Question 14

How long did Sputnik orbit the earth for/ until ?

Answer 14

until 5th Jan 1958

Question 15

What was Eisenhower’s/ America’s response towards the USSR launching the first manmade object into space ‘Sputnik’.

Answer 15

Eisenhower had been aware of the object, however had not expected the Soviets to beat the US to space and it was a blow to US confidence.

Question 16

When did the USSR launch a second man-made craft into space following ‘Sputnik’ on October 4th 1957 ?

Answer 16

3rd November 1958

Question 17

What was the second man-made object that the USSR launched into space on the 3rd November 1958 following Sputnik on October 4th 1957 called ?

Answer 17

‘Sputnik 2’

Question 18

What was special about Sputnik 2 ?

Answer 18

This is because it contained a dog called Laika

Question 19

When did the US attempt to fight back in the Space race following USSR’s launch of Sputnik on October 4th 1957 ?

Answer 19

6th Dec 1957

Question 20

What happened to the USA’s attempt to fight back in the Space race on 6th Dec 1957 following USSR’s launch of Sputnik on October 4th 1957 ?

Answer 20

ended in an explosion when their own satellite blew up on live television just 4ft off the ground.

Question 21

What was the USA’s attempt to fight back in the Space race on 6th Dec 1957 by launching their own satellite called (following USSR’s launch of Sputnik on October 4th 1957) due to its disastrous nature ?

Answer 21

‘flopnik’, ‘Dudnik’ and ‘Kaputnik’

Question 22

Following the use of Atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the USSR and USA were locked in a race to build the most __________ weapons.

Answer 22

nuclear

Question 23

What was the aim of both the USSR and the USA for the nuclear weapons that they were producing following the use of atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki ?

Answer 23

aimed for them to have better accuracy and to be more devastating.

Question 24

What type of bomb was developed after the atomic bomb ?

Answer 24

the hydrogen bomb

Question 25

What was the destructive power of the hydrogen bomb that had been developed after the atomic bomb ?

Answer 25

The hydrogen bomb had the destructive power 7 times that of the 1945 Atomic bomb.

Question 26

What was the US doing by 1955 in terms of its nuclear bombs ?

Answer 26

it was keeping 1/3 of its nuclear bombs ready to fly at 15 mins notice.

Question 27

In 1957, How many nuclear weapons had the US stockpiled and compare this to the USSR.

Answer 27

By 1957, the US had stockpiled 5543 nuclear weapons compared to the USSR's 650.

Question 28

What were ICBMs ?

Answer 28

There was a development of intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) by the US

Question 29

What was the 'New Look' ?

Answer 29

This was a cost effective response to communist aggression by trying to make sure the budget was not too stretched while also trying to build up the US's nuclear arsenal.

Question 30

Why would ICBMs (Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles) cause concern ?

Answer 30

As they could fly thousands of miles before hitting a target

Question 31

What was America's New Look policy also known as ?

Answer 31

'more bang for the buck'

Question 32

Who persuaded Eisenhower to build up the US's nuclear arsenal as part of the New Look policy ?

Answer 32

John Foster Dulles

Question 33

Who set up the CIA and when ?

Answer 33

Truman - as part of the national security act 1947

Question 34

What was the CIA's remit ?

Answer 34

It could gather intelligence about foreign governments, corporations and individuals.

Question 35

After analysing evidence from intelligence surrounding foreign governments, corporations and individuals, where would the CIA feed this analysis to ?

Answer 35

policy makers in government

Question 36

Give an example of a time when the CIA fulfilled their role of gathering intelligence surrounding foreign governments, corporations and individuals.

Answer 36

1) 1948 - given authority to carry out covert operations 2) 1950s - involved in Cuba, Hungary, Guatemala, Iran and North Vietnam.

Question 37

When did Eisenhower announce his policy, the Eisenhower Doctrine ?

Answer 37

5th Jan 1957

Question 38

What did the Eisenhower doctrine say ?

Answer 38

that a Middle Eastern country could request American economic assistance or aid from US military forces if it was being threatened by armed aggression.

Question 39

How did most Arabs view the Eisenhower doctrine ?

Answer 39

As a clear attempt to gain power and promote the West in the Middle East

Question 40

What is meant by "Peaceful Coexistence" ?

Answer 40

Nikita Khrushchev's claim for his intentions for ruling the USSR in 1955.

Question 41

Who was Wernher Von Braun ?

Answer 41

He was a German aerospace engineer who, in 1945 surrendered to America in 1945 and was subsequently employed by the USA as part of operation Paperclip along with 1600 other German scientists, engineers and technicians.

Question 42

How was Wernher Von Braun crucial to America in the Space Race ?

Answer 42

He worked for the United States Army on an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) program, and he developed the rockets that launched the United States' first space satellite Explorer 1 in 1958.

Question 43

Wernher Von Braun helped develop the rockets that launched the United State's first space satellite explorer in 1958 ('Explorer 1') - It followed a lopping flight path that orbited Earth once every ____ mins (Explorer 1 was not flopnik/ kaputnik/ dunik - Explorer 1 was in 1958, Kaputnik was Dec 6th 1957)

Answer 43

114

Question 44

How long did Explorer 1 last ?

Answer 44

launched May 1958 - lasted until 1970 when it burned up