Cold War in the 50s

Question 1

The impact of the Korean War and the formation of the Warsaw Pact. (not)

Answer 1

Worsened relations between the USA and USSR)

• Effectively taking part in a proxy war
• USA were directly involved through the UN (troops)
• USSR through China (MiG 15 fighter jets +pilots)

Increased the arms race between)
-USSR felt they had to try and catch up to USA
-The US military budget grew hugely
$13bn in 1950 —–> $50bn in 1953 (military budget)

2)
-Europe was now militarily divided
-A mutual military assistance alliance (the Eastern Bloc).
-There were also ‘two Europes’, east and west;
-one was under the protection of the USSR communist,
-one under the protection of the USA and seeking to defeat communism
(1955)

Question 2

Khrushchev and peaceful co-existence

Answer 2

-USSR spending too much on military (30%)
—> Living standards low
-Wanted to relax international climate —> less $ on arms
-Thought capitalism would collapse —> little point risking
nuclear war
-try to achieve some kind of détente and avoid nuclear war

Question 3

The impact of Soviet rule on Hungary, Rakosi, de-Stalinisation, Nagy and his demands

Answer 3

Events)
-23rd October some 20,000 protesters
-The Poles had won reforms a few days earlier
-The Hungarians aimed to do the same and set 16 demands.
-Wanted gov under Imre Nagy
-Nagy’s October reform proposals had been:
• An impartial legal system with fair trials
• Hungary should become a democracy with
elections and many political parties
• USSR troops should withdraw from Hungary
• Freedom of press, speech, worship
• Free trade unions

Question 4

Reasons for the Soviet invasion of Hungary, its effects and the international reaction.

Answer 4

Cause)

• Khrushchev’s de-Stalinisation (eg Secret Speech)
• Angered many Communists who blamed events in Hungary on the speech.
• Khrushchev needed to impose his authority at home.
• Nagy wanted to leave the Warsaw Pact
• This would weaken Eastern block

Impacts)
—Crushing of Hungarian resistance—
-200,000 troops and 6,000 tanks returned.
-Troops captured airports, bridges and road
-Hungarians responded with guerrilla tactics.
-Hungarians communicate with west via radio and
pleaded for help.
-3,000 killed
-20,000 wounded

—Khrushchev’s position in the USSR more secure—
-gave him a stronger position in the Warsaw Pact.
-Khrushchev more confident about challenging the USA
-Khrushchev said it was a lesson to all the leaders of
socialist countries.
-The regime in Hungary slowly reformed but was firmly under USSR control.

International Reaction)
-The US offered $20m worth of food and medical aid to the Nagy government and encouraged the people to fight on.

Question 5

The nuclear arms race and its impact on superpower relations.

Answer 5

1)What was the impact of the arms race?
Increased rivalry and tensions:
•	U2 crisis 1960
•	Berlin 1961
•	Cuba 1962
-Superpowers trying to one up on eachother
-So rivalry increased
-Led to spying, espionage

2) Idea of ‘deterrent’:
- The idea of deterrence persuaded both sides they needed more weapons so they could threaten MAD
- ‘Mutually Assured Destruction’; this meant new thinking about the idea of war
- each side trying to ensure they had so many weapons that the other side wouldn’t dare risk war