THE COLD WAR 1953-1960

Nikita Khrushchev (1958-1964)

The H-Bomb

• November, 1952 American scientists exploded their first H-Bomb.

• Hydrogen bomb many times more destructive than the A-Bomb used at Hiroshima.

• 1953, Russians also had H-Bomb.“ There are optimists and pessimists in Britain’, the pessimists think that 5 h-bombs will wipe out everyone in Britain, the optimists think it would take eight. We have two hundred.”

Eisenhower & Dulles

• 1952 Eisenhower was elected president of the USA.

• He appoints John Foster Dulles as his Secretary of State.

• Dulles believed that communists were plotting to conquer the world and he was determined to stop them.

SEATO

• In 1954, Dulles convinces nations in Asia to join the South East Asia Treaty Organization.– Purpose was to contain

communism in Asia.

The Hungarian Uprising (1956)

• Hungary had been under Soviet control since 1946.

• People of Hungary rebelled against their communist leaders.

• Russian tanks were sent in and crushed the revolution.

• First major attempt by a satellite state to try and win independence.

Sputnik (1957)

• October, 1957 the USSR sent the world’s first earth satellite into space.

Nuclear Missiles

• Americans scared of Soviet missile capability sped up production of rockets.

• The biggest rockets were called ICBM’s. (Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles)

• Polaris (carried by nuclear submarines)

• By the end of the 1950’s the superpowers had enough nuclear missiles to kill everyone on earth. (balance of terror)

Khrushchev & Peaceful Co-Existence

• Khrushchev believing that war would simply destroy each other turned to Peaceful co-existence.– Living peacefully side

by side knowing that capitalism would eventually destroy itself.

The U-2 Incident

• Eisenhower welcomed Khrushchev’s peaceful co-existence and they agreed to meet in Paris in 1960 to talk peace.

• As leaders were on there way to the summit an American U-2 spy plane was shot down over Russia.

• Khrushchev angrily accused Eisenhower of planning for war while talking peace and refused to attend the meeting.

The Berlin Wall

The Division of Germany

• 1949 the Western powers (USA, GB, France) joined their zones together to form the Federal German Republic. (West Germany)

• Russians responded by turning their zone into the German Democratic Republic. (East Germany)

• West Germany prospered under the Marshall Plan.

The Wall

• Many people living in East Germany were not as well off as West Germans and escaped into West Germany.

• By July, 1961 approximately 10 000 East Germans were leaving per week.

• 3 000 000 people had fled since 1945.

The Wall cont….• Not only embarrassing for

the government of East Germany but damaging economically because many of the refugees were skilled workers.

• In August of 1961 the East German government constructs a wall to stop people from leaving East Germany.

CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS

Cuba

• 145 km of the US coast.

• 1959 Communist Revolution in Cuba led by Fidel Castro.

Cuba cont….

Cuba nationalized all industry in Cuba.

• All US business and interests in Cuba were lost.

• US claimed they were stolen by Cuban govt.

• US president Eisenhower agreed to help Cubans wishing to overthrow Castro.

• In January, 1961 John F. Kennedy takes over as President and continues this promise.

BAY OF PIGS

• April 1961, 1400 anti-Castro Cubans landed at the Bay of Pigs in Cuba to try and overthrow Castro.

• Castro was ready with troops and artillery and stopped the threat.

Bay of Pigs cont….

• Castro scared that Kennedy would help other rebellions asked Khrushchev for help, and Khrushchev sends weapons to Castro.

• Kennedy worried about events keeps a close eye on Cuba.

The Cuban Missile Crisis

• Americans discovered Russian missile bases being built in 1962.

The Cuban Missile Crisis

• President Kennedy ordered an American blockade (quarantine) of Cuba to stop Russian ships from carrying missiles into Cuba.

The Cuban Missile Crisis

• Kennedy then ordered Khrushchev to dismantle the missile bases immediately.

• Any attack from Cuba would be treated as a direct attack on the USA by USSR and ordered 156 long range missiles aimed at the USSR to be ready to fire.

• On October 29, 1961 4 days after the blockade began Khrushchev “blinked first” and ordered the dismantling of all missile bases in Cuba.

• President Kennedy called off the blockade and promised to leave Cuba alone.

The Cuban Missile Crisis

DETENTE“A Change in Superpower Relations”

Reasons for Detente

• Both sides realized how dangerous the situation had become.

• US fighting in Vietnam - needed to slow Arms Race to reduce burden on economy.

• USSR concerned about Communist China.

• Both sides wanted to reduce economic expenditure.

Better Relations

• 1963 Hotline set up; nuclear test ban Treaty banned tests above ground.

• 1968: Non-proliferation treaty banned spread of nuclear secrets.

• 1969: Strategic Arms Limitation Talks began - reducing mid-range nuclear weapons (SALT).

Co-Operation

• 1972: President Nixon visits Moscow and SALT 1 treaty signed.

• 1972: Agreements between East and West Germany signed.

• 1975: Space - US astronauts and Soviet Cosmonauts docked together in space. Visible sign!

Helsinki

• August 1975.

• Helsinki Agreement signed by 35 countries (including USSR and US).

• Declaration of Human Rights.

• Current borders of Europe accepted.

• Demonstration of commitment to improve relations.

SALT 2

• 1979: SALT 2 treaty proposed to cover long-range nuclear missiles.

• Never ratified by US congress due to Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

• USSR claimed they had been asked to 'restore order'. US saw it as an invasion and supported Afghan rebels.

Conclusion?

• Mistrust and suspicion continued during Detente, but this was a period that saw co-operation and agreement.

• Both sides had much to gain from increased co-operation - such as savings from a slower Arms race and trade benefit.