Khruschev and East - West relations 1955 - 60 Flashcards
When did Khrushchev deliver his ‘Secret Speech’ on de-Stalinisation?
25th February 1956
When were the Poland uprisings?
June-October 1956
-28th June 1956, workers went on strike in protest at wage cuts and poor working conditions. This led to an anti-communist uprising
-October 1956, Wladyslaw Gomulka elected as First Secretary of the Polish Communist Party
How come Khrushchev didn’t pursue violent action in response to the Polish uprisings?
Gomulka agreed not to endorse any reforms which might threaten national communist rule or the integrity of the Soviet Bloc
Furthermore, Beijing showed massive support towards the Polish Communist Party
When were the Hungary uprisings?
October-November 1956
-22nd October 1956, citizens began demonstrating and listed 16 demands. This soon developed into an armed revolt
-24th October 1956, Imre Nagy was appointed Prime Minister. He assured Moscow of Hungary’s loyalty and stated that military intervention was unnecessary
When did Khrushchev intervene in Hungary and what were the consequences?
On the 3rd November 1956, the Red army and about 4000 tanks surrounded Budapest. 4000 Romanians were killed and about 200,000 went into self-imposed exile. János Kádár was instated into government
When did the USSR shift its policy towards ‘Peaceful Coexistence’?
February 1956
What was the Austrian State Treaty and when was it signed?
Signed in May 1955, the Austrian State Treaty included an agreement from the 4 occupying powers to remove their forces from Austria and to declare it a neutral state.
When was the Geneva Summit?
September 1955
What was discussed at the Geneva Summit and what were the outcomes?
The ‘Open Skies’ proposal
-Eisenhower appealed for aerial reconnaissance and for each side to provide details of military installations. Khrushchev rejected this proposal
The Future of Germany
-Eisenhower proposed a reunified Germany with free elections and likely a seat in NATO. However, Khrushchev would only contemplate reunification if a future Germany was demilitarised and neutral.
When was the Paris Summit?
May 1960
When were the Camp David talks and what was discussed?
The Camp David talks occurred in September 1959 between Khrushchev and Eisenhower. They discussed disarmament and the situation in Berlin alongside agreeing to settle international issues through diplomacy.
What were Khrushchev’s intentions at the Paris Summit?
Khrushchev wanted to secure a deal over Berlin and also wanted an agreement to prohibit nuclear weapons in the Pacific and a ban on such weapons in Germany.
Why did the Paris Summit collapse?
The summit collapsed with the news that a U-2 spy plane had been shot down over the Soviet Union - 1st May 1960. The pilot Gary powers was put on a very public trial and incarcerated for 10 years.
When was John F. Kennedy elected as the USA’s Democratic Party president?
January 1961
What actions did Kennedy commit which would suggest he was against the prospect of ‘Peaceful Coexistence’?
Kennedy increased the defence budget and promised more conventional forces.
He also favoured an expansion of the USA’s nuclear arsenal and its Polaris missile submarine force.
What was the Strategic Air Command [SAC] and when was it established?
Created in 1948, the SAC, headed by General Curtis LeMay, was a primary defence system for the USA whose role was to provide complete readiness in response to an external nuclear threat. By 1957, it was responsible for the deployment and management of the USA’s nuclear force.
What was the Gaither Report and when was it commissioned?
Commissioned in November 1957, the Gaither Report was to investigate the state of US-Soviet nuclear capability.
The Gaither Report first presented the concept of a missile gap between the USA and the Soviet Union - 100 to 30 IBCMs in favour of the USSR.
When was Sputnik first launched to orbit the earth?
4th October 1957
What happened a month after the initial launch of Sputnik?
In November 1957, Laika the dog was launched into a ten-day orbit in Sputnik II
When was the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) established?
NASA was established by Eisenhower in 1958.
There was a strong belief among US leaders that control of space would lead to global control.
When did Khrushchev become the USSR’s prime minister and supreme decision-maker?
1958
When was the USSR’s ultimatum to the west issued and what did it discuss?
The USSR issued their 6-month ultimatum to the West on the 27th November 1958. They demanded the withdrawal of Western troops from West Berlin and for Berlin to be declared a ‘free city’.
If the Western powers were to refuse this proposal, the USSR would sign a separate treaty with the GDR transferring all their occupational power. This would allow the GDR controlled access to West Berlin and force the Western powers to recognise the GDR, nullifying the Hallstein Doctrine.
How did the Western powers respond to the USSR’s ultimatum?
On the 31st December 1958, the Western powers rejected the proposal.
When did work first begin on construction of the The Berlin Wall?
13th August 1961
How did the erection of the Berlin Wall help to ease Cold War tensions?
The construction of the Berlin Wall helped to ease tensions as it guaranteed that there would be no military conflict between the USSR and the USA. Kennedy took the view that the wall was unacceptable but a better alternative than war. The wall enabled the avoidance of a nuclear confrontation.
