The Global War, 1955–1963: Khrushchev and East-West Relations - Peaceful Coexistence Flashcards
Who developed the policy of peaceful coexistence
Khrushchev
What was peaceful coexistence
The idea that the superpowers should accept each others’s existence rather than pursue a path to mutual destruction
Reasons Khrushchev wanted PC
Avoid nuclear war
Gave USSR chance to financial recover from conflict
Remove the US’s anti-soviet stance
What did Khrushchev say about PC in the secret speech
“Either peaceful coexistence or the most devastating war in history”
What else did Khrushchev say in the secret speech
There are many routes to communism
When was the Austrian State Treaty
May 1955
What did the Austrian State Treaty do?
Austria was divided into occupation zones like Germany
The treaty declared that Austria would be neutral and all the occupying powers would withdraw
What did the Austrian State Treaty show?
Serious intent towards mutual cooperation between powers
When was the Geneva Summit
July 1955
What caused Khrushchev to organise the Geneva Summit 1955
FRG’s rearmament in May 1955
What 2 main issues were discussed at the Geneva Summit 1955
The Open Skies proposal
Future of Germany
What was the Open Skies Proposal
Eisenhower presented a proposal to end the deadlock over nuclear arms inspection, which would be a step towards disarmament
How did the USSR respond to the proposal the Open Skies Proposal
USSR rejected it
What did Eisenhower suggest for the future of Germany
He proposed a reunified Germany with free elections and freedom
Khrushchev would only contemplate a reunified Germany if it was demilitarised and neutral
But they agreed on principle of free elections but no procedures set up
What was achieved at the Geneva Summit 1955
Showed the powers were open to dialogue but no satisfactory outcome reached
When did Khrushchev visit the US
Sept 1959
What was Khrushchev’s US visit like
First USSR leader to visit states, showed thawing tensions
Went well Camp David Talks- Khrushchev withdrew the 6 month time limit on the Berlin ultimatum- when he said the US must withdraw from Berlin
Invited Eisenhower to US, although this got retracted after Paris conference
When was Khrushchev’s UK visit
Feb 1956
What was Khrushchev’s UK visit like
Went well
Continued to champion PC
Visited Harwell Atomic Energy Establishment showing less atomic secrecy
How Tito used non alignment in Yugoslavia
Didn’t commit to Stalin or the USA, despite collecting their economic assistance
Didn’t want to be dependant or controlled by other
After Stalin’s death Khrushchev and Malenkov travelled to Yugoslavia to apologise for Stalin’s behaviour
