10. cold war rivalries Flashcards
why was soviet foreign policy contradictory after Stalin’s death?
- there was summit diplomacy and peaceful coexistence
- ON OTHER HAND launch of sputnik, stockpiling weapons.
after what disagreement did both the USSR and USA reconsider their nuclear policies?
-cuban missile crisis
when did the nuclear arm race begin?
-when USSR succeeded in acquiring nuclear weaponry
what was the strategic air command?
-general Curtis Lemay
-1948
served a primary deface system for USA, to provide 24 hour readiness to respond to any nuclear threat
what was the Gaither report and what did it show?
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
what data did the U-2 spy plane present?
- 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
when did soviet union claim first victory in arms face and why?
- 4th October, 1957
- launched its first satellite into orbit = sputnik
what did the US believe about Sputnik and soviet capabilities?
- 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
what US policy did Sputnik undermine?
-the effectiveness of massive retaliation
after sputnik what happen to US spending?
-september 1958 government authorised $1 billion for technological development
when did Khrushchev become president?
1958
when was U-2 spy plane shot down?
May, 1960
how did soviet space programme go from strength to strength?
- October, 1959 launched first satellite to orbit the moon
- October, 1957 launched first satellite to orbit earth
why was west berlin a flagship of capitalism?
-west made financial investments in west berlin
what factors influenced Khrushchev’s decision for the ultimatum?
- 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
what success would mean soviet union remains stingiest communist power?
-success in Berlin
when and what was the ultimatum?
- 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
what was the impact of east german’s fleeing?
- 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
what happened in august 1961?
-work began to seal off west berlin
how many crossing points were there and what was the initial building of the wall?
- 4 recognised crossing points
- fences were initially barbed wire and eventually replaced with concrete deep perimeter walls
how did the wall relive East Germany’s economic crisis?
-skilled workers were now unable to leave
what did the inaction by the west during the berlin wall show?
- tolerance
- reached a degree of recognition for the GDR
what good things did the building of the wall guarantee?
- guaranteed no military conflict between USA and USSR
- wall was a better alternative to war
- wall allowed avoidance of nuclear confrontation
