Cold War Crisis

Question 1

How many Germans had left East Germany by 1958?

Answer 1

Three million. Over a sixth of the countries population.

Question 2

What kind of people were leaving East Germany during the ‘Brain Drain’?

Answer 2

Skilled workers who were essential to the East German economy, such as enginerrs, technicians and teachers.

Question 3

What did Khrushchev demand in his Berlin Ultimatum?

Answer 3

He demanded that Western countries should officially recognise East Germany as an independent country (GDR).

Question 4

What were the names of the four summits held to discuss the ‘Berlin Ultimatum’?

Answer 4

Geneva, May 1959
Camp David, September 1959
Paris, May 1960
Vienna, June 1961

Question 5

Why did these summits do badly?

Answer 5

On 1st May - as the various countries prepared for Paris peace talks - an american U-2 spy plane was shot down over the USSR. Eisenhower was embarrassed by refused to apologise, Khrushchev walked out of the meeting.

Question 6

Who was the President of the USA at the beginning of the Berlin Crisis and who was president at the end? What was the result of this changed?

Answer 6

Eisenhower was replaced by Kennedy in January 1961. At the Vienna summit in June 1961, Khrushchev believed that as Kennedy was inexperienced in foreign affairs, it would be possible to get the better of him. However, Kennedy refused to make any concessions and, after Vienna, decided to increase spending on American armed forces by over 2 billion dollars.

Question 7

What was the result of the faliure to find a conclusion to the Berlin Ultimatum?

Answer 7

Concerns over the Berlin Ultimatum talks caused an increase in East Germans deciding to cross to the West, just incase Khrushchev decided to close the border. Then, on the night of 12th August 1961, East German troops put up a barbed wire fence between East and West Berlin.

Question 8

What were the negative impacts of the building of the Berlin Wall on both the USA and USSR?

Answer 8

USSR:
Khrushchev had to abandon plans to unite Germany under Soviet control. The Berlin Wall also showed the Soviet Union had to ‘lock’ people into socialist countries.
USA:
Soviet Union had put up the wall without asking the USA and people who wanted to leave communism could no longer do so.

Question 9

What were the positive impacts of the building of the Berlin Wall on both the USA and USSR?

Answer 9

USSR:
Stopped a large number of refugees leaving for the West, to some extent solving the problem for the East German government. It also showed the West that communism would survive in Berlin.
USA:
Khrushchev had been forced to accept Western control in Berlin. West Berlin had become an emblem of freedom.

Question 10

What was the impact of Kennedy’s visit to Berlin in 1963.

Answer 10

Thousands of West Berliners went to see him speak. Kennedy praised the freedoms of the West and contrasted them with communism in a famous speech which he said, ‘Ich bin ein Berliner’ (I am a citizen of Berlin).

Question 11

Who ruled Cuba before Castro?

Answer 11

Batista, an army officer, who had seized power with the help of the USA.

Question 12

When was the Cuban Revolution?

Answer 12

January 1959.

Question 13

How far away was Cuba from America?

Answer 13

145km.

Question 14

What reforms were introduced after Castro overthrew Batista in the 1959 Revolution?

Answer 14

Castro worked to end corruption in the government and improve the conditions of agricultural and industrial workers.

Question 15

Why did the USA grow increasingly concerned by Castro’s reforms?

Answer 15

Castro began appointing communists to his government and signed a trade agreement with the USSR in which Cuban sugar would be swapped for machinery, oil and economic aid (and conventional weapons such as machine guns). Castro nationalised America industries in Cuba.

Question 16

How did America react to Castro’s reforms?

Answer 16

In January 1960, the USA stopped buying Cuban sugar, and then banned all trade with Cuba; by January 1961 the USA stopped all diplomatic relations with Cuba.

Question 17

What effect did these reactions to Castros reforms have?

Answer 17

This pushed Castro closer to the USSR - they now planned the Bay of Pigs Invasion.

Question 18

What was the Bay of Pigs invasion?

Answer 18

This was to bed led by Cuban exiles, living in Florida; the plan was supported by JFK. Weapons, training and transport were provided by teh CIA. The exiles hoped to establish a base for guerrilla activities against Castro and were confident that the Cuban people would support them.

Question 19

Why was the Bay of Pigs invasion such a disaster?

Answer 19

The force of 1400 exiles landed in Cuba but found them facing over 20000 Cuban troops; the people did not rise up in support of the exiles. Castro and Khrushchev knew it has been planned by the CIA leaving JFK humiliated.

Question 20

What were the consequences of the Bay of Pigs invasion?

Answer 20

• Convinced Castro that he needed more Soviet support to defend himself against possible US attacks.
• September 1961, Khrushchev publicly announced that he would provide arms to Cuba.
• By 1962 Castro had a very well equipped army containing the lastest tanks, missiles and ‘technicians’ (Soviet military personnel).
• Castro now declared himself to be a communist.

Question 21

What were the effects of the Bay of Pigs invasion on relations between the USA and USSR?

