Transformation of the Cold War

• What was the Berlin Wall?

  A barrier made on the 13th August 1961.

  It surrounded West Germany and stopped Eastern Germans going into the West.
• How did the East explain the building of the Berlin wall?

  Preventing spies from sending agents into East Germany and causing sabotage and riots.
• How did the West explain the building of the Berlin wall?

  Communism is so bad that people are fleeing East Germany and Khrushchev has built a wall to keep the people from leaving.
• What was the Checkpoint Charlie incident?

  > American diplomat trying to go between sides but stopped.

  > NATO and Soviets face each other on opposite sides of the wall.

  > Slowly withdrew tanks after an 18 hour standoff.

  > Very close to starting another war.
• What were the effects of the Berlin Wall being built?

  > Families divided and people couldn't go to work.

  > This made people want to cross however they were killed if they tried.

  > 41 people killed in the first year and 192 killed over the 3 decades.
• How did Kennedy respond to the Berlin Wall?

  > He went to West Berlin and made a speech - "Ich bin ein Berliner."

  > Says that the West stand with Berlin against communism and the Soviets.
• What was the relationship between Cuba and the USA like in the 1950s?

  > 160 km off the coast of Florida.

  > Lots of businesses in Cuba were American owned.

  > Large US naval base in Guantanamo Bay.
• Who was General Batista and why did the USA support him?

  > Cuban ruler supported economically and militarily by the US.

  > He was anti communist.
• Who took over from Batista in 1959?

  > Defeated by Fidel Castro in July 1958.

  > Batista fled abroad.

  > Castro took control in January 1959.
• How did the USA react to Castro taking over Cuba?

  > Recognised him as the new leader.

  > Thousands of Cubans fled to the USA demanding action against Castro.

  > Castro took over some American owned businesses.
• How did President Eisenhower respond to Castro's rule from 1960?

  > CIA investigated how to overthrow Castro.

  > USA supported and funded Cuban exiles.

  > Eisenhower refused to meet Castro.

  > USA banned all trade with Cuba.
• How did Castro respond to US hostility?

  > Assured Americans living in Cuba that they were safe.

  > Allowed the USA to keep its naval base.
• What was the relationship between Cuba and the USSR like from 1960?

  > Castro turned to the USSR for support.

  > The USSR provided loans and oil.

  > Khrushchev signed a trade agreement to give Cuba $ 100 million in economic aid.

  > This extended the USSR's sphere of influence from Eastern Europe.
• Did President Kennedy plan to directly invade Cuba?

  > He broke off diplomatic relations with Cuba in January 1961.

  > He supplied arms, equipment and transport for 1400 anti-Castro exiles to invade Cuba and overthrow him.
• What happened at the Bay of Pigs in April 1961?

  > Exiles were met by 20000 Cuban troops with tanks and modern weapons.

  > All the exiles were captured and killed within days.
• What were the impacts of the failed invasion at the Bay of Pigs?

  > It suggested that the USA was unwilling to be directly involved with Cuba.

  > It suggested that Kennedy was weak and Khrushchev used this as propaganda against him.

  > It encouraged the spread of communism further.

  > It made Castro and Khrushchev very suspicious of US policy.
• What started the Cuban Missile Crisis?

  On 14th October 1962, a US U2 spy plane took photos of suspected USSR missile sites on Cuba.

  This put a threat on the USA as the missiles were in range to target the largest cities of the country.
• What reasons could explain why the USSR put missiles on Cuba?

  > Bargain with the USA over missiles in Turkey.

  > Test Kennedy and put him under pressure.

  > Trap the USA in a nuclear war.

  > Get the upper hand in the Arms Race against the USA.

  > Genuinely defend Cuba after the Bay of Pigs incident.
• What were Kennedy's options in response to the USSR's missiles on Cuba?

  > Do nothing and risk the USSR actually using them - would be seen as weak.

  > Destroy the missile sites which could lead to retaliation by the USSR.

  > Invade Cuba by air and sea - USSR could respond by invading West Berlin.

  > Use diplomatic pressures via the UN.

  > Put a blockade around Cuba and stop and search Soviet ships while demanding the removal of the missiles.
• What was Kennedy's response to the USSR's missiles on Cuba?

  He ordered a blockade around Cuba on 21st October to stop further Soviet missiles entering and to buy time to negotiate with the Soviets.
• How did the USSR respond to the blockade around Cuba?

  > Refused to acknowledge the blockade or presence of the Soviet missiles on Cuba.

  > Continued the construction of the missiles.
• What letters did Kennedy receive from the Soviet Union during the Cuban Missile Crisis and how did he respond?

