2.6 - Eisenhower and Brinkmanship

Question 1

When was Eisenhower elected?

Answer 1

November 1952

Question 2

What was Eisenhower’s aims in comparison to Truman?

Answer 2

• Promised tougher line towards USSR
• More threat of using nuclear weapons and on the ‘brink’ of using them

Question 3

When was SEATO established?

Answer 3

September 1954

Question 4

What was SEATO?

Answer 4

Collective defence alliance in an attempt to encircle the USSR and China

Question 5

Who were the members of SEATO?

Answer 5

• GB
• Thailand
• France
• New Zealand
• USA
  ETC

Question 6

When did the FRG join NATO?

Answer 6

May 1955

Question 7

When was the Warsaw Pact created?

Answer 7

May 1955

Question 8

When did the USA test the first hydrogen bomb?

Answer 8

1st November 1952

Question 9

Who shared power after Stalin’s death?

Answer 9

Khrushchev, Malenkov, Molotov, Beria and Bulganin

Question 10

What was the difference in opinions towards alliances from Eisenhower to Truman?

Answer 10

Eisenhower saw alliances as much more important than Truman had done

Question 11

Why did Eisenhower want to collect a global network or alliances?

Answer 11

In order to encircle the USSR and China with pro-US allies

Question 12

What is a nuclear umbrella?

Answer 12

Nuclear ability/capacity that could be used to protect a range of allies, used to ensure that no ally would be endangered

Question 13

What would USA provide to allies?

Answer 13

US would provide a nuclear umbrella for regional allies while they provided ground forces for regional defence against Soviet aggression.

Question 14

How did the USSR respond to FRG joining NATO?

Answer 14

Immediately recognized the sovereignty (supreme power) of the GDR (East Germany) and created the Warsaw Pact

Question 15

What was the purpose of the Warsaw Pact?

Answer 15

Seen to legitimise their influence in Eastern Europe as NATO had legitimised the USA’s in West Europe

Question 16

When was the New Look Policy?

Answer 16

October 1953

Question 17

What was the New Look Policy?

Answer 17

Focused on nuclear weapons as they argued they were cheaper to maintain than conventional arms

Question 18

What was Massive Retaliation?

Answer 18

If the USSR attacked Western Europe they would send 3,000 nuclear warheads at important locations in the communist world and would kill around 285 million people

Question 19

What was brinkmanship?

Answer 19

Policy of not shying away from threatening a nuclear response during a crisis

Question 20

How and what did Eisenhower know about the USSR’s nuclear capability?

Answer 20

By 1958 data provided by U-2 spy planes meant the Eisenhower was confident that the USA had nuclear superiority over the Soviet Union

Question 21

By 1954 what percentage of America’s GNP was spent on armaments?

Answer 21

12%