1958-1968

• West Germany in the 1950s


  • Prospered due to receiving Marshall aid from the USA
  • Introduction of new currency
  • Most people had a reasonably high standard of living
• East Germany in the 1950s


  • Received little funding from the USSR
  • Economic policies led to shortages of basics like food and medicines
  • Soviet control of the government was extremely unpopular
  • east germany had lower standards of living
  • Soviet government placed restrictions on what people could say and do using the secret police
• Talks held between 1959 and 1961 to solve the Berlin problem


  1. Geneva in May 1959 (no agreement reached)

  2. Camp David in September 1959 (Khrushchev did not withdraw the Berlin ultimatum)

  3. Paris in May 1960 (talks cancelled after U2 spy plane shot down)

  4. Vienna in June 1961 (Kennedy refused to negotiate, Khrushchev determined to get his way)
• 1958 ultimatum


  • Khruschev had issued a 6 month ultimatum to the west stating that US troops should withdraw from west berlin
  • US negotiate as they dont war and also dont want to loose berlin as its a propaganda win
• berlin crisis facts 


  • 1941-1961 around 4 million east germans had left
  • many skilled doctors and teachers had left as the west had better pay
  • by jan 1961 20,000 people were leaving per month
• Paris 1960


  khruschev and eisenhower

  USA spy plane had been spotted weeks before and Khruschrv had demanded an apology and also an end to stop fights

  USA agree to stop fights but did not apolgise which lead to Khruschev storming out
• Vienna 1961


  khruschev and kennedy

  kennedy was young and new so khruschev thought he was going to be able to push kennedy into agreement

  however kennedy shows commitment to the doctrine and refuses to be pushed around
• after meetings

  • kennedy refused to back down and remove troops so instead he spent $3.2 billion on war defences in case of war
  • khruschev could not have it as USA had 20x more weapons and was much more equiped than the USSR
• 1961 Berlin wall

  Khrushchev built a 27 mile wall around berlin on the 12th august using barbed wire , with soldiers set at every point so escape was difficult as they were told to shoot if any crossing occured in their zone .
• consequence of the berlin wall


  • stopped the brain drain
  • families were separated
  • around 200 killed at fleeing attempts
  • showed that USSR would take any actions to keep east germany
  • served as a propaganda win for the US
• 1961 october checkpoint charlie


  • west german diplomats were not being given access to go to east germany
  • so this caused tension and on the 27th october soviet tanks pulled up at checkpoint charlie as well as western and had a standoff
  • stand off for roughly 18 hrs
  • kennedy stated if USSR removed troops USA would do the same
• cuba before revolution


  america liked batista but cuba did not

  • close ties with america
  • american companies own 60% of cuban sugar trade
  • cuban economy tied to USA ( electricity, railway)
  • cuba was in Americas sphere of influence
• Batista to cuba as a dictator since 1952


  batista was a repressive dictator

  anti-communist

  corrupt

  however america liked him as

  he allowed american corporations to thrive in cuba

  allowed trade and imports allowing economic success
• castro formation


  fidel castro had formed the group ' The Movement' aligned with communist ideals but didnt call themselves to avoid frightening others way

  • they had been planning military attacks on batista's regime but batista was arrested
  • however he performed a speech in court talking about the need of a revolution for those in need
  • released in 1955 from jail and escaped to mexico
• The movement castro


  started receiving a lot of support and ideals were growing on locals

  • using tactics like guerilla warfare was a big successes and after small scale victories he launched larger ones into cuban towns
  • with mass discontent people starting rioting against regime
  • USA had to stop funds to batista so they weren't in a bad light
• 1959 cuban revolution


  after many people in cuba protested against batista and the regime the US had to stop funds to batista and suggest a change in government

  so batista is now overthrown and castro is in charge
• consequence of cuban revolution 1959


  castro wants greater independence so

  • he confiscates american property
  • USA retaliate and don't buy cuban sugar ( form a large part of the economy)
  • cuba turns to USSR for help ( khrushchev ) and USSR agrees to help cuba industrialise
• 1961 aug Bay of Pigs


  the aim was to overthrow castro after seeing him openly oppose the us in the cuban revolution and make ties with USSR

  aimed to send cuban missiles so it looked like a USA were not involved
• 1961 bay of pigs 


  • 1960 eisenhower agreed to spend $13 million on bay of pigs invasion
  • 1961 kennedy approved too

  april 17th in the middle of the night 1400 exiles landed in the bay of pigs

  • plan failed as castro set defences nd exiles were spotted
  • and castro was liked in the cuban public eyes so they wouldnt revolt against him
  • 20,000 cuban soldiers vs 1400 usa
• consequence of bay of pigs 


  • USA was embarrassed and looked weak
  • cuba seeks protection from soviets - send military advisors to establish military bases
  • castro is seen unified with cuba and his position is seen stronger
  • cuban missile crisis
• 1962 cuban missile crisis


  during the 14th october to the 27th cuba was found with secret missiles to launch into america , this caused tension in this time period and escaped the brink of war by negotiating an agreement
• CMC 1962 14th oct


  on october the 14th a U2 american spy plane captured images of nuclear missile sites being built by the USSR

  kennedy finds out on the 16th
• CMC 1962 20th oct


  kennedy announces a naval blockade on cuba
• CMC 1962 22 oct


  kennedy makes a televised speech announcing the nuclear missile sites and the naval blockade , expressing concern and making the situation public
• CMC 1962 26-27 oct


  Khrushchev makes a deal first removing missiles on the basis of america not invading cuba ,but then gains intelligence and changes it to removing missiles if america removes missiles in turkey and italy
• CMC 1962 27th oct


  crisis is averted when bob kennedy and soviet representative both agree to removal of their missiles

  however removal of turkish missiles is kept secret and war is avoided
• consequence of cuban missile crisis

  • hot line set up 1963 - between washington and moscow to allow communication anytime needed
  • limited test ban 1963 - nukes could not be tested above ground level , steps towards ending M.A.D
  • khruschev looks weaker as he had to turn ships around but for USA look a victory
• 1968 prague spring crisis background

  dubcek replaced cruel leader novotny and wanted to reform czechoslovakia into a more free country but still remain part of the warsaw pact

  some of his reforms being:

  • free elections
  • end of censorship
  • and trade with the west
• 1968 august 20th prague spring crisis


  Brechnev ( USSR ) was not happy seeing czech become look too democratic and thought they were weakening soviet power , after seeing Tito uproar on 9th aug

  so they invade to reassert authority back into czech
• consequence of prague spring 1968


  • brezhnev doctrine formed ( this was belief that the USSR had the right to invade any country that threatened the belief of eastern bloc)
  • USSR looked aggressive as czech did passive resistance
  • soviet showed seriousness in communism and warsaw pact values, maintain their buffer zones
• prague spring relations consequence 


  • the west condemned the invasion but provided no help as they were in war with vietnam
  • western communist parties also condemned and created this idea of a rival form of communism ( eurocommunism in the west ) showing the extremities that communist countries thought of as well