Conflict and tension between East and West, 1945–1972 Flashcards

Question

Korean War

Answer 1

-1948= 2 governments, Communist North (Il-sung, USSR) and anti-Communist South (Rhee, US) -Both leaders wanted to unite Korea and spread their beliefs -1949= Il-Sung asks Stalin directly to support invasion of the South -Stalin didn't want to fight 7500 US troops stationed at the border so encouraged Chinese troops to go instead -1950= Stalin sends weapons and North invades, crossing 38th parallel, capture Seoul forcing South down to Pusan -US asks UN for a ceasefire but North refuse to stop -UN (majority US and South) troops go to support South Korea -UN leader Douglas MacArthur suggests invading China and using atomic weapons but Truman disagreed. He was fired in 1951 -Over next 3 yrs, fighting across 38th parallel, finally a stalemate as no side made progress, truce in 1953 with North and South

Answer 2

-Vietnam was part of a French colony called Indochina -In the 40's, a group of rebels opposing French rule in Vietnam called the Viet Minh gained influence -Led by a communist called Ho Chi Minh -In the 50's, French fought the Viet Minh -Worried about the spread of communism, the US began to bankroll French war effort -However, in 1954, the French were defeated by the Viet Minh

Answer 3

-1955-1975 -After French are defeated, a temporary split is agreed, Communist North (Ho Chi Minh) and anti-Communist South (Ngo Dinh Diem) in 1955 -Communist force in the South, Vietcong (group of peasants) attempted to overthrow Diem and were supported by the North through tunnel networks -USSR and China also supported North Vietnam -In response, US sent aid and lots of miliitary advisors to South -Diem is assassinated in'63 by own military for not doing enough -1965= US combat troops sent to South and by 1968, 500k US troops are helping -Involvement was disastrous for the US and their troops finally withdrew in 1973 without victory -Vietnam became a unified communist country in 1975 but Southeast Asia did not fall to communism like the US thought -USSR massively won, winning the war and losing no soldiers -Failures of US include the My Lai Massacre

Answer 4

-1945= US Atomic bomb used -1949= USSR Atomic bomb -1952= US Hydrogen bomb tested -1953= USSR Hydrogen bomb tested -1957= USSR ICBMs -1958= US ICBMs -1966= USSR ABMs -1968= US ABMs

Answer 5

-US and USSR both worried the other might use its nuclear weapons causing fear and suspicion -Neither wanted to use but both felt the other couldn't have an advantage -By the late 1950s, both had the power to destroy each other several times over -Deterrent and began MAD as both sides knew destroying the other would also mean their country was destroyed

Answer 6

-Oct 1957= USSR 1st satellite to orbit earth: Sputnik -Nov 1957= USSR 1st animal Laika the dog in orbit -1958= US 1st satellite launched and NASA founded -1961= USSR Yuri Gagarin 1st to travel into space -1961= US Alan Shepherd 1st space flight -1963= USSR 1st woman Valentina Tereshkova in Space -1969= US 1st man on moon Neil Armstrong -1975= US and USSR first joint space mission

Answer 7

-After USSR launched the first Sputnik satellite, the US rushed to launch its own, starting the Space Race -Success in the Space Race became linked to power and status -Superpowers seem more technologically advanced -Intensifies the Arms Race= the rockets used to launch satellites were also capable of carrying ICBMs

Answer 8

-An alliance of countries supporting USSR -After West Germany joined NATO in 1955, the USSR saw NATO as an even bigger threat -USSR formed the Warsaw Pact and all their satellite states became members -Aim was to improve the defensive capability of Eastern Europe

Answer 9

-Stalin dies in March of 1953 -His regime was repressive (his secret police killed anyone who was seen as a threat to communism) -In September 1953, Nikita Khrushchev became the leader of the USSR (another communist) -He wanted his party to improve life in the USSR to ensure the population benefitted more than they would under capitalism

Answer 10

-1956= Khrushchev makes a speech criticising Stalin's policies -It shocked communism around the world -Khrushchev tries to de-Stalinise the USSR -Statues of Stalin taken down -Stalin's secret police have limited power -Many prisoners jailed under Stalin are released and the death penalty was abolished

