Peaceful Coexistence Flashcards
Define Peaceful Coexistence
Peaceful Coexistence was a term used by Malenkov and made into a policy by Khrushchev from 1953-1961. It is where both countries acknowledge, if not accept, each other’s ideologies in order to compromise on international affairs between superpowers.
Context for Peaceful Coexistence
After Stalin’s death in 1953 there was a general improvement in superpower relations providing an opportunity for the new Soviet leadership to change its approach to the West.
What are the factors for the causes of Peaceful Coexistence?
The consolidation of positions
Military and Economic context
The death of Beria
Malenkov and Beria
What were the two examples of successes of Peaceful Coexistence?
Austrian State Treaty, (1955)
Soviet Withdrawal from Finland (1955)
What were the 4 factors for the failure of Peaceful coexistence?
USSR’s own fault
Arms Race
Competition
Competition and Secrecy
What is your argument as to whether Peaceful Coexistence was a success or failure?
The immediate impact was successful, e.g. Austrian State Treaty (1955) and Soviet withdrawal from Finland (1955) however it was not a viable long term solution, causing it to fail.
Causes of peaceful coexistence
Describe the consolidation of positions
> By 1949 = two spheres of influence; stability to relations
US commitment to NATO = strength of anti-communist attitudes - defending Europe
Warsaw Pact of 1955 symbolised what existed to cause Peaceful Coexistence -> Willingness of USSR to protect the Eastern Bloc from American Imperialism
With their positions more secure = more willing to attempt negotiations
Causes of peaceful coexistence
Military and Economic Context
> 1955 = both in possession of hydrogen bomb (more powerful than atomic at Hiroshima, 1945)
March 1st 1954 = USA test Lithium bomb - impact of radioactive fallout kills Japanese fisherman 82 miles away.
Stakes increased - sobering effect on superpowers
Arms race saw large sums committed to military expenditure: USA in 1950 = 298 atomic bombs - 1955 = 2,422 atomic bombs
USSR struggled most = severe imbalance in Soviet economy: 1/3 economy = war effort not necessary social reform
Causes of peaceful coexistence
The death of Stalin
> Effect on international relations: improvement; thaw; new Soviet leadership could change their approach towards the West
Conduct of the Cold War altered: Positioning settled; boundaries reluctantly accepted - New leaders of USA and USSR demanded new policies to work within greater stability
Rivalry of Beria, Malenkov and Khrushchev
Beria: secret police - control over terror apparatus
Malenkov: Leading Politburo member
Khrushchev: Leading member of Politburo member and eventual winner of the power struggle
Causes of peaceful coexistence
Beria and Malenkov’s New Course
> Beria offered the West a proposal for unified Germany - ‘socialism makes no difference’ - concerns in the East as Ulbricht had began a Soviet style leadership
- Beria failed to create policy - arrested and executed
Malenkov - post Beria collective with Khrushchev and Bulgarin
- New Course = the failure of capitalism was
inevitable - there was no need to engage to
ensure its demise
Khrushchev criticised it and turned it to Peaceful Coexistence - his approach became known as ‘Destalinisation’ - 20th Party Congress 1956 (By 1957 = established as leader)
Successes of Peaceful Coexistence
The Austrian State Treaty, 1955
> 4 states of occupancy = USA, GBR, USSR and France
By 1954, Khrushchev overrode Motlov’s decision and began to reunify Austria
All arms were removed from USA and USSR states of occupancy
Reunified and Neutral –> ‘boy pants for mans trousers’
Successes of Peaceful Coexistence
Soviet withdrawal from Finland, 1955
> 1947 = USSR + Finland signed a treaty: Finland owed $300million in reparations; lost land on their borders and the USSR took a 50year lease of the Porkarla Region
Autumn 1955 - Khrushchev decides to remove Soviet presence from Porkarla - Motlov contested this at the Central Committee meeting but was defeated - Finland was reunited with the Porkarla region
Failures of Peaceful Coexistence
USSR’s fault
‘Destalinisation speech’ - 20th Party Conference 1956 - resulted in anti-Soviet rebellions
- Khrushchev sent in Russian troops to re-establish
control
> Also offended Mao = Sino-Soviet split: further element
Failures of Peaceful Coexistence
Arms Race
Although MAD prevented physical conflict, the fact that both sides were still investing in weaponry undermined the cause = Peaceful Coexistence cannot be deemed wholly successful
Failures of Peaceful Coexistence
Competition
> Khrushchev set up Warsaw Pact in 1955 - a military alliance of communist countries to rival NATO
America responded by increasing NATO troops in Germany
Space Race - USSR launched Sputnik (1957), Yuri Gagarin (1961). USA launched Alan Shepherd (1961) and Kennedy promised a man on the moon by 1969
Propaganda War –> clashing ideologies
