Development of the Cold War II
Hungary
Stalin's successor Khrushchev suggested that Soviet policy might thaw towards more peaceful coexistnce
Khrushchev created de stalinisation
Impact of soviet rule
Hungary and its people suffered alot under Stalin
Food and industrial products were shipped off to the USSR
Any opposition in Hungary was ruthlessly wiped out, by the early 1950s, up to 5% of the population was imprisoned
Rakosi was the leader of Hungary and he was Brutal
Communist rule became unpopular
Soviet troops were permanently stationed in Hungary and dealt with any opposition quickly
Protest movement
Khrushchev's secret speech in 1956 hinted the USSR would relax, a policy of de-stalinisation
In October 1956, poor harvests and bread shortages meant that Hungarians started demonstrating against communist control
Stalin's statues were pulled down
Khrushchev appointed a more liberal pm for Hungary - Imre Nagy in the hope the situtaiton calmed down
Reforms of Nagy
Hungary would leave the Warsaw pact and become a neutral county
Free elections would be held leading to no more communist governments
Hungary was protected by the UN from the USSR
Problems
IIf Nagy succeeded in Hungary, other countries in Eastern Europe would follow
Warsaw pact would collapse
Soviet Reaction
Fears
Khrushchev didn't like Nagy's reforms and proposals
If Hungary left, it would lead to a domino effect
Khrushchev feared that Nagy's actions threatened communist rule
Khrushchev claimed communists were being slaughtered in Hungary
Hungarian communists had been killed and members of the state security forces had been attacked in violence of October 1956
On 4th November 1956 Khrushchev sent 200000 soviet tropps into Hungary to depose Nagy as restor order
Consequences
4000 hungarians were killed
Hungarian soldiers loyal to Nagyg fought against Soviets
200000 refugees fled across the borders
Nagy and his govt were deposed, Nagy was exectued
Khrushchev wanted to prevent rebellion in other communist countries
Kadar was appointed leader of Hungary, his policies were more moderate than those of other soviet states
U2 Cricis and peace
West Berlin
West Berlin was inside the Soviet Controlled East
Divided Berlin have the USA a foothold inside the Eastern Bloc
Some Germans in East Germany didn't like having a communist government
It was easy to get to West Germany from the Western sonze in Berlin
Refugge problem
Between 1949 and 1961 ,2.7 million East Germans crossed from East to West Berlin
The population of West Germany increased while the economy benefitted from a influx of skilled workers
Skilled workers left for the east
Looked bad for the soviets, people clearly preferred West to East Germany
Khruschev's Berlin
All Berlin belonged to East Germany and occupying troops must leave within six months
USSR knew that, and tried to push the West out of Berlin by force, it would start a war that the USSR couldn't wint
Paris Peace Summit
Geneva (May 1959) involving foreign representatives only - no solution agreed but a further summit organised
Camp David (Sep 1959) involving Eisenhowever and Khrushcev - No solution agreed but a further meeting sechduled in Paris
Paris Summit (May 1960) involving Eisenhower and Khrushchev - Disaster, Krushcev dtormed out after USA failed to apologise for having a US spy plane over USSR
Vienna Conference (June 1961) involving Kennedy and Khrushchev - Neither willing to back down
Atmostphere of mistrust
Both superpowers used spies
In 1950s and 1960s, the USA feared communism
The House Un-American Activities Committee was set up in 1938 to investiage possible communist activities
In 1950, State department official Alger Hiss was found guilty of passing on secrets to the USSR
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were executed for passing on nuclear secrets
Senator McCarthy's witch hunt became known as McCarthyism, it as often based on totally untrue allegations
U2 crisis and its effect
USA used U2 spy planes for information gathering, photographing the USSR from the air
On 1st May 1960, US pilot Gary Powers was shot down and captured
US denied it was a spy plane, but the Soviets had clear evidence
Knowing the USSR also had spies, Eisenhower refused to say sorry or say it would not happen again
Khrushchev stormed out of the paris Peace Summit, after only one day