History. GCSE Revision Booklet. Paper 1. Book 4 - The Origins of the Cold War

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1 History GCSE Revision Booklet Paper 1 Book 4 - The Origins of the Cold War

2 Key issue: Why did the USA and USSR become rivals in the years ? Ideological differences and their effects America Russia 1. The richest country in the world 1. The biggest country in the world 2. A democracy with free elections, 2. A one-party state led by a dictator. There were elections, but you led by an elected president. could only vote for the Communist Party. 3. Freedom of speech and belief. 3. State control: censorship, secret 4. Capitalism - Private ownership and the right to make money. 5. Led by Truman, who believed that communism was evil. 6. Had the atomic bomb - but was scared of Russia s conventional army. 7. Feared the spread of communism throughout the world. 8. Angry about the Nazi - Soviet Pact that was a major factor in starting the second world war. police, terror and purges. 4. Communism - state ownership of the means of production, and belief that wealth should be shared. 5. Led by Stalin, who believed that capitalism was evil. 6. Had the biggest army in the world - but was angry that Truman had not warned he was going to drop the atomic bomb. 7. Was angry because America and Britain had invaded Russia in to try to destroy communism. 8. Believed that America and Britain had delayed opening the second front (attacking France) to let Germany and Russia destroy each other on the eastern front.

3 These links may be helpful The Yalta and Potsdam Conferences Yalta (Feb 1945) Held during the war, on the surface, the Yalta conference seemed successful. The Allies agreed a Protocol of Proceedings to: divide Germany into four zones, which Britain, France, the USA and the USSR would occupy after the war. bring Nazi war-criminals to trial. set up a Polish Provisional Government of National Unity pledged to the holding of free and unfettered elections as soon as possible. much to the Soviets: Potsdam (July 1945) At Potsdam, the Allies met after the surrender of Germany (in May 1945) to finalise the principls of the post-war peace Potsdam was the Versailles of World War II. Three factors meant that the Potsdam Conference was not successful: 1. Relations between the superpowers had worsened considerably since Yalta. In March 1945, Stalin had invited the non-communist Polish leaders to meet him, and arrested them. Things had got so bad that, in May 1945, the British Joint Planing Group had drawn up plans for Operation Unthinkable - a total war... to impose our will upon Russia. 2. Meanwhile, Rooevelt had died, and America had a new president, Truman, who was inclined to get tough with the Russians. 3. Also, soon after he had arrived at the Conference, Truman learned (on

4 21 July) that America had tested the first atomic bomb. It gave the Americans a huge military advantage over everyone else. It also meant that Truman didn t need Stalin s help in Japan. Instead, Truman s main aim at the conference was to find out from Stalin what date the Russians intended to enter the war in the Pacific - something which (unlike Roosevelt) he did NOT want. So, at Potsdam, the arguments came out into the open. World leaders at the Yalta conference The Conference agreed the following Protocols: to set up the four zones of occupation in Germany. The Nazi Party, government and laws were to be destroyed, and German education shall be so controlled as completely to eliminate Nazi and militarist doctrines and to make possible the successful development of democratic ideas. to bring Nazi war-criminals to trial. to recognize the Polish Provisional Government of National Unity and hold free and unfettered elections as soon as possible. Russia was allowed to take reparations from the Soviet Zone, and also 10% of the industrial equipment of the western zones as reparations. America and Britain could take reparations from their zones if they

5 wished. President Truman presented it as a compromise, but in fact the Allies had disagreed openly about: 1. the details of how to divide Germany. 2. the size of reparations Germany ought to pay. 4. Russian influence over the countries of eastern Europe More info: A good narrative overview of the Yalta Conference about.com/od/worldwarii/p/yalta.htm A good narrative overview of the Potsdam Conference The dropping of the atom bomb and its effects: Hiroshima and Nagasaki 1. WHAT: Dropping the bomb By May 1945, the Japanese were clearly losing the war in the Pacific; they started making requests for a peace. Stalin told Truman at Potsdam of telegram from Jap Emperor asking for peace (it was refused; instead the Potsdam Conference called on Japan to surrender unconditionally). In fact, the Japanese offered to surrender on 3 August, but their offer was rejected because it wasn t an unconditional surrender. Instead, on 6 August 1945, the B29 bomber Enola Gay dropped the first atomic bomb (nicknamed Little Boy ) on Hiroshima. The temperature in the centre of the bomb was 50 times hotter than the surface of the sun. Winds swept out from the centre at 500 mph; everything in a two-mile radius was flattened. The mushroom cloud rose to 50,000 feet. The Americans estimated at 117,000 people were killed the Japanese put the fig-

