What were some differences between West and East Germany?

**Q.O.D.’s are due on FRIDAY** - 25 points (6th bell will be collected Thursday) Number each question and staple sheets

together

What were some differences between West and East Germany? Government: West – democracy; East – socialist

dictatorship Alliances: West – NATO, U.S.; East – Warsaw

Pact, USSR Reparations: Soviets took East German industry

and resources to rebuild the USSR; Western powers helped rebuild West Germany

Economic disparity: By 1950s, West was prospering and East was struggling

Berlin Blockade & Airlift (1946), Wall (1961): Soviets tried to push West completely out of East Germany

Attempted escapes: many East Germans tried to escape to West Berlin and West Germany

At first, the U.S. was the only nuclear power

By 1949 the USSR had nuclear weapons as well

1953 – Both had hydrogen bombs

Each side wanted to deter the other from using their weapons

Both wanted to match and exceed the others’ nuclear arsenal

MAD – mutually assured destruction Deterred both sides

from launching nuclear weapons

Most of the world lived under constant fear of nuclear war

90 miles from U.S. 1959 – Cuban Revolution

Fidel Castro overthrew Fulgencio Batista, who was supported by the U.S.

Castro sought the support of the Soviets Restricted freedoms, nationalized

businesses, put land under government control

Thousands of Cubans fled to Florida

United States wanted to bring down communist Cuba

1961 – Bay of Pigs Invasion U.S. trained Cubans, attempted to invade

at Bay of Pigs Failed – Castro’s forces captured invaders

U.S. imposed trade embargo Still in effect today

In late April 1962, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev wanted to place intermediate-range missiles in Cuba. Double Soviet arsenal Deterrent for U.S. attack on USSR Missile gap

Fidel Castro was looking for a way to defend Cuba from an attack by the U.S. Believed another invasion was coming

Castro approved of Khrushchev's plan to place missiles on the island. Summer 1962 - the Soviet Union worked quickly and

secretly to build its missile installations in Cuba.

October 15, 1962 – reconnaissance photos showed Soviet missiles under construction in Cuba.

October 16 – President Kennedy was informed of the missile installations. Kennedy immediately organized a group of

his twelve most important advisors to handle the crisis.

After seven days Kennedy decided to impose a naval blockade around Cuba. He wanted to prevent the arrival of more Soviet

offensive weapons on the island. October 22, 1963 – President Kennedy announced

the discovery of the missile installations to the public and his decision to blockade the island.

JFK proclaimed that any nuclear missile launched from Cuba would be regarded as an attack on the United States by the Soviet Union Demanded that the Soviets remove all of their offensive

weapons from Cuba

Tensions were building on both sides. Kennedy eventually ordered low-level

reconnaissance missions once every two hours.

October 25 - Kennedy pulled the quarantine line back and raised military readiness to DEFCON 2.

Oct 25 – U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Adlai Stevenson confronted Soviet Ambassador and presented photos of missiles in Cuba

October 26 – Khrushchev sent a letter Proposed removing Soviet missiles and personnel

if the U.S. would guarantee not to invade Cuba October 27 –A U.S. plane was shot down over

Cuba and Khrushchev sent a second letter Demanded the removal of U.S. missiles in Turkey

in exchange for Soviet missiles in Cuba. Attorney General Robert Kennedy suggested

ignoring the second letter Contacted the Soviet Ambassador to tell him of

the U.S. agreement with the first.

October 28 - Khrushchev announced that he would dismantle the installations and return the missiles to the Soviet Union, expressing his trust that the United States would not invade Cuba.

Further negotiations were held to implement the October 28 agreement United States demand that Soviet light bombers

be removed from Cuba Exact form and conditions of United States

assurances not to invade Cuba.

Soviet Insecurity Missile gap Berlin Wall Surrounded by enemies

Cuba’s fear of invasion by U.S. Bay of Pigs, 1961 Several military exercises

Closest the world came to nuclear war Lack of communication during crisis led to

establishment of “hotline” between Washington and Moscow

Kennedy and Khrushchev signed agreement to ban further testing in the atmosphere Seemed to be willing to work together

November 22, 1963 JFK was assassinated, 1964 Khrushchev removed from office