10. cold war rivalries

Question 1

why was soviet foreign policy contradictory after Stalin’s death?

Answer 1

• there was summit diplomacy and peaceful coexistence

- ON OTHER HAND launch of sputnik, stockpiling weapons.

Question 2

after what disagreement did both the USSR and USA reconsider their nuclear policies?

Answer 2

-cuban missile crisis

Question 3

when did the nuclear arm race begin?

Answer 3

-when USSR succeeded in acquiring nuclear weaponry

Question 4

what was the strategic air command?

Answer 4

-general Curtis Lemay
-1948
served a primary deface system for USA, to provide 24 hour readiness to respond to any nuclear threat

Question 5

what was the Gaither report and what did it show?

Answer 5

November, 1957

• report commissioned by Eisenhower to investigate the state of US-Soviet unclear capabilities
• popular view was that the Soviets were catching up to the US
• a missile gap in favour of the USSR 100-30 lead

Question 6

what data did the U-2 spy plane present?

Answer 6

• slow rate of nuclear production by USSR
• soviet nuclear strength was a lot weaker than they believed and the missile gap was in face in US favour
• Khrushchev had exaggerated nuclear capability
• Eisenhowever believed the U2 plane rather than the Gaither report

Question 7

when did soviet union claim first victory in arms face and why?

Answer 7

• 4th October, 1957

- launched its first satellite into orbit = sputnik

Question 8

what did the US believe about Sputnik and soviet capabilities?

Answer 8

• that the USSR space tech had surpassed theirs
• that USSR had nuclear tech to launch missiles against US and that was the reason for Sputnik’s creation
• democrats accused them of allowing soviet union to gain lead in space tech to cut costs

Question 9

what US policy did Sputnik undermine?

Answer 9

-the effectiveness of massive retaliation

Question 10

after sputnik what happen to US spending?

Answer 10

-september 1958 government authorised $1 billion for technological development

Question 11

when did Khrushchev become president?

Answer 11

1958

Question 12

when was U-2 spy plane shot down?

Answer 12

May, 1960

Question 13

how did soviet space programme go from strength to strength?

Answer 13

• October, 1959 launched first satellite to orbit the moon

- October, 1957 launched first satellite to orbit earth

Question 14

why was west berlin a flagship of capitalism?

Answer 14

-west made financial investments in west berlin

Question 15

what factors influenced Khrushchev’s decision for the ultimatum?

Answer 15

• Moscow feared US may place missiles in west Germany
• he wanted to gain assurances that westG will never be armed with American nuclear weapons
• sino soviet relations deteriorating by 1958 and needed to remain leading communist power

Question 16

what success would mean soviet union remains stingiest communist power?

Answer 16

-success in Berlin

Question 17

when and what was the ultimatum?

Answer 17

• 27th November, 1958
• 6 month ultimatum to west demanding withdrawal of western troops from west Berlin
• berlin to be declared a ‘free city’
• or USSR would sign a separate treaty with the GDR
• the western powers rejected it

Question 18

what was the impact of east german’s fleeing?

Answer 18

• over 500,000 fled and these emigrants were skilled workers and were able to contribute to EastG’s economic growth
• however with them gone economic growth stagnated

Question 19

what happened in august 1961?

Answer 19

-work began to seal off west berlin

Question 20

how many crossing points were there and what was the initial building of the wall?

Answer 20

• 4 recognised crossing points

- fences were initially barbed wire and eventually replaced with concrete deep perimeter walls

Question 21

how did the wall relive East Germany’s economic crisis?

Answer 21

-skilled workers were now unable to leave

Question 22

what did the inaction by the west during the berlin wall show?

Answer 22

• tolerance

- reached a degree of recognition for the GDR

Question 23

what good things did the building of the wall guarantee?

Answer 23

• guaranteed no military conflict between USA and USSR
• wall was a better alternative to war
• wall allowed avoidance of nuclear confrontation