6 ure at a quarter of a million. WHY was the Bomb dropped? For many years, ( traditional ) historians were prepared to take Churchill and Truman s words at face value, and accepted without question the official explanation that the bomb was dropped to end the war in Japan quickly, saving millions of American casualties (see Sources A and B). In 1965, however, revisionist historian Gar Alperovitz wrote Atomic Diplomacy: Hiroshima and Potsdam. Alperovitz turned the whole question on its head, claiming: the Japanese were on the verge of surrender in August 1945; Truman dropped the atomic bombs because he wanted to end the war before the USSR could enter the war in the Pacific and claim the lands promised them at Yalta. the bomb was dropped to impress the Soviets, and persuade them to relax their grip on eastern Europe. For Alperovitz, Truman caused the Cold War when he dropped the Bomb. HOW did the Bomb help to cause the Cold War? Historians have offered two suggestions: Possibility ONE: The atomic bomb changed STALIN S attitude. Historians have suggested a number of ways in which the atomic bomb might have alienated Stalin: The traditional argument was that Stalin was angry because Truman did not tell him about the Atomic Bomb. Truman, the story goes, was deliberately vague when he mentioned the Bomb to Stalin on 24 July he just quickly mentioned in passing that the USA had a new weapon of unusual destructive force. Truman didn t specifically call it an atomic bomb, and he certainly didn t say he was going to use it against Japan. Stalin merely nodded, and witnesses were convinced he hadn t realised the implication of what he had just been told. When the Americans dropped the bomb, the argument goes, Stalin was furious that he had been duped, and this was how the Bomb caused the Cold War

7 It is almost certain, however, that this thesis is not true in such a simplistic way - all the evidence shows that Stalin knew the Americans were working on the atomic bomb. Soviet sources DO suggest, however, that straight after Truman told him about the new weapon, Stalin gave orders for Soviet scientists to develop their own nuclear weapon so news of the atomic bomb DID provoke a nuclear arms race (see Source D). There is no doubt that Stalin saw the dropping of the Bomb as directed more at Russia than Japan: They are killing the Japanese and intimidating us he told Molotov. (To be fair, western politicians were hopeful it would have this effect.) Stalin s reaction, argues historian David Holloway, was to play hard ball, and he instructed his diplomats to take a tougher position against the west. Then in February 1946, he gave the famous Bolshoi speech accusing America of using its atomic advantage for imperialism. In this way, it is claimed, the atomic bomb directly caused the entrenched positions of the Cold War. The mushroom cloud of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki

8 Possibility TWO: The atomic bomb changed TRUMAN S attitude. There are historians who think that the atomic bomb caused the Cold War, not because it provoked Stalin to seek confrontation, but because it encouraged Truman seek confrontation. When Truman knew that he had the bomb: 1. His attitude at the Conference became more aggressive, 2. He switched from pro-soviet advisors (such as Davies) to anti-communist advisors such as Stimson and Byrnes. He dropped the Bomb on Hiroshima to get the Japanese to surrender quickly, before Stalin had a chance to enter the war in the Pacific. He developed an attitude of confrontation - I m sick of babying the Soviets. Three days later, on 9 August, the Americans dropped another bomb, on Nagasaki, and the Japanese surrendered.

9 The Iron Curtain: Soviet expansion in the East; Czechoslovakia, 1948 Did you know? Churchill was worried about Soviet influence in eastern Europe even during the war, and clashed with Stalin over it at the Tehran Conference of In October 1944, Churchill went to Moscow to meet Stalin face-to-face and made the so-called percentages agreement, where Churchill suggested that Russia and Britain agree spheres of influence in the different countries of eastern Europe (Romania 90-10, Greece 10-90, Yugoslavia and Hungary etc.). Stalin agreed. Although the Soviet Union took complete 100% control of the Iron Curtain countries after the war, Stalin did keep his promise to stay out of Greece. The Hungarian Communist Rakosi described this process as slicing salami gradually getting rid of all opposition, bit-by-bit. In this way, Russia gained control of: Albania (1945) the Communists took power after the war without opposition Bulgaria (1945) a left-wing coalition gained power in 1945; the Communists then executed the leaders of all the other parties. Poland (1947) a coalition government took power in 1945, but Stalin arrested all the non-communist leaders in 1945, and the Communists forced the other non-communists into exile. Romania ( ) a left-wing coalition was elected in 1945; the Communists gradually took over control. Hungary (1947) Hungary was invaded by the Russians, and in 1945 the allies agreed that Russian troops should stay there. Stalin allowed elections, in which the non-communists won a big majority. However, some communists were elected, led by a pro-russian called Rakosi. Rakosi now started demanding that groups which opposed him should be banned. If not, he hinted, the Russians would take over the country. Then he got

