Khrushchev and East-West relations 1955-1960

Question 1

When did FRG join NATO?

Answer 1

May 1955

Question 2

When was the Geneva summit

Answer 2

July 1955

Question 3

When was Khruschev’s secret speech delivered?

Answer 3

Feb 1956

Question 4

When were the Polish and Hungarian uprisings ?

Answer 4

1956

Question 5

When were the Camp David talks?

Answer 5

September 1959

Question 6

When was the Paris summit?

Answer 6

1960 May

Question 7

What were Nikita Khruschev’s aims?

Answer 7

1) redefine relationship with satellite states
2) political stability
3) economic growth and improved living conditions
4) Destalinisation

Question 8

What did the secret speech say?

Answer 8

Stalins cult of personality and dictatorship went against the spirit of Marxist-Leninism

Question 9

What was the impact of the secret speech?

Answer 9

uprisings in Poland and Hungary

Question 10

What happened in Poland?

Answer 10

1) Poles started to demand more political freedom and national sovereignty
2) wage cuts and working conditions led to an anti-communist armed uprising
3) once discredited Gomulka elected as First secretary of the communist party
4) Khruschev threatens force but this doesn’t materialise as China supports the Polish communist government
5) Gomulka and khruschev meet and k says it’s okay as long as he doesn’t threaten communist reforms or the unity of the bloc

Question 11

What were the impacts of the uprisings in Poland?

Answer 11

• many poles supported Gomulka as he had preserved a polish path to socialism.
• Showed that Moscow would allow their states a measure of national independence if led by trustworthy men.
• increasing international role played by China in communism

Question 12

What happened in Hungary

Answer 12

1) Students in Budapest lost 16 demands including appointment of imre Nagy as prime minister, freedom of speech etc
2) situation escalates into an armed revolt with Hungarian secret police
3) Imre Nagy becomes prime minister and convinces USSR that military intervention is not needed
4) Red army forces begin to withdraw from Budapest
5) Moscow reverses it’s descision as it fears the collapse of communism in Hungary
6) Nagy annouces withdrawal from teh Warsaw pact
7) Red army surrounds Budapest and crushes uprising
8) A new government is installed by Janos Kadar a hard line communist loyal to Moscow

Question 13

Impacts of the Hungarian uprising?

Answer 13

• lack of intervention from West confirmed that the post-war status quo had been accepted and eastern europe was back under control
• moves towards peaceful co-existence were compromised
• rising was merely a debating issue at the UN showing that the UN wouldn’t interfere either

Question 14

When was peaceful coexistence first introduced? And why?

Answer 14

Febuary 1956
believed that it would mean communist states would be able to focus on internal improvements rather than preparing for an ideological war against the West

Question 15

What were Khruschevs 6 aimsof peaceful coexistence?

Answer 15

1) Soviet Union must remain the leading communist state even over emerging China
2) must remain grip on Eastern bloc
3) preventing rearmament of Germany
4) USSR must remain as part of the nuclear arms race
5) reduced military spending
6) International tension to be diffused and improve relations with USA

Question 16

When was the Austrian State Treaty?

Answer 16

1955

Question 17

What was Soviet policy towards Austria like?

Answer 17

Very similar to that of germany!
Austria split into occupation zones
USSR recieves economic aid from Austria

Question 18

What did the Austrian State Treaty lead to?

Answer 18

• withdrawal of all occupying powers
• declaration that Austria would be a neutral state

Question 19

How did the State treaty link in with peaceful coexistence?

Answer 19

-showed mutual co-operation between the powers
- removed a major source of potential conflict
- Following the agreement Western powers removed their occupation forces from West germany

Question 20

What were the two major issues discussed at the Geneva Summit?

Answer 20

1) nuclear disarmament
2) the future of Germany

Question 21

What did Eisenhower propose at Geneva?

Answer 21

1) open skies as a way of moving towards disarmament
2) a reunified Germany, free elections and germany’s freedom

Question 22

What was the significance of Geneva?

Answer 22

that is marked the beginning of dialogue between the powers and calm in international relations rather than it’s practical outcomes

Question 23

What was the significance of the Camp David talks?

Answer 23

-Khruschev became the first Soviet leader to visit the USA for Camp David
- they agreed to settle international issues through diplomacy rather than force
- likely caused a deterioration in relations between the Soviets and the Chinese
- led to Paris summit

Question 24

Why did the Paris summit collapse?

Answer 24

the U-2 spy plane incident

Question 25

How did Kennedy’s agenda fit in with peaceful coexistence

Answer 25

opposed it- increased the defence budget, promised more flexible conventional forces, favoured expansion of the USA’s nuclear arsenal and it’s Polaris missile submarine force