3 CRISES: BERLIN, CUBA, CZECHOSLOVAKIA

• what was the U2 incident in 1960?

  On 1 May 1960, Soviets shot down an American U-2 plane as it flew over the Soviet Union - as the Soviets interrogated the pilot, Gary Powers, he admitted to spying on them
• what effect did the U2 incident have on the Paris Summit Conference?

  President Eisenhower did not apologise for spying on the Soviets, causing Khrushchev to walk out the meeting with no decisions made
• when was the Berlin Wall built?

  1961
• why was the Berlin Wall built?

  • tensions between East & West grew
  • the Wall allowed the communists to consolidate their hold over East Germany
• what were the causes of the Berlin Crisis?

  • Khrushchev worried about the growing refugee problem - 2.7 million highly skilled East Germans fled to West Germany (1949-61)
  • Khrushchev believed West Berlin was the Western's base for spying and sabotage
  • Khrushchev worried about how West Berlin's capitalism was benefiting people
• what happened during the Berlin Crisis?

  • Summit talks in Geneva (May 1959) & Camp David (Sep. 1959) - failed to achieve anything about how Berlin should be goverened
  • Vienna conference (June 1961) - Khrushchev challenged JFK to withdraw US troops from Berlin but he refused
• what were the consequences of the Berlin Crisis?

  • a US propaganda victory - portrayed USSR as 'walling' in people
  • led to a period of calm in Europe - both sides accepted there was no immediate prospect of change
  • allowed khrushchev to avoid war with USA whilst appearing strong
• when was the Cuban Missile Crisis?

  October 1962
• what were the short term causes of the Cuban Missile Crisis?

  • failed Bay of pigs invasion in Cuba (1961) - made Catro fearful of another US invasion & asking Khrushchev for military aid
  • Bastista's pro-USA government overthrown by communist government led by Fidel Castro (1959) - intensififed communist expansion in Latin America
  • Catro nationalised US property in Cuba - forced Cuba to turn to the USSR who gave them economic aid
• what were the long term causes of the Cuban Missile Crisis?


  • arms race continued - US placed nuclear missiles in Turkey so USSR retaliated and put theirs in Cuba