cold war:1960 Flashcards
explain the U2 Plane Crisis
-USA developed a spy plane (the U2), which was able to fly above the reach of Soviet missiles and planes
-Gary Powers was flying a plane mission across the USSR, when his plane got shot down
-gave Khrushchev the chance to highlight the USA’s sneaky elements
-situation was just before the two powers were to meet at a peace conference in Paris (Khrushchev refused to partake in talks unless the Americans apologise and cancel all future spy-flights. Eisenhower agreed to cancel all spy-flights but wouldn’t apologise so Khrushchev went home
explain the Paris Peace Summit (May 1960)
-intended to decrease tension between the two superpowers
-Khrushchev was pushing for ‘peaceful coexistence’ between capitalists and communists (part of de-Stalinisation)
-hysteria of the McCarthy era and latest ‘Red Scare’ had died down: Eisenhower felt he had more freedom to calm tensions in cold war and improve relations with USSR
