Cold War 1961-72 Flashcards
1
Q
The Berlin Wall
A
13th August 1961 Soviets sealed off East Berlin by constructing barbed wire.
—–> Soon replaced by a concrete wall.
Why?
Skilled workers moving to West Berlin as capitalism offered better life conditions.
To stop Western spies from coming into East Berlin.
2
Q
US response to Berlin Wall
A
US tried to push barrier, sending through US officials and politicians.
- 27th October 1961, USSR army tanks pulled up to Checkpoint Charlie and refused Americans to pass into Eastern sector.
- —-> Opposing tanks faced each other for 18 hours until agreement was made and they both slowly backed away.
No attempt of rollback on Berlin
Wall taken down in 1989.
3
Q
Prague Spring
A
Czechoslovakia - Weak economy, lack of personal freedom, thought the USA would support them.
- 1967 Czech students began to peacefully protest against Novotny’s rule.
- —-> 1968 Brezhnev replaced Novotny for Dubcek.
Dudcek removed state control over economy and gave freedom of speech.
- 20th August 1968 Brezhnev sent 500,000 troops into Czechoslovakia.
- —-> Czechs did not fight back, feared result of Hungary Uprising 1956
- Dubcek arrested, US didn’t interfere as it was USSR dealing with problems within their sphere of influence.
4
Q
Détente
A
May 1972 Nixon visited Moscow, shook hands with Brezhnev and signed SALT 1 (limiting number of ICBM’s both superpowers could have)
