16. pressures on the USSR

Question 1

explain pressures within the Soviet bloc?

Answer 1

• after Stalin’s death 1953, Khru regime showed differences from Stalin’s meaning different approaches to communism were accepted as long as they were loyal to the soviet bloc
• limitations of this policy shown in Hungary invasion 1956
• Brezhnev era wanted to reassert control over satellite states
• USSR threatened by some alternative models eg. Tito’s Yugoslavia and communist China which seemed to be a rival
• economic decline and discontent that challenged Brezhnev

Question 2

explain the crisis in Czechoslovakia?

Answer 2

• 1968
• in 1963, Czech had negative economic growth, leading to some leaders to question the benefits of communism
• Czech economist, Professor Ota Sik proposed reforms to the economy one of them being:
  
  • communist party that was responsive to public opinion
  • workforce having more power
• communist party wouldn’t allow these reforms to take place and in 1966 Sik argued for political reform
• arguments were gaining support to USSR believed changes were needed in Czech leadership to maintain communist government

Question 3

explain Prague Spring?

Answer 3

• Jan 1968, Czech president=replaced by Alexander Dubcek
• Brezchnev saw him as a typical diplomat who would act as a stabilising influence
• Moscow was surprised when he announced ‘new start to socialism’ promising a new set of reforms:
  
  • freedom of speech and press
  • freedom to travel and work abroad

Question 4

explain the response to Prague Spring

Answer 4

• to protect these reforms he assured Moscow that Czech would remain loyal to the Warsaw pact
• however… number of Eastern European countries expressed alarm
• leading to meeting with leaders of Hungary, Poland…arguing challenges to socialism in one country was a threat to entire socialist movement and shouldn’t be tolerated

Question 5

explain the invasion of Czechoslovakia?

Answer 5

• Brezhnev visited Czechoslovakia and pressured Dubcek into repealing his reforms= failed
• Warsaw pact forces invaded on 20th August 1968
• Dubcek and other officials were arrested and forced to sign document repealing their reforms
• NATO members took no action.
• Soviets left D in power until April 1969, then replaced him with someone who conformed to soviet expectations. in power until 1989
• Czech situation stabilised but opposition to soviet control continued, Red army remained to support party

Question 6

explain the Brezhnev doctrine?

Answer 6

• 1968
• speech to polish workers nov 1968 B made clear that:
  
  • the soviet union was determined to keep in place the communist regime that already existed
  • would not allow for these regimes to be overthrown internally or externally
  • all communist states had a responsibility to protect the communist movement
• doctrine confirmed the sino-soviet split when the Chinese government condemned it+ haltered disarmament with USA

Question 7

explain relation with china from 1963-1972??

Answer 7

• from 1956= Khrushchev and de-stalinisation = sino-soviet split in 1960
• by 1969=friction between two communist powers developed into a military confrontation
• 1972= china established an unexpected new relationship with the USA= threat to the international position of the USSR

Question 8

what were the reasons for the sino-soviet split?

Answer 8

-1960
Khrushchev:
-indirectly supported india with its boarder dispute with china
-refused to provide china with prototype atomic bomb
-had nuclear arms discussions with USA
-placed missiles in Cuba without informing Mao
Mao:
-criticised K for removing missiles from Cuba
-criticised K for being unwilling to use nuclear weapons

Question 9

explain the Vietnam war and Sino-Soviet tensions?

Answer 9

• when Brezchnev replaced K 1964 he tried to restore relations with China believing they had to work together to support NK=failed
• relations further strained when soviet defence minister suggested the Chinese remove Mao from power
• 1965, USSR requested a meeting with china and NV to organise a collective response to US escalation in Vietnam, Mae refused as he wanted to keep NV dependent on China

Question 10

explain the cultural revolution and Sino-Soviet tensions?

Answer 10

• 1966, Mao began his cultural revolution which was designed to restore ideological purity to China by removing anything deemed western
• USSR deemed revisionist, and target of the Red guard as the USSR’s embassy in Beijing was besieged

Question 11

explain the boarder disputes?

Answer 11

• February 1967, USSR positioned troops on its shared boarder with China, alarmed Chinese and reinforced their views that USSr wanted to attack
• March, 1969, Chinese forces attacked soviet troops near eastern Russia, part of their strategy of ‘active defence’= hoped to deter soviet invasion
• forces clashed along western frontier region
• September 1969, talks held in Beijing which reassured both sides that no one wanted war, but they could not reconcile ideological differences