Transcript Khrushchev and the west

The Cold War 1955-1963
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COMECON:
The Council for Mutual Economic Assistance
1949–1991, was an economic organisation under
hegemony of Soviet Union.
It was established to facilitate the economic
development of Eastern European belonging to
the Communist Bloc.
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Dwight Eisenhower takes over from Truman in
1953:
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Democrats charged Republicans for “missile
gap”.
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Eisenhower responded.
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Enlarged defense spending + create the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA).
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By 1962-63, the U.S. had 450 missiles and 2,000
bombers capable at striking the Soviet Union,
compared to 50-100 ICBMS and 200 bombers
that could reach the US (but the Soviet had
biological weapons!).
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Took place in era of deStalinization.
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Renewed optimism in East-West relations.
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Attending was Eden (UK), Eisenhower (USA),
Mendes-France (France), and Bulganin (USSR).
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Four leaders discussed security, armaments,
German unification, and closer contacts
between East and West.
The former Allies agreed to end the joint
occupation of Austria.
No major agreement were made but a
friendly climate was created.
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May 1955 – the four major powers signed a
treaty making Austria an independent state =
Austrian State Treaty, 1955:
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Bound Austria to permanent neutrality by
forbidding the country join any military
alliances.
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Was the only peace treaty since 1946 signed
western nations and the USSR
Signalled co-operation and relaxation of
international tensions
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1955 – Egypt (Nasser) concluded a trade
agreement with the USSR whereby Egypt
received arms from Czechoslovakia.
Threatened the security of Israel, whom
Egyptian president Nasser had signalled out in
his propaganda attacks.
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1956 – American Secretary of State John Foster
Dulles, in retaliation for Nasser’s agreement
with the USSR, announced the withdrawal of
American intentions to help Egypt build the
costly Aswan Dam.
Led to Nasser’s nationalization of the Suez
Canal.
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After increasing tension between Egypt and
Israel, the Israelis, in the fall of 1956, attacked
Egypt and drove through the Sinai Peninsula
towards the Suez Canal.
The British and French, apparently still
angered by Nasser’s nationalization of the Suez
Canal Company, demanded a ceasefire and
permission to occupy key points on the Canal.
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When Egypt refused, British and French forces
invaded the Suez Canal zone.
The UN General Assembly arranged the
withdrawal of belligerent armies by sending
UNEF (United Nations Emergency Force) to
the Near East.
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These forces, in the future, became known as
first peacekeeping forces.
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After this crisis the USSR extended its influence
to Syria and Iraq.
An effect of the crisis was to drive Nasser
closer to the USSR and Britain and France
were discredited and the US and the USSR
became the major powers in the region.
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1956 – Khrushchev stated that the USSR was
ready to peacefully compete with the USA on
a global basis.
The American response to Khrushchev was the
Eisenhower Doctrine:
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A heavy handed policy of using the USA
troops if necessary to intervene in the Middle
East to help against communist instigated
aggression.
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It seemed the new policy of peaceful coexistence was indeed a relaxation of tension
(détente) within the Cold War.
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Yet, it signalled a new era of competition
between the USA and the USSR:
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The Space Race.
Khrushchev’s “We will bury you” speech.
Soviet aggression in the Middle East.
New pressure on Berlin.
Cuban Missile Crisis.
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August 4, 1957 – USSR launched the first
satellite, Sputnik, into orbit:
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The Sputnik launch confirmed the Soviet
Union’s superpower status.
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Two months earlier they had tested an
intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).
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The USA felt that it was unable to control the
destiny of the world.
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Khrushchev made his “We will bury you”
speech while addressing Western ambassadors
at a reception at the Polish embassy in Moscow
on November 18, 1956:
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In fact, it was somewhat distorted = the actual
quote reads: "Whether you like it or not,
history is on our side. We will dig you in“.
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1959 – Premier Khrushchev announced his
governments intention of signing a peace treaty
with East Germany.
The western nations feared this treaty would
result in the East Germans attempting to block
the access routes from West Germany to West
Berlin.
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Khrushchev proposed that Berlin be made a
free city.
The western leaders felt this action would just be
a prelude to communist domination of the entire
city.
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PM Harold MacMillan of Britain succeeded in
getting Khrushchev to postpone the treaty and
influenced Eisenhower to agree to
Khrushchev’s desire for a summit meeting.
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1960 – Paris: the meeting between MacMillan,
de Gaulle, Eisenhower, and Khrushchev
collapsed when Khrushchev refused to meet
with the western leaders until the US
apologized and took action against those
responsible for the flight of an American spy
plane over the USSR.
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Known as the U-2 Crisis/Incident:
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Francis Gary Powers (pilot) was shot down
by a missile over the USSR.
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The US had flown this spy plane (CIA) over
the USSR without impunity defying the
USSR to shoot one down.
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This was a reconnaissance mission over
Soviet Union airspace.
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The invention of the rocket powered missile
changed the ability to shoot down spy planes.
Khrushchev’s accusation/boycott indicated an
intensification of the Cold War.
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Khrushchev pressed Kennedy (became
President in 1960) and the Allies to get out of
Berlin.
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He was worried about the number of people
leaving for the West – “brain drain” +
ideological embarrassment for the Soviets.
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President Kennedy increased American
strength and Khrushchev responded by
building the Berlin Wall.
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A hastily created wall was erected on August
13, 1961.
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A permanent wall later erected was made of
concrete, barbed wire and guarded with “shoot
to kill” guards.
Americans could only protest.
Became a symbol of the eroding relations
between the Soviet Union and the United
States + a symbol of the Cold War itself.
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Kennedy and Khrushchev both faced pressure
and criticism at home for being soft regarding
Berlin.
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Khrushchev ordered a new round of nuclear
tests including a fifty-eight ton megaton bomb
= Tsar Bomb.
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Kennedy ordered a new round of tests
himself.
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June 26, 1963 – Berlin crisis escalated when
Kennedy made his famous “Ich bin ein
Berliner” speech (I am a Berliner).
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“All free men, wherever they may live, are
citizens of Berlin, and, therefore, as a free
man, I take pride in the words ‘Ich bin ein
Berliner’”.
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Boldly announced his commitment to the
defence of Berlin.
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What he really said was “I am a jelly donut”!
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hH6nQ
hss4Yc
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In the 1950s, French intellectuals coined the
term “Third World”.
Used to describe the efforts of countries
seeking a “third way” between Western
capitalism and Soviet communism.
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By the early 1960s, the term had come to
identify a large bloc of countries from
Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
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Charting a “third way” proved difficult,
both economically and politically = both the
Soviets and the Americans saw the Third
World as “underdeveloped”.
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By the middle of the 1960s, as the euphoria of
decolonization evaporated and new states
found themselves mired in debt and
dependency.
Many Third World nations fell into
dictatorship and authoritarian rule.