Chapter Ten Flashcards
How were the USSR and USA contradictory in their foreign policies?
USSR: Summit diplomacy and peaceful coexistence/support for revolutionary regimes, Sputik and weapon stockpiling. Partly due to Mao Zedong’s challenge to Khrushchev.
USA: Eisenhower decried ‘military industrial complex’ but supported development of new weapons and Kennedy continued this.
What was the process of the Nuclear arms race, started in 1949 with the USSR’s atomic bomb?
1954- USA H-BOMB
By September USSR had similar tech
By 1955 USSR had airbourne H Bomb
1957 USSR tested the first ICBM
What was the strategic air command?
Headed by General Curtis Lemay from 1948. Primary defence system for the USA and was responsible for the deployment and management of the USSR’s nuclear force.
What was the Gaither report? What did Eisenhower place his trust in instead?
Commissioned by Eisenhower in November 1957 to investigate the state of US-Soviet nuclear capability. Eisenhower’s intention was to calm the popular belief that the Soviet’s were catching up with the USA but the report presented a missile gap between the USA and USSR. Eisenhower instead put his trust in data received from U2 Spy Plane Intelligence gathering.
What was the Space Race?
The continuation of nuclear proliferation. It was theorised that the ability to build a satellite would give the developer superiority in the arms race.
What happened in regard to the Space Race for the Soviet Union in 1957?
1957 Soviet Union claimed its first victory when it launched the first satellite to orbit the earth- Sputnik. In November a dog was launched into a ten day orbit in Sputnik II. Alarmed the USA. Convinced USA the USSR had technology to launch nuclear missiles against it. Appeared to undermine effectiveness o massive retaliation strategy so central to the USA’s Cold War nuclear defence programme.
What was the process of the Space Race from 1957?
Sputnik created urgency for USA to develop its own space tech programme. 1958 $1 billion from gov for tech development in this field. 1957, rockt crashed on take off- Flopnik. Soviet programme went from strength to strength. Oct 1959 first satellite to orbit moon launched. 1961 first manned satellite to orbit earth. But this was reversed as the USA rapidly caught up, by 1962 US launched 63 missions compared to USSR’s 15.
When Khrushchev became the USSR’s Prime Minister in 1958, what factors were to influence his next actions?
Soviet space programme appeared to dominate US programme, West Germany was admitted into NATO and could be equipped with nuclear weapons, USSR’s hold on parts of EE was fragile, no significant restrictions on the GDR so citizens were leaving, undermining the GDR’s economy futher. West not yet recognised existence of GDR. Priorities were to strengthen defences of the USSR and global ideological expansion. Berlin= focal point.
By 1958 the Americans were becoming increasingly fearful tabout the accelerating competition from the Soviet Union in te space ace and arms ace. What did Moscow fear as a result?
That the US may try to compensate by placing nuclear missiles in West Germany, and Khrushchev wanted to minimise US influence in Germany and that WG would not be armed with American-backed nuclear weapons. Believed Propaganda victory against Western Powers and against the USA in Berlin might strengthen the Soviet position.
By 1958 what happened to Sino-Soviet relations?
They were deteriorating and Khrushchev needed to strengthen the USSR’s credentials as the dominant communist power in the face of increasing effotrts by the Chinese to assume that role. Success over Berlin would contrbute to this Soviet aim.
What ultimatum did the USSR issue November 1958?
Six month ultimatum demanding the withdrawl of Western troops from West Berlin and Berlin to be declared a free city. If the Western powers did not negotiate an acceptable settlement of the German question, the USSR would sign a separate treaty with the GDR, threatening the Western powers’ access to, and occupation of West Berlin. Soviet rights to Berlin transferred to GDR meaning it controlled access to WB. Western powers rejected it December.
After the Western powers rejected the ultimatum, what happened?
Khrushchev went to America for Camp David talks which were inconclisive. Then May 1960 Paris Summit was arranged but any progress was halted with revelation that American U2 Spy Plane had been brought down over the Soviet territory.
What did Walter Ulbricht, the East German chancellor, persuade Khrushchev to do?
To take direct action in Berlin. August 1961 work began to physically seal off West Berlin. USA did not accept this, note sent by US government called this action illegal.
How did the Berlin Wall benefit the Western powers?
Handed the USA the finest Propaganda tool it could have wished for. June 1963, President Kennedy “all free men, whereever they may live, are citizens of Berlin”. West perceived as defending freedom by controlling expansionist communism.
What was the impact of the Berlin Wall?
GDR’s immediate economic crisis was resolved, inaction of the West and appeared tolerance suggested that the West had reached a degree of recognition of the GDR and it guarenteed there would be no military conflict. Wall was a beter alternative than war, enabled the avoidance of nuclear confrontation.
