Cold War June PPE

Cold War from 1953-1963

What were the effects of the Korean War?

• Economic pressure on the USSR causing Stalin to rapidly industrialise Eastern Europe

• Taiwan was guaranteed US protection

• The US was committed to supporting any country that were resisting communism (global containment) according to NSC-68

• Militarisation of western Europe

• Rearmament of West Germany

• Deepened Cold War tensions/uncertainties in Europe

When did Eisenhower become president?

Jan, 1953

Who were Eisenhower’s 2 Secretary of States?

• John Foster Dulles (1953-59)

• Christian Herter (1959-61)

What theory concerning containment did Eisenhower develop?

The domino theory

What were the three strands of Eisenhower’s New Look Policy?

• Rollback

• Massive Retaliation

• Brinkmanship

List 2 characteristics of Eisenhower’s New Look Policy:

• It was focused on bringing the Cold War to a successful conclusion, rather than simply containing communism

• It believed that peaceful/diplomatic methods were the means by which this would be accomplished, but they weren’t afraid to be aggressive and confrontational in pursuit of security for the USA and Western Europe

In what ways did Eisenhower’s New Look Policy differ from Truman’s outlook?

• Reliance/emphasis on nuclear weapons

• Aggressive stance

When did Kennedy become president?

Jan, 1961

Who was Kennedy’s Secretary of State?

Dean Rusk

When did Stalin die?

5th March 1953

When did Khrushchev deliver his Secret Speech?

Feb, 1956

What did Khrushchev’s policy of de-Stalinisation aim to achieve without changing the structure of the communist system?

• Long-term political stability

• Economic growth

• Improved living conditions

What triggered the 1956 uprisings in Eastern Europe?

Khrushchev’s Secret Speech and policy of de-stalinisation

When was the Polish Uprising?

June - Oct, 1956

What were the demands and grievances of the rebels in Poland?

They demanded:

• More political freedom

• National sovereignity

Their grievances were:

• Wage cuts

• Poor working conditions

Who led the Polish Uprising?

Wladyslaw Golmulka

When was the Hungarian Uprising?

Oct - Nov, 1956

What were the demands of the rebels in Hungary?

Their demands:

• Appointment of Imre Nagy as prime minister

• Withdrawal of Soviet troops from Hungary

• Freedom of Speech

• Free press

• Multi-party elections

Who led the Hungarian uprising?

Imre Nagy

When was the Geneva Conference?

1954

When was the Austrian State Treaty?

May 1955

What were the effects of the Austrian State Treaty?

• All occupying forces were withdrawn

• Austria was declared a neutral state

What was the significance of the Austrian State Treaty?

• Austria initially had the potential to become a major conflict in the Cold War, similar to Germany

• It was ‘Europe’s Korea’

• It was liable to be sucked into the soviet sphere of influence

• Showed serious intent towards mutual cooperation between cold war powers

When was the Geneva Summit?

Sep, 1955

Why was Khrushchev eager to organise a summit in 1955 (give 2 motivations)?

• A less confrontational relationship with the west would ensure that Khrushchev had the time and finances to deal with problems in the Soviet bloc

• The US were placing a large permanent force of troops in Western Europe as a preventative of a resurgence of German aggression as a result of the rearmament of the FRG and their admission to NATO

What were the 3 main topics discussed at the Geneva Summit?

• The future of Germany

• The ‘Open Skies’ proposal

• Nuclear disarmament

What events caused the Geneva Conference?

• The First Indochina War (1946-1954)

• The Battle of Dien Bien Phu

What were the effects of the Geneva Conference?

• Vietnam was divided into 2 parts along the 17th parallel

• French troops had to withdraw to the southern section and Vietminh troops had to withdraw to northern section

Who did the US support as president of South Vietnam?

Diem

Who did Diem appoint as prime minister of South Vietnam?

Nhu (his brother)

Who ruled North Vietnam after the Geneva Conference?

Ho Chi Minh

What did Ho Chi Minh’s policy of land reform cause?

• Revolts with military suppression

• 6,000 deaths

• Rapid collectivisation

• Tensions in NV

What were Kennedy’s policies regarding Vietnam?

Kennedy abandoned Eisenhower’s policy of massive retaliation in Vietnam, electing instead to follow a policy of counterinsurgency to combat the insurgencies that were common in Vietnam. This could be termed his flexible response policy.

