Long Essays

Pseudo Cold War crises: 1956: Hungary, Suez  

Introduction

• 1956 Pseudo Crisis: contained episodes; intra-bloc

• Polish Crisis, Hungarian Uprising

• Suez Crisis

• Handling: limits of superpower rivalry + cautious CW management

Body1 - Hungarian Uprising

• October-November 1956: spontaneous revolt - national movement

• Demands: political pluralism, Soviet troop withdrawal, Imre Nagy

• Warsaw Pact withdrawal neutralization = ALERT

• Compromise? no - military intervention (re-entering BP)

• Western? NO involvement BUT accepting immigrants

Body2 - Polish Crisis

• June 1956: strike in Poznan; poor wages + harsh economic condition; anti-government + “bread and freedom”

• Polish October + return of Wladyslaw Gomulka = ALARM

• Reassurance = CONCILIATION

Body 3 - Suez Crisis

• Gama Abdel Nasser; nationalized Suez Canal (1956, July) — before; the Franco-British company (imperative for oil trade)

• Sevres Plan (October 22-24): France, British + Israel — November 5th invasion

• Soviets: EMPTY missile attacks (support Egypt) — Propaganda VICTORY (defender of national independence)

• US: Eisenhower condemned at UN + sanctions (to Britain)

• Nesser = VICTORY —

Conclusion

• Restraints: intra-sphere crisis (US not supporting allies)

• ‘Crisis Management’ + MAD

• Violence BUT not on a global conflict level

Fundamental change in East–West relations: the first détente period, 1953–1956

Introduction

• 1953-1956 first detente period

• Why? death of Stalin, MAD, confrontation does NOT equal victor

• “Compelled coexistence” — rivalry managed through diplomacy & cooperation (1953-1991)

• Danger of MAD + hydrogen bomb

Body 1 - Soviet Change

• Stalin DEATH (iron fist, militarization) —> peace co-existence

• NOT abandonment of competition; strategy CHANGE = prevail through political, economic & ideological means

• Austrian State Treaty (1955); ended occupation & ensured neutrality

• Geneva Summit (1955): diplomatic openness

• Reconciliation w/Yugoslavia + Warsaw Pact (1955)

• rational Soviet leadership

• NOT linear

Body2 - US change

• Dwight D. Eisenhower: “New Look’ strategy containment BUT reducing costs of economic/political permanent mobilizations

• Deterrence + selective negotiation

• Coexistence rather than rollback = new strategy

• controlled competition

Body3 - structural changes in blocs

• Warsaw Pact (1955)

• Indochina Conflict (1954); thaw of East-West communication

• NO end in ideological rivalry BUT a stable international framework

Conclusion

• qualitative change: structural transformation NOT a temporary phenomenon

• acceptance of coexistence under the threat of nuclear  parity

• rivalry & restraint

• system of MANAGED competition

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