Answer 21

• Kennedy was humiliated as the invasion had failed.
• The USA looked hypocritical as they were supporting an invasion of an independent country.
• The USSR had the upper hand - they pointed out that Cubans wanted a pro-communist regime, showing the popularity of communism.
• Stronger relations were established between Cuba and the USSR which made Kennedy feel threatened (missiles??).

Question 22

Why did Khrushchev place missiles on Cuba?

Answer 22

NATO had missiles on Turkey. Khrushchev could use missiles on Cuba as a bargaining tool.

Question 23

What did a U2 spy plane discover on October 14 1962?

Answer 23

Missile sites being built on Cuba - some near completion.

Question 24

What other worrying news was recieved by the Americans (CMC)?

Answer 24

There was a fleet of Soviet ships sailing to Cuba, presumably carrying more missiles for the new sites.

Question 25

What did JFK decide to do on October 22 1962?

Answer 25

He decided to place a naval blockade around Cuba, whilst also preparing troops for a possible invasion of Cuba; he called on the USSR to remove the missiles from Cuba.

Question 26

How did Khrushchev respond to the naval blockade?

Answer 26

He replied there were no soviet missiles on Cuba ans that the USSR would ignore the blockade.

Question 27

What happened when Soviet ships reached the naval blockade on October 24th 1962?

Answer 27

They turned back and did now attempt to break the blockade: ‘Khrushchev just blinked!’ However Soviet missiles still remained on Cuba.

Question 28

What offer was made by Khrushchev in the letter sent on October 26?

Answer 28

The USSR would remove their nuclear weapons if the USA lifted the blockade and promised not to invade Cuba.

Question 29

What offer was made by Khrushchev on the letter sent on 27 October 1962?

Answer 29

The USSR would remove their nuclear weapons if the USA removed theirs from Turkey.

Question 30

How did JFK react to the telegrams regarding Cuba?

Answer 30

On the same day he recieved the second letter, a U2 spy plane was shot down over Cuba. JFK responded only to the first letter, saying he agreed with its terms, but if the missiles were not removed, an attack would follow. The President’s brother also informed the Soviet ambassador in Washington that the US would remove their missiles from Turkey in secret.

Question 31

Whar did the USA gain from the Cuban missile crisis?

Answer 31

• Nuclear missiles were removed from Cuba.
• The missiles in Turkey were removed secretly after 6 months.
• JFK was no longer seen as weak and inexperienced - his decision to impose a naval blockade was justified.

Question 32

What did the USSR gain from the crisis?

Answer 32

• Cuba remained communist - only 90 miles away from the USA.

- Cuba continued to look to the USSR for protection.

Question 33

What did the USA lose from the crisis?

Answer 33

Missiles in Turkey which angered some NATO allies.

Question 34

What did the USSR lose from this crisis?

Answer 34

• The USSR was publicly seen to have backed down which angered many Soviet politicians.
• Khrushchev was removed from office in 1964 - the military felt they had been forced into a humiliating withdrawal.

Question 35

What did the world gain from this crisis?

Answer 35

• A direct hotline phone link was set up between Washington and Moscow.
• A nuclear test ban treaty was set up in 1963.

Question 36

What reforms was Alexander Dubcek making in Czechoslovakia?

Answer 36

As part of the ‘Prague Spring’ in 1968, Dubcek introduced reforms such as less censorship, trade union powers/ increase workers rights, more powers for regional government, trade with the West was increased and Czechs given greater freedom to travel abroad. The idea of holding multi-party elections in the future was discussed.

Question 37

What did Dubcek promise to Khrushchev that meant that the USSR were initially happy to accept him as a leader?

Answer 37

Dubcek was commited to the Warsaw Pact and support for the Soveit Union.

Question 38

What happened to change the USSR’s opinion on Dubcek?

Answer 38

The Soviet leader, Brezhnev (replaced Khrushchev in 1968), disapproved of many of the reforms being made by Dubcek. He saw them as a threat to Soviet control in Eastern Europe.

Question 39

Describe the events of Sovet invasion of Czechoslovakia.

Answer 39

On the 20th August 1968, 500000 Warsaw Pact troops invased Czechoslovakia and ended the ‘Prague Spring’. Although the Czech people could do little, there was some brave resistance, such as blockading roads or attacking individual tanks. The invading troops had been told they had been invited by the Czech government to help restore law and order, and were surprised by the hostility they encountered.

Question 40

What impact did the Soviet invasion have on Czechoslovakia?

Answer 40

Dubcek was arrested, sent to Moscow and ordered to reverse his reforms. The in 1969 he was replaced by Gustav Husak who was a harliner loyal to Moscow and introduced a clampdown in which over a thousand Czech were arrested.

Question 41

What was the Brezhnev Doctine?

Answer 41

Brezhnev said that the actions of any individual communist country affected all other comunist countries. This meant other communist countries could take action to prevent reforms.

Question 42

What was the impact of the Prague Spring on USA/USSR relations?

Answer 42

The Soviet response to the Prague Spring outraged Western governments. There was an attempt to pass a formal resolution condemning the invasion in the UN but this was vetoed by the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union saw that the USA might protest but could take little action to oppose Soviet control in Europe.