Answer 11

-1953= Eisenhower new US president, two new leaders meant there was an opportunity for a fresh start -Khrushchev said he believed in 'peaceful co-existence' (exist together without conflict), contrasting Stalin who believed war was inevitable -This created hope that relations would improve and there would be a 'thaw' in Cold war tensions -US and USSR met in Geneva, 1955, to communicate openly -Khrushchev was still competitive, carried on building weapons

Answer 12

-After WW2, USSR a brutal Stalinist, Rakosi in charge of Hungary -His authoritarian regime became increasingly unpopular -He was removed from power, replaced with Erno Gero in 1956 -People became frustrated with low living standards and lack of freedom under his gov -Mass protests broke out in Budapest -To end this, Khrushchev let the liberal Imre Nagy take over -Nagy soon announced reforms like reviewing wages, securing withdrawal of Soviet troops from Hungary -Nov 1956= Announces Hungary's withdrawal from Warsaw Pact and holding free elections (ending Soviet control)

Answer 13

-Hungary resisting communism= USSR fears others will follow -Had to respond with force and make an example of Nagy -Soviet tanks invade Hungary, killing thousands -26,000 Hungarians were imprisoned -Nagy hanged and replaced with Kadar -West were shocked by USSR's use of violence -The invasion undermined the 'peaceful co-existence' -UN voted for USSR to withdraw but USSR vetoed the vote -West took no further action, in fear of a nuclear war (stalemate)

Answer 14

-US had effective U2 spy planes to take photos of USSR from 23,000ft where they couldn't be shot down -They violated Soviet territory and risked military response if seen -1st May 1960= Gary Powers (US pilot) was met with the new Soviet anti-aircraft gun who shot him down and captured him -US claimed it was only to gather weather data -USSR gave clear evidence it wasn't (cameras, photos etc) -Eisenhower accepted but refused to apologise or promise it wouldn't happen again -This annoyed Khrushchev and made him leave the Paris Peace Summit after a day

Answer 15

-No agreement on Test Ban theory -US no longer hold the 'moral high ground' after lying -Nothing resolved on East Berliners moving to the West or Cuba's recent revolution causing a possible communist government on their doorstep

Answer 16

-West Berlin was an economically stable unified zone whilst East Berlin had a slow economy and limited resources -Although border from East and West wasn't strictly open, it was permitted -1949-61= 2.2 million move (15-20%) -The loss had a huge effect on industry and was embarrassing for Khrushchev that people preferred capitalism -Educated and highly skilled moved over for more money -USSR were so worried, making a speech in Moscow giving the West an ultimatum to withdraw troops from Berlin within 6 months but they refused

Answer 17

-3rd June 1961 -4 months into JFK's presidency, he met Khrushchev in Vienna -Tried to repair relations after U2 Crisis and Paris Peace Summit -Kennedy was committed to keeping West Berlin capitalist -Khrushchev tried to overpower Kennedy in discussions -Little was achieved but it set the tone for superpower relations in the following years

Answer 18

-13th August 1961= East German troops lined the border and no East Berliners were allowed to pass -Barbed wire fences and trains no longer crossing the border -Over the following 7 days, a concrete wall was built around East -No protests took place and people mostly stayed at home -Split families as it was illegal to cross -Kept the city divided for almost 30 years (1961-1989) -US condemned the wall but didn't take action, Kennedy was relieved as it meant USSR wasn't taking force on West Berlin -86 killed trying to get across

Answer 19

-Oct 27th 1961 -Red Army tanks refuse to let Americans pass into East -All day long, both sides face each other in a tense standoff lasting 18 hours until a diplomatic agreement was reached and both began to back down -Clear the US wouldn't take military action in the Soviets political sphere of influence and risk open conflict

Answer 20

-Kennedy visits West Berlin in June 1963 -Gave him the chance to get his foreign policy back on track -Visits the wall and looks over into East Berlin -Makes a speech to 120,000 West Berliners outlining his beliefs about the evils of communism -He made clear his commitment to fighting communism -Sent a clear message to Khrushchev and the soviets

Answer 21

-Since 1952, a ruthless military dictator, Batista, ruled Cuba -He let American businessmen and the Mafia make huge profits in a country where most people lived in poverty -1956= a rebel, Fidel Castro, began a guerrilla war -1959= he had enough support to take the capital Havana and overthrow the government -Castro nationalises US companies, increasing taxes angering US -Castro signs trade agreement with USSR -Worries US who had a long economic history with Cuba -US owned half of Cuba's land and held most shares in industries

Answer 22

-US trained Cuban exiles planned to invade Cuba with support of US air force to inspire other Cubans to overthrow Castro -Just before invasion, it was clear they supported Castro -US armed forces doubted but CIA couldn't abandon the plan after spending $5 million training the exiles -They landed on the Bay of Pigs on 17th April 1961

Answer 23

-US was humiliated and tried to hide involvement in the invasion but failed -They had pushed Castro even closer to the USSR -It led Castro to decide that Cuba needed Soviet military assistance to defend itself (sparked CMC) -Dec 1961= Castro publicly announces he is a communist

Answer 24

-April 1962= US places missiles in Turkey -July 1962= Khrushchev puts nuclear missiles in Cuba -Oct 1962= US U2 planes spot nuclear missile bases in Cuba -Kennedy chooses to avoid attacking Cuba but orders for a naval blockade instead, stopping Soviet ships bringing missiles to Cuba -180 ships, troops etc stationed, 20 soviet ships retreat -26th Oct= USSR sends letter 1, promising to remove launch sites if US removes blockade -27th Oct= USSR sends letter 2, promising to remove launch sites if US removes missiles in Turkey -Kennedy responds to 1st letter accepting the terms -Kennedy privately agrees to remove missiles in Turkey but only if it could be kept a secret -28th Oct= Khrushchev publicly announces to dismantle missiles

Answer 25

-Powers made efforts to defuse tension -1963= Telephone line set up between Washington and Moscow to talk directly and more quickly in a crisis -Limited Test Ban Theory signed 1963(led to end of nuclear weaponry) -Outer Space Treaty 1967 countries couldn't place WMD in space -Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty 1970 agreeing not to supply nuclear weapons to countries that didn't have nuclear arms

Answer 26

-Czechoslovakia became communist in 1948 -1960's people unhappy with lack of freedom, poor quality goods -Alexander Dubcek becomes leader of Czechoslovakia in 1968 -Introduces reforms to decentralise industry, freedom of speech allowed, travel to the West and workers given more power -Called his new communism 'Socialism with a human face' -He was still communist and stayed in Warsaw Pact -For 4 months, his new policies were tolerated by the USSR and they enjoyed relative freedom

Answer 27

-Brezhnev became worried it would lead to a rejection of communism in the Eastern Bloc -USSR received a letter from communists in Czech asking for help -21st Aug 1968= 500k soviet troops invade Czechoslovakia -Czechoslovakians respond with non-violent demonstrations with anti-invasion banners and a student burning himself alive -April 1969= Dubcek removed and replaced with Gustav Husak (a loyal Soviet style communist)

Answer 28

-Showed West that Brezhnev was determined to keep control of USSR's satellite states -West criticised the USSR but took little action against them -They were worried about interfering with the sphere of influence -Lyndon B Johnson cancelled summit meeting with Brezhnev -UN proposed withdrawal of soviet troops in Czech bu was vetoed

Answer 29

-Brezhnev reads out letter from Czechoslovakians -USSR would protect communism in any country where it was under threat and wouldn't allow any Eastern European countries to reject communism -Strengthened USSR's control over its satellite states -Mao feared Soviets could use the Doctrine to justify an invasion of China (relations between USSR and China worsened) -Relationship of US and USSR continued to strain -Annoyed many communist countries (China and Yugoslavia)

Answer 30

-US was critical of the USSR's record on human rights -Soviet leaders denied citizens religious and political freedoms, freedom of speech and the right to emigrate -Suspicion and distrust between the powers was fuelled by developments like US's involvement in Vietnam and USSR's intervention of Prague

Answer 31

-Both powers realised the importance of avoiding conflict -To improve relations, they followed a policy of Detente -Both powers were struggling financially so both were keen to reduce military spending -Both saw economic advantages of increasing trade -Despite the progress, this wasn't the end of the cold war with tensions reigniting in 1979

Answer 32

-Nixon needed a foreign policy success to draw attention away from criticism he was facing in the US for the Vietnam War -Brezhnev was worried by Nixon visiting China in Feb 1972, wanted to make sure US and China wouldn't turn against them

Answer 33

-Strategic Arms Limitation Theory -Limited number of ABMs each country had and placed a temporary limit on the number of ICBMs on both sides