What was Diem and Kennedy’s strategy to contain communism, limit the Vietminh, and promote capitalism and when was this implemented?

1) Strategic Hamlet Program

2) March 1962

When was the Buddhist Crisis?

(Starting in) May 1963

What were 2 causes of the Buddhist Crisis?

• Religious suppression

• Corrupt leadership

Who committed self-immolation in the Buddhist Crisis?

Thich Quang Duc

Who organised a coup against Diem?

The dissident generals in South Vietnam

When was the coup against Diem and when were Diem and Nhu killed?

1) 1st November, 1963

2) 2nd November, 1963

What was US opinions on the death of Diem?

The US had decided that conflict in Vietnam couldn’t be resolved with Diem in office, as he was not willing to stop the repression or restrain Nhu. They did not contribute to his death, but neither did they restrain the coup.

When was the Paris Summit?

May 1960

Why did the Paris Summit collapse?

Because of the U-2 Spy Plane Incident

Who was shot down in the U-2 spy plane incident?

Gary Powers

What did U-2 flights confirm in the arms race?

That Khrushchev was exaggerating Soviet nuclear capability and that the US were much more advanced than the USSR in this area

Who invented the 1st H-bomb and when was it successfully tested?

1) USA

2) 1952

Who developed the 1st ICBM and when was it developed?

1) The USSR

2) 1957

What was the Gaither Report and when was it commissioned?

1) The Gaither Report was a US government report concerning the military strength of the USSR in comparison to the USA

2) 1957

What concept did the Gaither Report present?

The concept of a missile gap between the USA and the USSR, with the USSR predicted to lead 100 to 30 in ICBMs.

When was Sputnik launched and what was it?

1) Oct 1957

2) The first satellite

When did the USA fail to launch a rocket?

6 Dec, 1957

When was NASA established?

1958

Who was the 1st man in space and when was he launched?

1) Yuri Gagarin

2) April 1961

What did Khrushchev desire through peaceful coexistence?

• A deal over Berlin

• An agreement to prohibit nuclear weapons in the Pacific

• A ban on nuclear weapons in Germany

When was SEATO?

Sep, 1954

When was the Warsaw Pact created?

1955

What was the Warsaw Pact?

• Soviet version of NATO

• Collective security strategy

What was the Hallstein Doctrine?

It was an declaration by the FRG that they would regard any recognition of the GDR as an unfriendly act and end all diplomatic relations with them.

How many citizens of the GDR fled the country during the migration crisis in the 1st half of 1961?

10,000

How many citizens of the GDR fled the country during the migration crisis in 1953?

300,000

Who persuaded Khrushchev to take action against the migration crisis in Berlin?

Walter Ulbritcht

When did work begin on the Berlin Wall?

13 Aug, 1961

When did Castro take power in Cuba?

1 January, 1959

Who did Castro overthrow to take Cuba?

Batista

When did the USSR offer economic and military aid to Cuba?

Feb 1960

When was the Bay of Pigs invasion?

April, 1961

When did Kennedy authorise Operation Mongoose?

Nov 1961

What was the aim of Operation Mongoose?

To destabilise and overthrow Castro’s regime through covert operations within Cuba, instigating an anti-Castro revolt from within Cuba

When and why did Khrushchev deploy Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba?

1) May 1962

2) Because Cuba could fall prey to a US attack, and would fall within a week

When was the Cuban Missile Crisis (days/month/year)?

16 - 28 October, 1962

What did Kennedy do when he was informed of the presence of Soviet nuclear missiles on Cuba?

• Assembled ExComm

• Placed a naval blockade around Cuba to prevent more missiles being delivered to Cuba

• Prepared US bases for a possible military strike against Cuba

What were 5 effects of the Cuban Missile Crisis?

• Khrushchev withdrew Soviet nuclear weapons from Cuba

• Kennedy withdrew US nuclear weapons from Turkey

• The 1963 ‘hotline’ between the Kremlin and the Whitehouse

• The Moscow Test ban Treaty

• A move towards ‘detente’

What 2 key things in the space race happened in 1957?

• Sputnik 1

• Laika’s flight

What did Kennedy pledge in 1961?

To land a man on the moon by the end of the decade

What happened in 1963 in the space race?

1st woman in space (USSR)

Name 5 key events in the space race:

• Sputnik 1 (1957)

• Laika (1957)

• Explorer 1 (1958)

• Yuri Gagarin (1961)

• 1st woman in space (1963)