Studied by 23 people
the Refugee Problem in Berlin (Jan 1961)
the number leaving East Berlin for the West had risen to over 20k
many refugees were professional people but there were also many skilled craftsmen among them
this was called the ‘brain drain’
the West was deliberately showing of their power and freedom
Khrushchev’s Berlin Ultimatum (1958)
Khrushchev issued the Berlin Ultimatum
he demanded the Allies leave Berlin within 6 months
US President Eisenhower did not want to risk war over Berlin
they agreed to meet and Camp David to discuss Berlin
the Summit Meetings
May 1959 = Geneva Conference
Sep 1959 = Camp David Summit
May 1960 = Paris Summit
Geneva Conference (May 1959)
the two leaders were seeking a new agreement on Berlin
no solution to the ultimatum was found, relations between Khrushchev and Eisenhower improved
Khrushchev agreed to consider a trip to the USA for another summit meeting the following year.
Camp David Summit (Sep 1959)
the fact that Eisenhower had invited Khrushchev to the official US presidential residence and Khrushchev had agreed demonstrated the respect they had for each other
Eisenhower said: Because of our importance in the world, it is vital that we understand each other better.
no agreement on the long-term fate of Berlin was reached
the ultimatum on Berlin was withdrawn by Khrushchev
it was agreed that further negotiations would take place in Paris the following year.
Paris Summit Agenda (May 1960)
Nuclear weapons and the need for a Test Ban Treaty: both sides knew the potential destructive power of nuclear weapons
they were keen to avoid turning bits of the planet into radioactive no-go areas
Berlin: the Soviets were exasperated that East Germans were continuing to escape to the West.
Cuba: the Americans were concerned that the recent revolution in Cuba had created a communist government on their doorstep.
American U2 Spy Plane
1 May 1960 = an American U2 spy plane was shot down over the USSR
USA claimed the U2 was a weather monitoring plane that had lost its way
but film retrieved by the Soviets from the plane clearly indicated that Powers had been on a spying mission
Consequence of American U2 Spy Plane
Paris Summit ended in failure: there was no agreement on Test Ban Treaty
because America lied about the U2 plane’s mission, they no longer held the ‘moral high ground’ in the Cold War
nothing was resolved on the issues of Berlin and Cuba; both would remain major sources of tension in the Cold War.
superpower relations deteriorated even further, heightening Cold War tensions
Cuban Revolution (1959)
Cuba it was closely allied to the United States under the leadership of the right-wing dictator, General Batista
1959 = Batista was overthrown in a revolution led by Fidel Castro
One of Castro’s first moves was to go to the USA to secure support, but President Eisenhower refused to recognise his government
Castro talked with representatives of the Soviet Union, and they offered their support for his new government
Castro was drawn to communism by the friendship and support offered by Khrushchev
Castro nationalised all American-owned companies in Cuba, and refused to pay compensation
The USA then had a communist state ‘in its own backyard’.
USA Response to Cuban Revolution
USA banned the import of Cuban sugar; they’re main source of income
this backfired on the Americans as it meant the Cubans then looked to the USSR for a market for their sugar
the Soviets were only too happy to oblige and were soon supplying Cuba with oil and weapons
the Bay of Pigs (1961)
April 1961 = after he was installed as President John F Kennedy approved a plan to invade Cuba and overthrow communism
CIA landed La Brigada 2506 (1,400 Cuban exiles) at the Bay of Pigs with the aim of provoking an anti-communist uprising
but Kennedy cancelled an order that had promised the Cuban resistance US Air Force support for their coup d’etat
this meant the rebels were easily defeated when they were met by 20,000 heavily armed Cuban troops; all were captured/killed
Kennedy now looked weak and aggressive at the same time.
Significance of Bay of Pigs
the failed invasion strengthened the position of Castro's administration
they proceeded to openly proclaim its intention to adopt socialism and pursue closer ties with the Soviet Union
It led to a reassessment of Cuba policy by the Kennedy administration.
Cuban Missile Crisis (Oct 1962)
The Cuban Missile Crisis was one of the most serious Cold War crises
It happened because the USSR placed missiles in Cuba and was the closest the world had been to a possible nuclear war
lasted for 13 days, from 14th to 28th October, 1962
Causes of the Cuban Missile Crisis
the Cuban Revolution in 1959 and the Bay of Pigs incident in 1961.
This pushed Cuba closer to the USSR, which bought Cuban sugar. In return, the Cubans bought oil from the Soviets.
