cold war - transformations (1963-1970)

Question 1

Bay of Pigs

• What
• Why
• Why cause tension for SU
• SU reaction

Answer 1

• April 1961, America facilitated and supported a Cuban invasion to try and seize control
• Batisto was overthrown by Castro who Eisenhower refused anything to do with. Castro seized USA businesses and became friendly with SU; USA tried to take control of businesses again and Kennedy decided the five million spent on preparations should be used to perform the invasion
• It caused tension for SU as they formed and economic alliance with Castro and they didn’t like the USA interference
• SU then started to establish nuclear missile bases in Cuba. They stepped up there involvement in Cuba to military as well.

Question 2

Cuban missile crisis

• what
• why
• how did it cause tension for USA
• resolution

Answer 2

• October 1962, USA discovered SU was putting nuclear bases in Cuba and there was now a threat of nuclear war between the 2 sides. Tensions rose so much USA declared DEFCON 2.
• SU put missiles in Cuba as its only 90 miles south off mainland USA which gave SU treated fire power. It was to test Kennedy and they knew USA had missiles in turkey
• it caused tensions as SU had first strike capability; Cuba closer to USA that SU to Turkey so missile would arrive first. It was so dangerous as MAD would happen which would affect the whole world
• both realised arms race couldn’t continue in this way; brinkmanship. This made Kennedy looked strong and he gained respect as he didn’t back down. USA removed missiles in Turkey, which was a secret to the world which gave SU greater security but Khrushchev looked weak and he was removed from power October 1964. There was a lessening of stress and a hotline was installed between the White House and the Kremlin.

Question 3

Czechoslovak and Prague Spring

• What
• Why were people unhappy
• How did SU respond
• Brezhnev’s policy

Answer 3

• January 1968, hardline leader Novotny was replaced by moderate leader Dubcek. Dubcek introduced reforms such as free business enterprise, freedom of speech and formation of trade unions. His campaign was ‘socialism with a human face’
• People were so unhappy as they didn’t like the tight control of oppressive media, there were poor economic circumstances with the command economy, and it was only a 1 party communist state
• Brezhnev was concerned so he sent troops to the border. Dubcek says freedom of border movements and this causes Brezhnev to send in troops and Dubcek says the Czech need to back down and not use force.
• Brezhnev then introduced the Brezhnev Policy which said he would use force if he needed to. This made communism look weak as they are having to use force to impose it

Question 4

Detente and SALT 1

• What
• Why was it necessary
• How was it a sign they accepted each other’s position in the world
• why was SALT 1 significant

Answer 4

• it was late 1960s-70s and was a period of good relations. Some examples: in 1975, USA and SU met up in space, Helsinki agreement signed by 35 countries including USA and SU. Salt 1 was in may 1972 and reduced the number of ICBMs
• economic problems; too much money was spent on space and arms race (billions). China-Soviet split; meant USA built relations with china and in 1972, Nixon visited china. Nuclear; Cuban missile crisis was extreme brinkmanship and both sides were now much more willing to talk about reducing their weapons. Vietnam showed neither side were willing to use nuclear weapons.
• there was cooperation between both sides, and they were coming together to achieve things; before there were economic and military divisions even with a proxy war in Korea. However it was only temporary and very quickly came to and end when SU invaded Afghanistan and didn’t end human right problems
• salt 1 meant there were less chances of a nuclear war, removed the policy of brinkmanship, Nixon and Brezhnev looked good in front of a world stage and reduced number of ICBMs