IB History The Cold War: New Leaders: Ike & Khrushchev

Summary

This script delves into the shifting dynamics of the Cold War era, starting from 1953. It highlights the emergence of new leaders like Dwight D. Eisenhower and Nikita Khrushchev, who brought hopes of easing tensions. Eisenhower introduced 'New Look' policies, focusing on NATO, SITO, covert CIA operations, and nuclear deterrence. Khrushchev pursued destalinization and peaceful coexistence. Despite initial optimism, tensions escalated with events like the Hungarian Uprising, Suez Crisis, and the Sputnik launch. The U-2 incident further strained relations, illustrating the complex and volatile nature of the Cold War.

Takeaways

• 🕊️ The Cold War shifted its focus from Europe to Asia in 1950, with events like the Korean War and the spread of communism in China.
• 🌟 Dwight D. Eisenhower, a former general and a war hero, became the U.S. President in 1953 and pursued a policy of 'New Look' to contain communism.
• 🛡️ Eisenhower's 'New Look' policy included strengthening NATO, creating SEATO, enhancing U.S. military presence, and using the CIA for covert operations against communism.
• 💥 The U.S. increased its reliance on nuclear weapons as a deterrent, implementing brinkmanship policies and the threat of massive retaliation against communist expansion.
• 🤝 Eisenhower was open to negotiations with the Soviet Union despite his aggressive stance, understanding the dangers of war and nuclear conflict.
• 🏰 Joseph Stalin's death in 1953 led to Nikita Khrushchev's rise to power, who sought to destalinize the Soviet Union and promote peaceful coexistence with the U.S.
• 📜 The Austrian State Treaty in 1953 marked the end of the four-power occupation of Austria, creating an independent and neutral nation.
• 🔄 The Geneva Summit in 1955 and the Camp David meeting in 1959 were significant diplomatic events between Eisenhower and Khrushchev, aiming to ease tensions.
• 🛰️ The launch of Sputnik by the Soviet Union in 1957 created fears in the U.S. about a missile gap, leading to increased focus on science education and the establishment of NASA.
• 🔍 The U-2 incident in 1960, where a U.S. spy plane was shot down over the Soviet Union, led to a resurgence in Cold War tensions and canceled further summit plans.
• 📉 Despite the easing of tensions at times, the 1950s saw a series of events that led to challenges to Soviet rule and deeper involvement of the U.S. and the Soviet Union in global conflicts.

Q & A

What significant change occurred in the nature of the Cold War in 1950?

In 1950, the Cold War shifted from being primarily focused in Europe to spreading to Asia, with events such as China becoming a communist nation and the start of the Korean War.

Who was elected as the President of the United States in 1952, and what was his background?

Dwight David Eisenhower was elected as the President of the United States in 1952. He was a former American general who led the campaign at Normandy to liberate France from the Nazis.

What was Eisenhower's New Look foreign policy program, and what were its key components?

Eisenhower's New Look was a foreign policy program that aimed to contain communism so that the Soviet Union would collapse due to its inability to continue expanding. It included strengthening NATO and including West Germany, creating a new SEATO organization in Southeast Asia, enhancing US military presence in vulnerable areas, assisting anti-communist forces globally, using the CIA for covert operations, and relying on nuclear weapons as a deterrent with brinkmanship policies.

What was the significance of the Soviet Union testing their first atomic weapon in late 1949?

The Soviet Union testing their first atomic weapon in late 1949 marked the beginning of the nuclear arms race, escalating the Cold War tensions and leading to a focus on the development of nuclear capabilities by both superpowers.

Who succeeded Joseph Stalin as the leader of the Soviet Union, and what were some of his initial actions?

Nikita Khrushchev succeeded Joseph Stalin as the leader of the Soviet Union. His initial actions included establishing the Warsaw Pact as a counterbalance to NATO, destalinizing the Soviet Union by breaking the cult of personality that Stalin had created, and advocating for peaceful coexistence with the United States.

What was the purpose of the so-called 'brinkmanship policies' employed by the United States during the Cold War?

The brinkmanship policies were a strategy of threatening to use nuclear weapons with a threat of massive retaliation against any attempted expansion of a communist state. The hope was that the threat of such devastating conflict would deter aggression and alleviate tensions.

What was the Austrian State Treaty of 1953, and what did it achieve?

The Austrian State Treaty of 1953 ended the four-power occupation of Austria that had existed since the end of World War II, creating an independent and neutral nation, thus avoiding a division similar to that of Germany.

What was the Geneva Summit of 1955, and what was its significance?

The Geneva Summit of 1955 was the first meeting between the American and Soviet heads of state since the Potsdam Conference in 1949. Although no concrete agreements were made, it was significant for fostering a spirit of easing tensions and dialogue, known as the 'Spirit of Geneva'.

What was the Eisenhower Doctrine of 1957, and how did it apply to the Middle East?

The Eisenhower Doctrine of 1957 was a foreign policy stance where the United States pledged to assist any country in the Middle East to prevent the spread of communism. It extended the Truman Doctrine, which was initially focused on Europe, to the Middle Eastern region.

What was the impact of the Soviet Union launching Sputnik in 1957 on the United States?

The launch of Sputnik by the Soviet Union in 1957 demonstrated their advanced rocket capabilities, leading to fears in the United States of a 'missile gap' where the Soviet Union might have superior missile technology. This prompted the US to increase its nuclear missile development, establish NASA, and invest in science and math education.

What event in 1960 significantly increased Cold War tensions again, and how did it affect US-Soviet relations?

The shooting down of an American U-2 spy plane over the Soviet Union on May 1, 1960, significantly increased Cold War tensions. The incident forced President Eisenhower to admit to the truth about the spy plane, leading to Khrushchev canceling Eisenhower's planned visit to the Soviet Union and a return to heightened tensions.