Khrushchev was concerned about the missile gap and the fact the USA had nuclear missiles based in Turkey which could easily reach the USSR
the deployment of Soviet nuclear missiles to Cuba for protection against possible attack by the USA
Cuba is close to US state of Florida, which meant the mainland was within range of any missiles placed on Cuba. The USA therefore felt threatened.
Events of Cuban Missile Crisis
14 Oct = American Spy planes spotted missile bases being built on Cuba
22 Oct = Kennedy decided to blockade Cuba - a 500 mile naval quarantine to prevent the Soviets from bring any further military supplies
24 Oct = Khrushchev stated the USSR would launch nuclear missiles if America went to war in Cuba
26 Oct = Khrushchev offered to negotiate if the blockade was removed and the USA did not invade Cuba
27 Oct = Khrushchev offered to remove the missiles if the USA removed its missiles in Turkey - they accepted
28 Oct = Khrushchev agreed to the dismantling of nuclear missiles
Consequence of Cuban Missile Crisis
a hotline was established between the Kremlin and the Whitehouse so leaders could contact each other quickly in time of a emergency
1968 = the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty was signed to stop the spread of nuclear weapons
1964 = Khrushchev removed from power for his failings over the crisis
1963 = Limited Test Ban Treaty was signed so that the USA and USSR should stop testing nuclear weapons in the atmosphere
1967 = Outer Space Treaty signed to use outer space for peaceful purposes and not place nuclear weapons in orbit
Prague Spring (Jan-Aug 1968)
the Czech people attempted to exert some control over their own lives and reform the communist system to create 'Socialism with a human face’
That meant keeping the socialist model of government but guaranteeing a better delivery of goods, services and freedoms to the Czech people
Cause of Prague Spring
communist leader, Antonin Novotny, was unpopular - rule was characterised by censorship of the press and a lack of personal freedom for ordinary citizens
Czech economy was weak and many Czechs were bitter that the USSR controlled their economy for its own benefit
Novotný was replaced by Dubček as the leader of Czechoslovakia in the hope that this would reduce discontent
Some Czechs thought the USA would come to their assistance if they stood up to Moscow
Dubček’s Reforms + Reactions
Censorship was relaxed which allowed more criticism of communism.
Free speech was allowed.
Political parties other than the Communist Party were allowed to exist.
Travel restrictions were lifted, so Czechs could travel abroad.
Many communist parties where horrified believing the reforms were a threat to communism
Brezhnev was worried that it would lead to calls for reform elsewhere
Soviet Response to Prague Spring
On 20th-21st August, 1968, 500,000 Soviet-led Warsaw Pact troops entered Prague to arrest the reformers.
Dubček and other leaders were arrested
Dubček was forced state that Czechoslovakia would protect communism and the reforms would be reversed.
All the reforms were reversed when Dubček returned to Czechoslovakia
Consequences of Prague Spring
Aug 1968 = Brezhnev Doctrine was introduced to justify the invasion and to prevent any other eastern European nations from creating reforms
it stated that the Soviets had every right to invade any country in eastern europe whose actions appeared to threaten the security of the eastern bloc
International Reaction of Prague Spring
US government condemned the Soviet invasion but offered no military assistance
communist parties in Western Europe showed their disapproval by distancing themselves from the Communist Party of the USSR
Yugoslav and Romanian governments also condemned the Soviet invasion and began to foster closer links with China
significant because it showed a weakening of the Soviet Union’s ideological power in Eastern Europe.
Reasons for Construction of Berlin Wall (1961)
To prevent East German people defecting to West Berlin (the brain drain, the lure of the west)
To keep capitalism and spies from the West out, according to the Soviets and the East German government.
Consequences of Berlin Wall
families were separated for years and homes were evacuated
people tried to escape - hundreds died trying
Impact of Construction of Berlin Wall on Superpower Relations + Kennedy’s Response
Negative
SU = Krushchev had to abandon plans to unite Germany under soviet control
showed thta SU had to ‘lock’ people in the country
Positive
SU = the wall stopped refugees from leaving
sent a message that any attempt to reunite Germany would fail
USA = west berlin became a symbol of freedom
Kennedy’s reputation grow in west germany
June 1963 = Kennedy visited West Berlin and gave his 'Ich bin ein Berliner' speech meaning 'I am a Berliner' showing that America stood side-by-side with the people of West Berlin
Note 
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