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.