Cold War Crises Flashcards
How many Germans crossed from East to West during the ‘brain drain’?
2.7 million
Which Soviet leader issued the Berlin Ultimatum?
Khrushchev
When was the Berlin Ultimatum issued?
November 1958
What did the Berlin Ultimatum state?
Berlin belonged to East Germany and occupying troops must leave in six months
Where, and when, were the Berlin summit meetings held?
1) Geneva (May 1959)
2) Camp David (Sept 1959)
3) Paris (May 1960)
4) Vienna (Jan 1961)
What was the outcome of the Geneva Summit?
No solution agreed, but a further summit arranged at Camp David.
What was the outcome of the Camp David Summit?
No solution, but a further meeting agreed to in Paris. Ultimatum temporarily withdrawn.
What was the outcome of the Paris Summit?
Khrushchev stormed out following the spy plane that had been shot down over Russia.
What was the outcome of the Vienna Conference?
Neither willing to back down Khrushchev tried to take advantage of Kennedy’s inexperience. Ultimatum reissued.
When did Kennedy become the leader of the USA?
1961
When was the Berlin Wall built?
August 1961
Why was the Berlin Wall built?
1) Khrushchev knew his ultimatum would be unsuccessful
2) Stopped East Germans leaving for the West, which solved the Brain Drain.
3) Avoided war but Khrushchev still looked strong
When was the Cuban Revolution?
1959
Following the Cuban Revolution, which country did they become closer to?
The Soviet Union
When was the Bay of Pigs?
April 1961
What was the aim of the Bay of Pigs?
To have Cuban exiles assassinate Fidel Castro, so it looked like the USA was not involved.
What was the outcome of the Bay of Pigs?
The Cubans knew the invasion was coming and they were prepared. US-backed troops surrendered. Most Cubans supported the new leader.
What was the impact of the Bay of Pigs?
Ended all change of a friendly relationship between the USA and Cuba. Forced Cuba closer to the Soviets. Ultimately led to the Missile Crisis.
When was the Cuban Missile Crisis?
1962
Who was the leader of the USA and USSR during the Cuban Missile Crisis?
Kennedy and Khrushchev
How did Kennedy respond to finding out there were nuclear weapons in Cuba?
Naval blockade
How does Khrushchev respond to the Blockade?
Initially says he will ignore it, but offers to remove missiles if USA removes theirs from Italy and Turkey. The USA secretly agrees.
What were the short term consequences of the Cuban Missile Crisis?
1) Communist Cuba survived and Kennedy promised to never attack it.
2) Soviets look weak, because the world did not know the USA had agreed to remove some of their missiles from Europe
3) Khrushchev lost face and was ultimately replaced by Brezhnev in 1964
What were the long term consequences of the Cuban Missile Crisis?
Gradual move towards detente:
1) Hotline established between Moscow and Washington
2) Limited Test Ban Treaty
3) Outer Space Treaty
4) Nuclear non-Proliferation Treaty
When was the Limited Test Ban Treaty signed, and what did it say?
August 1963.
Agreed to ban nuclear weapons testing (except for underground tests)
When was the Outer Space Treaty signed, and what did it say?
1967
Limited deployment of nuclear weapons in space
When was the Nuclear non-Proliferation Treaty signed and what did it say?
1968
Prevented nuclear weapons being given to other countries
By which year had the Soviets caught up with the USA in the arms race?
1965
When was the Czechoslovakian Crisis?
1968
Who was leader of Czechoslovakia before the crisis?
Rakosi
What was life in Czechoslovakia like before the crisis?
Hard. Very weak economy, tough secret police, brutal leader.
Who became the leader of Czechoslovakia in January 1968?
Dubcek
What was Dubcek like?
He was a communist and a good friend of Brezhnev. He was committed to communism but wanted to make it more appealing for people so they supported it rather than opposed it.
What did Dubcek want in Czechoslovakia?
Socialism with a human face.
What reforms were introduced during the Prague Spring?
Relaxation of censorship, more democracy allowed, reduction of Soviet control, reduction of the powers of the secret police, economic reform.
How did the Soviet Union feel about the Prague Spring?
They were worried. They feared it might encourage other countries to introduce reforms and reduce Soviet control which would weaken the Eastern bloc.
How did the Soviets respond to the Prague Spring?
Sent tanks into Prague. Arrested Dubcek. New leader reinstated strict Soviet control.
What was the Brezhnev Doctrine?
The policy that if one country threatened the security of the Eastern bloc, the Warsaw Pact countries could invade it.
What were the consequences of the Brezhnev Doctrine?
1) Western communist parties were horrified and distanced themselves from Moscow
2) Yugoslavia and Romania backed away from the Soviets
3) The Soviet grip of Eastern Europe was weakened…
4) …but control was increased in some senses as countries had to follow Soviet rule or risk being invaded.
What was the impact of the Czechoslovakian Crisis on superpower relations?
Minimal. Few people died as a result of the invasion and the USA was distracted by the war in Vietnam, so it did very little to damage the move towards detente.
However, it made Brezhnev complacent about military action, believing that the Soviets could take action and the USA wouldn’t respond, arguably encouraging the invasion of Afghanistan.
Which years was Brezhnev in power?
1964-82
