the cold war

• when was the polish crisis?

  June to October 1956
• what were the causes of the polish crisis?

  the doctrine between Tito and Khrushchev which suggested that different countries could develop socialism in their own way was first tested in Poland.

  there was also unrest around increased work targets in factories
• describe the key events of the polish crisis.

  • end of June 1956 - riots broke out in Poznań
  • Polish communist party turns to Gomulka
  • soviet government ordered red army troops to advance into poland to try and stop gomulka getting elected
  • Gomulka didn't back down and we elected
  • Khrushchev withdrew troops due to the deteriorating situation in Hungary and Gomulkas promise that poland would stay in Warsaw pact
• when was the hungarian uprising?

  1956
• describe the key events of the hungarian uprising.

  1. 23rd October 1956 - large demonstration in budapest which demanded the withdrawal of soviet troops and for Nagy to be put in charge
  2. Gerö gave way and appointed Nagy as Prime minister
  3. Nagy announced intentions to remove Hungary from the warsaw pact
  4. fighting between rebels and soviets ensued
  5. Nagy executed in 1958
• how much of a threat was the hungarian uprising?

  threat - showed USSR that countries within their sphere of influence were trying to gain independence - had potential to create domino effect and topple USSR influence in the East.
• how did the Hungarian uprising affect tensions?

  it did show the lengths the USSR was willing to go to to protect their interests in Eastern Europe.

  There was no direct or military western intervention due to Suez Crisis - suggests lack of increase in tensions.

  But, the US did broadcast anti-soviet propaganda in Hungary and encouraged revolt.
• when was the Eisenhower doctrine?


  January 1957
• what was the Eisenhower doctrine a result of? 


  the suez crisis creating growing fears of soviet influence in the middle east
• what did the Eisenhower doctrine consist of?

  it clearly stated that the united states would help any country in the middle east to fight against communism
• what was the missile gap?


  the us congress and media promoted the idea of a missile gap between USSR and US - Eisenhower recommended that to combat this:

  • there was a vast increase in offensive defence power, especially missile development in the US
  • a build-up of conventional forces capable of fighting a limited war
  • a massive building program of fallout shelters to protect US citizens from nuclear attack.
• when was the U-2 incident?


  May 1960
• what happened in the U-2 incident?

  an american spy plane was shot down over the soviet union. The Americans claimed it was a weather plane. However, the soviets were able to reveal the high-altitude photo-reconnaissance nature of the plan. The pilot - Gary Powers - also admitted to the spy nature of his task.
• how did the U-2 incident increase tensions?

  Eisenhower refused to apologize for the U-2 incident or condemn U-2 flights at the Paris Summit.

  khrushchev then cancelled Eisenhower's visit to the USSR
• what were the economic differences between West Germany and East Germany by the 60s?

  economically - the west was bigger than the east due to a larger population and bigger industrial output + it had received marshall aid

  Ulbricht's post-1949 program of collectivization of farms and of socialization was disastrous for the economy.
• what did this economic difference between the two germanys result in?

  many east germans fleeing to the west via berlin
• what were the political differences between East and West Germany?

  west = democracy

  east = no free elections since 1946

  due to these differences - no efforts to reunite the country
• how many refugees fled to west berlin on the 12th of August 1961?

  40,000
• when was the berlin wall put up?

  on the morning of the 13th of August 1961 - barbed wire was put up - followed by a more permanent concrete wall
• what did the building of the berlin wall mean for khrushchev?

  it was a defeat in the sense it was a visible admission that the communist propaganda message had failed.

  But it meant that he could keep control over the situation
• what did the building of the berlin wall mean for Ulbricht?

  the closed border helped him consolidate communist control in the GDR
• what did the building of the berlin wall mean for citizens of berlin?

  families and friends immediately cut off from each other with no hope of reunion
• what did the building of the berlin wall mean for the cold war?

  it had the effect of settling the question of germany and removing it as a key issue in the cold war

  however, the americans did not realise this at first - shown through the tank standoff at checkpoint charlie
• when was the national defense education act?

  1958 - increased funding to state-funded education
• when was the cuban missile crisis?

  1962
• how long did the cuban missile crisis last for?

  13 days
• why did Khrushchev choose to put missiles in cuba?

  due to the US putting missiles in Turkey, which bordered the soviet union, the soviet union put them in cuba as a way of redressing the balance
• why was the presence of the missiles so intolerable to the US?

  it increased the Soviet's first strike capability. It also showed to the public that the power balance had changed. Crisis of confidence for Kennedy.
• how was the Cuban missile crisis related to the Berlin crisis?

  Kennedy believed it was all part of the plan to push America out of Berlin. Led to further increase of tensions as actions not only impacted Cuba but Berlin
• what was the impact of the cuban missile crisis for the wider international situation?

  the orthodox view suggests that the world was in a safer place due to a hotline created between the USA and USSR as well as both sides realising the danger of nuclear war. Signed the limited test-ban treaty in 1963.

  But,

  these treaties did not prevent the arms race which only intensified after the crisis.

  Overall,

  more stability.
• when was prague spring?

  1968
• who was Alexander Dubcek?

  He was the leader of the communist party in czechoslovakia during prague spring. He aimed to create 'socialism with a human face'.
• what were the measures introduced during prague spring?

  • wider power for trade unions
  • measures to modernize and liberalise the economy
  • expansion of trade with the west
  • freedom to travel abroad
  • But, would remain in warsaw pact.
• what action did the soviet's take during prague spring?

  Brezhnev became increasingly worried + decided to resort to force. Czech government did not resist due to what happened in Hungary in 56'. The people protested peacefully for a while but ultimately government was forced to abandon reforms. Husak replaced Dubcek in 1969.
• what were the results of prague spring?

  the brezhnev doctrine - said that if USSR felt communism was under threat in any of the eastern bloc countries - would intervene with action.

  the invasion of czechoslovakia seriously damaged the reputation of communism.
• what was the USSR's reason for detente? 


  it needed better relations with the US because its economy was stagnating. Also, relationship with china was deteriorating.
• what was the USA's reason for detente?

  Nixon needed to find a way to end the vietnam war + wanted the US to follow more realistic foreign policy - 'realpolitik'.
• what were the reasons for improved relations which led to detente?

  Cold War tensions, nuclear arms race, desire for stability.
• what were the successes of detente?

  SALT I which agreed:

  • the ABM treaty: limitation of anti-ballistic missiles - ensured continued emphasis on MAD and deterred nuclear war
  • the interim treaty: placed limits on ICBMs
  • the basic principles agreement: laid down conduct for nuclear war - promoted peaceful coexistence.
• what did SALT II agree?

  a limit on number of strategic nuclear delivery vehicles

  a ban on the test or development of new types of ICBMs