Domestic Policy Interpretations - Did Khrusty Effectively Deal with the Challenges of the Cold War?

Question 1

What are the 3 main historical interpretations of how effectively Khrusty dealt with the challenges posed by the Cold War?

Answer 1

He was ‘inspirational + innovative’ by trying to impliment peaceful coexistance

He was ‘erratic and impulsive’ due to his inconsistent approach

Or he was both!

Question 2

What evidence is there that Khrushchev was ‘innovative and inspirational’?

Answer 2

• Secret Speech took USSR away from dangerous competiton of Stalin - either peaceful coexistance or war. Seen as trying to create peaceful + more secure world
• Ended Soviet occupation of Austria in 1955 - allowed to integrate with West
• Support from Comm. Party in Russia when quickly reacted to Hungarian Crisis 1956 with tanks to prevent breaking away due to ‘Thaw’
• Berlin Wall prevented further mass-migration from GDR + embarrassment. Support at home for peaceful solution
• Cuban Missile Crisis success as tested Kennedy’s resolve, got missiles removed from Turkey, ‘hotline’ established - strengthened peaceful coexistance
• 1963 began process towards detente with Test Ban Treaty - paved way for SALT in 1972

Question 3

What evidence is there that Khrushchev was ‘erratic and impulsive’?

Answer 3

• Peaceful coexistance seen as betrayal of Marxist-Leninist ‘World Revolution’ by some comms. Both within USSR + with Mao
  
  • Mao accused him of being ‘soft on imperialists’. K. withdrew military support when Chinese needed it - Sino-Soviet split
• Hungarin revolt seen as disaster as caused by de-stalinisation + ruthless supression made comm. look bad globally
• Berlin Wall oppressive + inhumane - made relations with West worse
• Cuban Missile Crisis nearly led to nuclear war! Fact he backed down + removed missiles from Cuba seen as weak.
  
  • Led to huge rift with Castro who took lead in speading comm. globally

Question 4

What had the USSR done as a reponse to NATO by 1955?

Answer 4

Increased military spending

May 1955 signed Warsaw Pact
(AKA Eastern European Mutual Assistance Treaty)

Question 5

How did Khrushchev try to repair the rift with Tito?

Did it work?

Answer 5

1955 him + Bulganin visited + appologied for Stalin’s behaviour

Tito still refused to return to Soviet sphere/’fold’

Question 6

Where else did Khrushchev aim to spread his diplomacy too?

(Aside from Europe/US/China/etc.)

Why?

Answer 6

3rd world powers to attempt to dislodge Western influence

e.g. Afghanistan, Burma, India, Iraq, North Yemen, Egypt (helped finance Aswan Dam)

Question 7

How were Khrushchev’s aims similar to Stalin’s?

Answer 7

Both wanted Eastern Europe to remain under Soviet control

Wanted to force Western powers to leave Berlin

Question 8

How was Khrushchev’s approach to achieving his aims/foreign policy different to Stalin’s?

Answer 8

Didn’t support traditional view that comm. + cap. innately opposed and that war was inevitable

Instead desired detente + ‘peaceful coexistance’

Question 9

How did Khrushchev use the U2 incident to his advantage?

Answer 9

Used for propaganda

Brought issue before UN (made US look bad)

Spy exchange for Rudolf Abel (swapped for ‘mere pilot’ Gary Powers)

Question 10

How did Khrushchev cause a sensation at the UN in 1960?

Answer 10

Rudely interrupted speeches by other delegates

Banged shoe on desk during speech

Question 11

How did Khrushchev approach Kennedy when he assumed power?

Answer 11

Concilliatory + willing to cooperate

Didn’t want nuclear war, wanted world peace, wanted to resolve ‘German issue’

Question 12

How did Khrushchev miscalculate Kennedy + end up having to build the Berlin wall?

Answer 12

Tried to intimidate young + inexpirienced Kennedy into immediate settlement on Berlin however meeting achieved nothing

Question 13

How did Khrushchev’s more liberal policies affect the East Germans?

Answer 13

Brought an end to the Stalinist regime (mostly)

Allowed post-war reconstruction to occur

Question 14

How could Khrushchev’s actions during the Berlin Crisis be seen as weak?

Answer 14

Refused peace treaty between GDR + USSR that would allow GDR to occupy West Berlin

Also refused to invade West Berlin + occupy using Soviet troops

Both would’ve resolved issue without ‘inhumane’ wall

Question 15

How did de-stalinisation affect Poland?

Answer 15

Independantly-minded Gomulka released from prison + allowed to return to power after 1956 uprising

After uprising some autonomy also granted to Poland

Question 16

How could Khrushchev’s actions in Hungary be seen as heavy-handed and unnecessary?

Answer 16

20,000 Hungarians killed + 200,000 fled through open frontiers to West

Condemned as cruel + unnecessary as Hungary wouldn’t have been threat to USSR if had left Pact as wanted to remain neutral

‘By declaring neutrality [Hungary] had proved it had been no threat to the security of the USSR’ - PM Eden

Question 17

What was the reaction to Khrushchev’s decision to crush the Hungarian Uprising?

Answer 17

Badly damaged reputation

Thousands resigned from internation communist parties in protest

Protests outside Soviet embassies

Question 18

How could Khrushchev’s actions in Cuba be seen as weak?

Answer 18

Criticised for backing down due to US threats that they would forcibly turn back ships carrying missiles + any launched would warrant counter-strike

Also initially failed to get US to remove missiles from Turkey - only included in 2nd telegram

Missiles only removed in secret - to public looked weak

Question 19

Why do many historians see Khrushchev’s actions during the Cuban Missile Crisis as more statesman-like than members of the CPSU (Soviet Comm. Party)?

Answer 19

His actions saved world from nuclear war as he agreed to remove missiles as long as US didn’t invade Cuba (comprimise)

Question 20

What were the consequences of the Cuban Missile Crisis?

Answer 20

‘Hotline’ - direct communication between White House + Kremlin at time of crisis

Test Ban Treaty 1963 - no nuke tests underwater, in atmosphere, or in space

Paved way for SALT in 1972

Threat of nuclear war allowed move towards detente + MAD

Question 21

Why was there a progressibe deterioration of the relationship between the USSR and China despite a number of visits by Khrushchev?

Answer 21

Ideological difference

Mao believed in worldwide revolution to oust capitalists not peaceful coexistance + that conflict between coms + caps inevitable

Mao implimented Stalinist policies + greatly admired him

Question 22

What aspects of Khrushchev’s policies did Mao particularly deplore?

Answer 22

Renunciation of Stalin

Attempts to establish better relations with West whom he viewed as main enemy

Question 23

What actions by Khrushchev finally led to a clear break in relations?

Answer 23

When he refused to discuss disputed Sino-Soviet border settlement

When he refused to back China in border dispute with India

Question 24

Who sided with China during the Sino-Soviet split and why?

Answer 24

Albania

Enver Hoxha believed Khrushchev was willing to allow Tito to take over + incorportate Albania into Yugoslavia