The three Crises Flashcards
(27 cards)
Why did Khrushchev want the removal of the Western allies from Berlin?
-between 1949 and1961, around 4 million East Germans fled to the West through Berlin
-Berlin was an area of Capitalist prosperity which symbolised success of Western Europe within Communist territory
How did this lead to the Berlin Ultimatum?
-in 1958, Khrushchev issued the Berlin Ultimatum which told Allies that they should leave Berlin within 6 months; accused them of breaking the Potsdam agreement
When did Eisenhower replace Truman?
1953
What happened at the Geneva Summit?
-May 1959, the Geneva Summit failed to reach agreement on Berlin
What happened at Camp David?
In September 1959, Khrushchev visited US to attend summit meeting:
disarmament was discussed
What occurred nine days before the summit meeting was set to open in May 1960?
-SU announced that they had shot down an American spy plane- pilot was captured and put on trial
When did Kennedy take over from Eisenhower?
1960
What happened at the Vienna Summit of June 1961?
Khrushchev again demanded that Western forces leave Berlin though was denied by Kennedy
-Kennedy increased military spending to show that the US wasn’t shy of taking military action
When did Khrushchev begin preparations for Berlin Wall?
-one day in August, 40,000 East Germans crossed into West Germany to escape
-On the 13th of August 1961, he closed the border between East and West Berlin
-installed a barbed-wire entanglements and fences which was later reinforced with a double wall containing ‘no man’s land’
What did the Berlin Wall symbolise?
it symbolised the ideological and now geographical divide between East and West
What was the impact?
-declared SU’s weakness: had to use force to maintain influence
-Kennedy gained a better reputation in West Berlin in 1963 during his visit
How did tension in Cuba lead to Cuban Missile Crisis?
-In 1959, Fidel Castro led a successful revolution against the repressive dictator in Cuba who was under US influence
-Cuba wanted greater independence- took all American property in Cuba
-in retaliation, US banned import of Cuban sugar which threatened to bankrupt their economy
How did the SU move closer with Cuba?
-Castro implemented a Communist government- shared ideologies with SU
-the SU offered to buy Cuban sugar, provide machinery and technological help if they would allow weapons to be based there
What was the Bay of Pigs incident?
-USA organised attempt to overthrow Castro
-CIA were convinced that the Cuban people would revolt- they underestimated his popularity
-1400 Cuban exiles invaded
-met with 20,000 of Castro’s soldiers
When did the Bay of Pigs incident occur?
April 1961
What was the consequence of this incident?
-agreed to station Soviet nuclear weapons on Cuba
When was this discovered?
-On the 14th of October, an American spy plane took photos revealing that missile sites (launch pads) were being constructed
-CIA told Kennedy that a fleet of ships were sailing to Cuba from SU
-thought that in 2 weeks time, nuclear missiles could be ready to fire on USA
What happened during the ‘thirteen days’?
-16th of October: Kennedy called a meeting to discuss what the USA should do
-22nd: Kennedy decided not to invade Cuba
-set up naval blockade around Cuba; no ships would be allowed to pass without permission
-in case the Soviets would ignore the blockade, he stationed 54 bombers with nuclear weapons
What happened on the 24th of October?
the Soviet ships retreated
What were the impacts of this?
-demonstrated that neither country wanted to engage in nuclear war which reduced tension
-hotline established to aid communication
What agreements were made?
The Limited Test Ban Treaty, 1963: both the USA and SU agreed to stop testing nuclear weapons above ground and under water
Outer Space Treaty, 1967: promised to use Outer Space for peaceful purposes not to place nuclear weapons in orbit
Nuclear non-Proliferation Treaty, 1968: designed to stop spread of nuclear weapons
When did Brezhnev replace Khrushchev?
1964
Why was there an increase in tension in Czechoslovakia in the 1960s?
-all goods produced in country were taken to SU = poor economy
-no freedom of speech/ democracy
-censorship
-banned from travelling to the West
What was the Prague Spring?
-in January 1968, a new communist leader came to power in Czechoslovakia- Dubcek
-more ‘liberal’ ideas
-made reforms that gave more freedom:
.less censorship of media
.Trade Unions were allowed
.trade with countries outside eastern block was allowed
.travel permitted to West
