The Cold War Intensifies Flashcards
Describe the Impact of the Atomic Bomb on the USA
-Since developing the atomic bomb in 1945, the USA had felt more secure knowing it was the only country in the world with such a powerful weapon.
-Truman knew that the atomic bomb was an important counter to the Soviet Union’s much larger stock of conventional weapons.
-However, Stalin instructed his scientists to work all-out to develop a Soviet atomic bomb and it was achieved in 1949.
Describe the Purpose of the Arms Race
-The arms race was making each side more powerful, but was it giving either side an advantage?
-Both the USA and Soviet Union spent huge sums of money on building up large armies, navies, submarine fleets and stocks of conventional and nuclear missiles.
-It was important to try to stay ahead in the race and stop rivals becoming more powerful.
Describe the Weapons Developed During the Arms Race
-In response to the Soviet atomic bomb, the USA developed a hydrogen bomb in 1952.
-This was 1,000 times more powerful than the atomic bomb. and restored the American advantage.
-One year later the Soviet Union also had a hydrogen bomb.
-In June 1957, the USA developed the ICBM which could fire a nuclear warhead at a target more than 4,500 km away.
-Just a few months later in August, the Soviet Union was testing its first ICBMs.
Describe the Impact of the Arms Race on Warfare
-The weapons that were being developed were so powerful, that from the early 1950s, both the USA and Soviet Union could have destroyed the world many times over.
-This led to a change in thinking about war.
-Previously, weapons and armed forces were developed to win wars. Now they were being developed to try and stop the other side from going to war at all.
-Since both sides understood the risks involved in using nuclear weapons they acted as a deterrent.
Describe Dwight Eisenhower’s Attitudes to the Soviet Union
-Eisenhower was elected president of the USA in 1952 and took office in January 1953.
-His presidential campaign targeted communism and both he and his secretary of state, John Dulles, were strongly anti-communist.
-Eisenhower was determined to block any attempt at communist expansion, but he was also aware of the dangers posed by nuclear weapons.
-As a result, he was open to Soviet proposals that there should be talks to improve the relationship between the two superpowers.
Describe Nikita Khrushchev’s Attitudes Towards the USA
-Stalin’s death on 5 March 1953 led to a power struggle in the Soviet Union, as Stalin had not named a successor.
-It was not until 1956 that Nikita Khrushchev emerged as the effective ruler of the country.
-At the Party Congress in that year, he openly criticised Stalin’s policies and suggested that there should be peaceful co-existence with the West.
Describe the Factors that Contributed to Hope for a Solution to the Cold War
-The change of leadership made people on both sides hopeful that tension between the Soviet Union and USA could be reduced and that a solution to the Cold War could be found.
-In 1950, there had been a war in Korea in which the USA and Soviet Union supported different sides. But in July 1953, that war had come to an end.
-Both the USA and the Soviet Union were spending large sums of money on their armed forces. Both sides knew that reducing spending would be good for their economies.
Describe the Attitudes at the Geneva Meeting
-The new optimism for a resolution to the Cold War was fuelled by an agreement in 1955 on how Austria should be governed and a summit meeting in Geneva in July 1955.
-The meeting in Geneva failed to reach an agreement over disarmament and the future of Germany, but the atmosphere of co-operation reduced some of the tension between East and West.
-Unfortunately, the better relations were short lived as in May 1955, West Germany joined NATO and the Soviet response was to announce the formation of the Warsaw Pact.
-This meant that the Geneva meeting took place at a time when suspicion was still growing overall.
Explain what Caused the Protests in Hungary
-In February 1956, Khrushchev made a bitter attack on the dead Stalin and his policies which gave the Hungarian people hope for more freedoms.
-Poland had also already been granted rights in 1956 which had been gained by street protests and displays of rebellion. This inspired the Hungarian people.
-As a result, in October 1956, the people began to protest about about their lack of political freedoms and problems created by fuel shortages and poor harvests.
Describe the Initial Response to the Protests in Hungary
-In October 1956, there were riots in Budapest, and police clashed with protesters.
-Soviet troops restored order, but Khrushchev replaced the tyrannical leader Rakosi with Imre Nagy.
-Nagy was a former Prime Minister who believed that within a communist regime, there should still be some personal freedoms.
-Khrushchev hoped his appointment would end the protests.
Describe the Reforms Announced by Nagy After His Reappointment
-Within days of his appointment, Nagy announced a set of proposed reforms.
-He reorganised the Hungarian government to include members of non communist parties, ending the one party state in Hungary.
-He also authorised the immediate release of many political prisoners and persuaded Khrushchev to withdraw Soviet troops from Hungary.
-Khrushchev was prepared to accept these reforms if they calmed the unrest in Hungary. However, on November 1st 1956, Nagy broadcast that Hungary would leave the Warsaw Pact
Explain why the Soviets Could Not Allow Hungary to Leave the Warsaw Pact
-Hungary leaving the Warsaw Pact pushed the Soviets too far. Khrushchev could not allow this.
-If Hungary broke away from the Warsaw Pact, other Eastern European countries might follow.
-Then, the whole strategy of achieving security for the Soviet Union by surrounding it with pro-communist governments would be under threat.
Describe the Soviet Response to Hungary Leaving the Warsaw Pact
-Nagy’s foreign minister Kadar left the government in disgust to this announcement and established a rival government in eastern Hungary, supported by the Soviets.
-On 4th November, 1,000 Soviet tanks rolled into Budapest. They acted with immense brutality, even killing wounded people.
-Supporters of Nagy put up a fight and begged the West for support, but no help arrived.
-Tanks dragged bodies around the streets as a warning to those who were still protesting.
-It is believed that around 20,000 Hungarians were killed and 200,000 fled as the Soviets re-established control.
-A new pro-communist government was set up under Kadar.
Explain why Nagy and Hungarian Rebels Expected Support from the West
-When Nagy had proposed to leave the Warsaw Pact, he and his fellow rebels expected support from the USA and other Western nations.
-Radio Free Europe, a US government funded radio station, regularly broadcast messages urging the people of Eastern Europe to rise up against the communist regime.
-Since the USA had offered financial aid through the Marshall Plan, people in Eastern Europe assumed they would be ready to help in other ways.
Describe the Fate of Nagy After the Hungarian Uprising
-Nagy and many of his supporters had believed that Khrushchev’s criticism of Stalin would lead to a ‘softer’ approach with the satellite states but they miscalculated.
-Nagy and members of his cabinet sought refuge in the Yugoslav embassy. Kadar promised Nagy that he and his followers could have safe passage out of the country.
-However, when they left the embassy, Soviet agents kidnapped them. In July 1958, the Hungarian government announced that Nagy had been tried and executed.
-Khrushchev described his death as ‘a lesson to the leaders of all Soviet countries’.
