2.2 cold war crises and confrontations (1961-)

Question 1

why did the war in korea take place?

Answer 1

• another proxy war: 1950 - communist north korea, supported by communist china and the USSR, invaded south korea
• south korea was an ally of the USA and a democracy
  so the USA immediately came to help SK
• china and the USSR sent aid to NK
• the war went on for 3 years - 1.4 million deaths

Question 2

when did stalin die and who took over from him?

Answer 2

• stalin died in 1953
• was taken over by nikita khruschev who criticised many of stalin’s actions and talked of peaceful co-existence with the west
• many remained suspicious of the USSR when khruschev silenced protests against communist rule in much of the eastern bloc

Question 3

why was there an increased nuclear threat in the 1950s?

Answer 3

• USSR first developed a nuclear weapon in 1949
• both sides continued to build up huge stocks of nuclear weapons and accused the other of being aggressive and unreasonable
• tensions often developed into confrontations between the two countries, often by exploiting a local problem

Question 4

why was the berlin wall erected and when?

Answer 4

1961
- east german soldiers erected a barrier between east and west germany, ending all free movement between the two sides
- they were ordered to shoot anyone who tried to defect and hundred were killed over the next 30 years
- many families were separated by this wall

Question 5

why was there dissatisfaction in east germany?

Answer 5

• there was an increasing resentment for the communist regime in east germany due to the lack of freedom and the continued presence of the stasi (the secret police)
• low standard of living: lack of goods in stores, etc

Question 6

how was germany divided after WW2?

Answer 6

• the western zones of germany were joined in 1949
• the soviets created east germany (GDR)
• berlin was also divided into east and west

Question 7

why did the berlin wall become a cold war crisis?

Answer 7

• west berlin was a capitalist city in the middle of a communist state and stalin clearly wanted to oust the USA out in 1948
• once JFK was newly elected in 1961 and realised berlin’s value to the US

Question 8

what was JFK and khruschev’s relationship like?