  > The first offered to negotiate over the missiles in Cuba with the removal of the blockade and US invasion threat.

  > The second said they would withdraw missiles in Cuba if the US withdrew their missiles in Turkey.

  > Kennedy ignores the second letter and accepts the terms of the first.

  > Secretly, he organises the withdrawal of missiles in Turkey.
• How did the USSR respond to the US's acceptance of the letters?

  > Khrushchev agrees to dismantle missiles in Cuba.

  > This ends the Cuban Missile Crisis.
• What were the consequences of the Cuban Missile Crisis?

  > Superpowers established a direct communications link to prevent further confrontations.

  > Test Ban Treaty signed in 1963 to prohibit testing of nuclear weapons in the atmosphere.

  > USA removes all its nuclear weapons from Turkey.

  > Kennedy's reputation greatly improved across the West after standing up to Khrushchev.

  > Khrushchev also called it a success as Cuba remained a communist ally and he was known as a peacemaker.

  > Split between China and the USSR became greater as China had accused them of being a paper tiger.
• Why were the Czech people unhappy in 1968?

  > Czechoslovakia was a part of the Soviet Buffer Zone.

  > Loss of political and economical independence.

  > Czechoslovakia had been a democracy before WW2.

  > Czech industry produced fewer goods and worked to benefit the USSR.
• Who was the new Czech leader in January 1968?

  Alexander Dubcek.
• What reforms were introduced in the Prague Spring?

  > Powers of the secret police curbed.

  > End of press censorship.

  > Free elections and opposition parties allowed.

  > Freedom to travel abroad.

  > Increased trade with the West.

  > Encourage competition.

  > Less state control.

  > Provision of basic human rights.

  > Increased standard of living.
• What promises did Dubcek make to Brezhnev?

  > His changes would not threaten the Soviet Union.

  > Czechoslovakia would not leave the Warsaw Pact.
• What was the Soviet and Warsaw Pact response to the Prague Spring?

  > Disapproved and asked Dubcek to stop the changes.

  > Concerned that communism was being weakened.

  > Worried that Czechoslovakia would turn against its neighbours.

  > 500,000 troops invaded Czechoslovakia - 20th August 1968.
• How did the Czechs fight back against the invasion?

  > Passive resistance - demonstrations and protests.

  > Secret radios and TV stations informed the outside world of the events.
• What happened to Dubcek during the invasion?

  > Taken to Moscow and made to abandon programme.

  > Resigned post as ambassador to Turkey.

  > Expelled from the Communist Party.
• Who was the new leader of Czechoslovakia that was put in by Brezhnev?

  Gustav Husak.
• What was the Brezhnev Doctrine?

  > Force would be used to keep satellite states under the Soviet influence.

  > No repeat performance of the Prague Spring.
• Why did Brezhnev not allow Dubcek's changes?

  > Weaken communism and encourage capitalism.

  > Could encourage other Eastern European countries.

  > Warsaw Pact could collapse and threaten security of the Soviet Union.
• What was the Communist reaction to the Prague Spring invasion?

  > They were unhappy with the USSR's actions.

  > Romania and Yugoslavia signed alliances with China.

  > China was suspicious of the Brezhnev Doctrine and worried that the USSR would interfere with China - this increased the split between them.

  > The introduction of the Brezhnev Doctrine strengthened Soviet control in the East.
• What was the Western reaction to the Prague Spring invasion?

  > The USA condemned the invasion and cancelled a meeting between Brezhnev and President Johnson.

  > The US was more involved in Vietnam and did not want to get involved with a country in the Soviet sphere of influence.

  > The UN tried to pass a Resolution condemning the invasion but the USSR prevented this using its vito.
• What were the long term effects of the events in Czechoslovakia?

  > It led to reduced tension between the superpowers.

  > USSR saw that the USA accepted the Soviet's control in the East and did not want to involve themselves militarily.
• What is meant by Détente?

  > Easing or relaxation of tension between the USA and Soviet Union.

  > Started in 1969 when Nixon became the US President.

  > It was characterised by the signing of agreements, summits between the superpowers and a safer world.
• How did the China-Soviet split encourage Détente?

  > USA used the opportunity to build a relationship with the second largest Communist power.

  > In February 1972, Nixon became the first US President to visit China.

  > This joined together 2 powerful nations as well as linked capitalism and communism together.

  > This meant the balance was no longer uneven.
• How did the nuclear issue encourage Détente?

  > Cuban Missile Crisis showed that neither side was willing to use nuclear weapons against the other.

  > There was concern that less stable countries would develop weapons.

  > Cooperation between the superpowers could limit the spread of technology.

  > Nuclear war would have ended in Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD).