key topic 2: The three Cold War crises, 1958–70 Flashcards
crisis 1: The Berlin Crisis – 1961
Why was the Berlin Wall built?
Berlin had been a source of tension between the superpowers since 1945.
In 1961 it again reached crisis point.
- The high standard of living in West Berlin contrasted sharply with the condition in communist East Berlin –it continually reminded people in the eastern areas that communism was not a successful system to live under.
- It was estimated that 2.7 million people had crossed from East to West Berlin between 1945 and 1960. Many of these were young, skilled, professional people – the East was suffered a ‘brain drain’ as these educated men and women left to make new lives in the West.
Why was the Berlin Wall built?
- Berlin Ultimatum
Khrushchev gave the USA a 6 month ultimatum to get out
of Berlin or go to war.
- In 1959 there were two summit meetings at Geneva and
Camp David to negotiate what to do with Berlin.
- The USA and USSR then met in May in 1960 at Paris to
continue negotiations. However, during the discussions an
American U-2 spy plane got shot over the USSR and the
pilot, Gary Powers was captured.
What happened at the summit meetings of 1959?
Geneva = Both sides put forward proposals of how Berlin should be governed but no formal agreement. Eisenhower invite Khrushchev to USA for talks.
Camp David = No agreement but better relations and agree to withdraw ultimatum
What happened at the summit meetings of 1960-61 ?
Paris = USSR announced that American u2 spy plane was shot down , Eisenhower refused to apologise and Khrushchev walked out of meeting
Vienna 1961 = Kennedy became president of USA. Khrushchev took a strong stance and renewed Ultimatum but Kennedy determined to to appear weak . No final decision
Events: What happened?
- 13 August 1961 – The East Germans began building a wall
around West Berlin. This was initially a barbed wire fence,
which was gradually replaced with concrete. - All movement between East and West was stopped.
- For several days Soviet and US tanks faced each other across the divided Berlin streets. Kennedy worked behind the screens, promising Khrushchev if he removed its troops, USA would do the same
Outcomes: What were the consequences?
- The flow of refugees was reduced to a trickle. Between 1961 and 1989 (when the wall came down), only 5000 people managed to escape across it.
- Western nations were given a propaganda victory, as it seemed that communist states needed to build a wall to stop their citizens leaving.
- The wall became a symbol of the division of East and West
Peace maintained but family, friends split
Crisis 2: The Cuban Missile Crisis – 1962:
Fidel Castro’s Cuba
Fidel Castro, a socialist, had overthrown the American-backed
leader Batista in 1959. Cuba was only 90 miles off coast of America
– they didn’t want a socialist (or worse, a communist) country ‘in their backyard’. USA tried to ruin Cuba by refusing to buy their main export – sugar. Facing financial collapse, Castro did a deal with the USSR – they would buy Cuba’s sugar crop. Cuba nationalised American companies and sold off US-owned property.
- Castro remove US influence from Cuba and moved closer to the USSR
Bay of Pigs incident, 1961
- 1961, The USA organized an attempt to overthrow Castro, known as the Bay of pigs invasion
- Total failure for Kennedy
- CIA convinced Cuban people would revolt against Castro, but underestimates his popularity and no uprising
- 1400 Cuban exiles landed in Cuba but met with 20,000 Cuban solders ready to defeat them and no support from the Cubans
- Disaster for Kennedy as Castro grey closer to USSR and agreed to station soviet nuclear weapons on Cuba
- Castro declared himself to be communist and asked Khrushchev to help defend Cuba against any future attacks from America
Events – The ‘Thirteen Days’
14 October 1962 – American U-2 spy planes photographed Soviet missile sites on Cuba and Soviet ships on their way to Cuba with missiles on board
16 oct 1962 - Kennedy told that Khrushchev intended to build missile sites in Cuba
18th/19th oct - Kennedy help talks with his closest advisors
20th = Kennedy ordered a naval blockade around Cuba and threatened retaliation if any missile was fired.
25th = Kennedy wrote to Khrushchev asking that he withdraws the missiles from Cuba
26th = Khrushchev replied to Kennedys message and said he would withdraw the missiles if USA promised not to invade Cuba and withdraw its missiles from Greece and Turkey.
27th = u2 US spy plane shot over Cuba . RFK promised deal w SU . USA would withdraw missiles from Türkiye as long as it was kept secret
28th = Khrushchev accepted deal
Outcomes :
rough but led to better relations
A hotline set up between Moscow and Washington so leaders can speak directly
Kennedy became the hero of the Western world. The public did not know that
Kennedy had secretly agreed to remove US missiles from Turkey
The two powers realised how close they had come to nuclear war. Arms talks began and number of Treaty was signed
- Limited ban treaty 1963 USA and USSR agreed to stop testing nuclear weapons above ground and underwater
- Outer space treaty 1967 The 2 superpowers including other super powers like Britain agreed to use outer space for peaceful purposes
- The nuclear non-proliferation 1968 designed to stop the spread of nulcear weapons
USA began selling grain to the USSR
The soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia, 1968
In the 1960s there was growing opposition to soviet control for several reasons:
- Novotny was Czech leader and unpopular because he was a hard-line communist who refused to introduce reform
- The Czech economy was in serious decline -> fall in living standards, many Czechs began to demand a greater democracy including Alexander Dubcek who was elected in 1968 as soviet leadership approved of him and trusted him to government of Czechoslovakia less unpopular
- Dubcek committed to Warsaw pact and devoted communist
The Prague springe 1968
What was the Prague springe
On April 5th 1968, Dubček (the leader of
Czechoslovakia) embarked on a programme of reform that included amendments to the constitution of Czechoslovakia that would have brought back a degree of political democracy and greater personal freedom. These reforms became known as the Prague Spring.
Dubcek reforms
Dubček announced that he wanted the Czech Communist Party to remain the main party in Czechoslovakia, but that he wanted the oppressive aspects of the party to be reduced. Communist Party members in Czechoslovakia were given the right to challenge party policy. Dubček also announced the end of censorship and the right of Czech citizens to criticise the government. Newspapers took the opportunity to produce scathing reports about government incompetence and corruption. Trade unions were given increased rights to bargain for their members.
- the Czech people felt hope
Soviet Response :
Dubcek assured Moscow that Czechoslovakia would remain in the Warsaw Pact and that they had nothing to worry about with regards to the reforms. This did nothing to reassure Soviet leader Brezhnev especially as Romania refused to attend Warsaw pact meeting .
on the night of August 20th/21st troops from the Warsaw Pact invaded Czechoslovakia to reassert the authority of Moscow. Around 500,000 troops entered Czechoslovakia and ended the Prague spring
- little opposition to the invasion except some tried to block roads or attack individuals tanks while others threw petrol bombs at tanks moving through Prague and building also set alight.
- invading forced told they have been invited to help restore law and order
- Dubcek and others arrested and forced to Moscow and replaced by Gustav husak, a hard liner loyal to Moscow
Consequences:
The Prague Spring had proved that the SU was not willing to even contemplate any member of the Warsaw Pact leaving it. The Warsaw Pact remained strong .
Brezhnev then outlined the Brezhnev Doctrine. This was a Soviet foreign policy which called for the use of Warsaw Pact forces to intervene in any Eastern Bloc nation which was seen to compromise communist rule and Soviet domination, either by trying to leave the Soviet sphere of influence or even moderate its policies. If one countries action threatens other countries, duty of those countries to take steps to stop the actions.
Invasion strained relations between other communist countries in Europe especially as Yugoslavia and Romania condemned the invasion and Italy, France cut links to Moscow
USA and other western GOV outraged by the invasion , many of them made strong protests to the SU
