The Cold War – Rivalry for Global Supremacy 1945-1962
The Khrushchev Era:
• Stalin dies 1953 and is replaced by Nikita Krushchev by 1956.
• De-Stalinization of the Soviet Union - Krushchev denounces Stalin’s authoritarian rule – encourages Eastern bloc to resist Soviet control in general.
• Peaceful Co-existance: there are two different social systems but socialism would win through non-violent transition, not by war or violent revolution.
The Cold War – Liberation Movements!
Polish and Hungarian Unrest:• Poland 1956: riots protesting Soviet
economic and political domination. – Agreement that Poland will receive
some domestic autonomy but adhere to Soviet foreign policy
• Hungary 1956: demand for liberalization of the economy. 1956 – demonstrations happen – Imre Nagy becomes the Prime Minister.– Nagy promises free elections and
withdrawl from the Warsaw Pact. – USSR cannot allow it – 5000 Soviet
tanks attack. – Nagy is overthrown and a new
Communist government is set up. – recognition by the USA that Hungary
was in the Soviet Sphere of influence.
The Cold War – Rivalry for Global Supremacy 1945-1962
Berlin: Tension Builds
• 1958 – 2 million East Germans had fled to the West from East Germany: “Brain Drain” – skilled workers or highly trained professionals.
• Krushcev wanted the West out of Berlin - West refuses August 1961 – East and west Berlin are cut off after 103, 000 East Germans poured into W. Germany in the first 6 months of 1961.
• The Berlin Wall replaces the barbed wire.
The Cold War – Rivalry for Global Supremacy 1945-1962
Cuban Missile Crisis
• Fidel Castro gains power in 1959.• 1960 Cuba and the Soviet Union sign a
$100 million trade agreement. • 1961 Cuban emigres attack Cuba at the
Bay of Pigs and are defeated. • 1962 – American U-2 flights photograph
medium-range ballistic missiles sites. • Kennedy decides they must quarantine
Cuba. • Compromise: Cuban missiles for Turkish
missiles. USA would remove quarantine and promise not to invade Cuba.
• Diplomacy averted a nuclear war and jump started nuclear negotiations regarding testing 1963-Partial Test Ban Treaty.