KQ6 How secure was the USSR's control over Eastern Europe Flashcards
When was NATO formed
1949
Why was the Warsaw pact created
Concern over a powerful Germany
Concern about the USA
‘Keeping up’ with western powers
Tighter control over Eastern Europe
What did Khrushchev do when he became leader
Denounced Stalin
Released thousands of political prisoners
Made plans to reduce arms expenditure
Shut down Cominform
Who was the Hungarian dictator until 1956 and what happened to him?
Rakosi - ‘illness’ and stepped down
Who became the leader of Hungary in 1956
Imre Nagy
What happened in Hungary 1956
Uni students demonstrated at Budapest, USSR put Nagy in charge in hopes of calming them down (Didn’t work).
4 days of fighting between armed civilians and the USSR caused the soviets to withdraw
What did the Hungary want in 1956
Divorce from the Warsaw pact, freedom of speech, end of secret police
When was the Hungarian revolution
23rd Oct 1956
When was Prague spring
1968
Who was in charge of Czechoslovakia and USSR during Prague Spring
Czech - Dubcek
USSR - Brezhnev
What did Dubcek want for Czechoslovakia
Socialism with a human face, end of censorship and travel to and from the west.
When did USSR retake control of Czechoslovakia
paratroopers invaded August 21st 1968
Why didn’t the US interfere with the Hungarian or Czechoslovakian revolutions
Czech - distracted b Vietnamese war and race riots
Hungary - distracted by Britain, France and Israel’s attack on the Suez
What was different between Hungary and Czechoslovakia’s revolution
USSR interfered with Hungary because they were scared of them leaving the Warsaw pact
USSR interfered with Czechoslovakia because it was in an important strategic position
China + allies were in favour of the response to Hungary but not in favour of the response to Czechoslovakia
Who led the GDR
Ulbricht
How many Germans fled to West Germany from the GDR between 1949-61
2.1 million
What was Khrushchev’s proposal for Berlin 1958/9
Berlin should become a free, demilitarised city - possibly under the control of the UN.
He gave western troops 6 months to withdraw and said he would take firm action if his proposal wasnt accepted
When and what happened at the first two summit meetings in 1959
Geneva - May 1959 - USA (Eisenhower) + USSR - no solutions
Camp David - Sept 1959 - USA (Eisenhower) + USSR - no solutions but agreed to another meeting + Khrushchev removed his 6 month ultimatum
When was the U2 Spy plane Crisis
May 1960
What were the effects of the U2 Spy Plane Crisis
Renewed soviet suspicions about western spies
Tension before the next summit meeting
When and what happened with the 2nd two summit meetings
Paris - May 1960 - Spy plane incident - Khrushchev walked out
Vienna - June 1961 - Khrushchev met Kennedy for the first time, he issued another 6 month ultimatum
What did Kennedy do to force Khrushchev to retreat from his 6 month ultimatum in Berlin
Declared he wouldnt remove troops from Berlin
July 25th - $3.2 billion increase in defence funding announced
$207 million allocated for nuclear fallout shelter building
- USSR could not win in a nuclear war so they retreated
What was the flow of refugees from West to East Germany like by July 1961
1000 refugees a day
When was the Berlin wall built
August 1961