10 control of the police, and started to arrest his opponents. He set up a sinister and brutal secret police unit, the AVO. By 1947 Rakosi had complete control over Hungary. Czechoslovakia ( ) a left-wing coalition was elected in In 1948, the Communists banned all other parties and killed their leaders. East Germany (1949) the Russian turned their zone of Germany into the German Democratic Republic in The Fulton Speech (The Iron Curtain Speech) On 5 March 1946, on the invitation of President Truman, Winston Churchill went to Fulton in America and gave a speech. He said a shadow had fallen on eastern Europe, which was now cut off from the free world by an iron curtain. Behind that line, he said, the people of eastern Europe were subject to Soviet influence... totalitarian control [and] police governments

11 The Truman Doctrine: the situation in Greece and Turkey; the purpose of the Truman Doctrine In 1946 communists in Greece attempted a takeover. They were in the minority in the country but received moral support from the USSR. The British had been providing support to the Monarchists in Greece, but announced in 1947 that they could no longer afford to provide this support. Truman had to act. Greece was in a highly sensitive position militarily and Truman, while not wanting to involve America in any military action, wanted to give the Greek government as much support as he could during the Greek Civil War. Turkey was important, too. The USSR s Black Sea Fleet was effectively bottled up in the Black Sea. (See map) It had to use the narrow waterway through Turkey the Dardanelles to get into the Mediterranean Sea. All its movements were easy to monitor even submarines, as listening devices had been placed on the seabed that easily picked up the noise of a submarine s engines. Truman was also worried that if the USSR gained influence over Turkey, it would be a stepping stone to the oil-rich middle east, which the USA was heavily dependent on. What did Truman do? The Truman Doctrine was the name given to a policy announced by US President Harry Truman on March 12th, The Truman Doctrine was a very simple warning clearly made to the USSR though the country was not mentioned by name that the USA would intervene to support any nation that was being threatened by a takeover by an armed minority or

12 more specifically, Communism! Truman believed that Communism succeeds where people face poverty and hardship As a result, he wanted to use American dollars to resist the threat of communist expansion. The problem was, he had to persuade the American people, and his congress. Congress agreed to send $400 million in military and economic aid to support the government of Greece. There was a shared view that if Greece fell to the communists, Turkey would be next and that the Soviet Union was slowly creeping towards the oil fields of the Middle East. However, there was no support to send US military forces into Greece.

13 The Marshall Plan: effect of Marshall Aid and the Soviet response; Cominform and Comecon; Yugoslavia In June 1947, US General George Marshall was sent to Europe to assess the state of the economy. He said every country in Europe was so poor that it was in danger of turning Communist! European countries owed $11.5billion to the USA from the war. There were extreme shortages of all goods, and rationing was still common. In 1947, Britain had a very cold winter and there was a severe coal shortage. This meant that the electricity had to be turned off for a proportion of every day! Churchill even went so far as to call Europe a Rubble heap, breeding ground of hate. Marshall suggested $17 billion to rebuild Europe. It was a Policy...directed against hunger, poverty, desperation and chaos. Congress refused. They thought USA was becoming too concerned in European politics and they had previously followed a policy of isolationism, and it was a lot of money!! Czechoslovakia In February 1948, the Communists took power in Czechoslovakia by purging anti-soviet leaders and sympathisers, followed on 10 March by the suspicious suicide of the popular minister Jan Masaryk. Congress was scared, and voted for Marshall Aid on 31 March Stalin s reaction The Soviet Union hated Marshall aid and Stalin forbade Communist countries to ask for money.instead, in October 1947, he set up Cominform. Every Communist party in Europe joined. This allowed Stalin control of the Communists in Europe. Then, in January 1949, Stalin created Comecon - an economic union of the Communist countries in Eastern Europe. This allowed Stalin to control the Iron Curtain economies for the benefit of Russia - for instance, one of its rules was that all inventions had to be shared. It was Stalin s answer to the Marshall Plan.

14 The Berlin Blockade and Airlift. What caused the Berlin Blockade? [CABAN] Cold War Was just getting started (e.g. Czechoslovakia, March 1948) Aims Stalin wanted to destroy Germany Britain and the USA wanted to rebuild Germany. Bizonia The Russians were taking German machinery back to the USSR. In January 1947, Britain and the USA joined their two zones together to try to get German industry going. They called the new zone Bi-zonia ( two zones ). American Aid Congress voted for Marshall Aid on 31 March Immediately, the Russians started searching all road and rail traffic into Berlin. New Currency On 1 June, America and France announced that they wanted to create the new country of West Germany; and on 23 June they introduced a new currency into Bizonia and western Berlin. The next day the Russians stopped all road and rail traffic into Berlin. The Soviet Union saw the 1948 Berlin crisis as an attempt to undermine Soviet influence in eastern Germany; Stalin said he was defending the east German economy against the new currency, which was ruining it. The western powers said Stalin was trying to force them out of Berlin. The USSR had already disagreed with Britain and the USA at Potsdam (July 1945) about what should be done with Germany. Germany had been split into four zones and Berlin, in Russia s zone, was also split into 4 zones. But Berlin was entirely within - and surrounded by - the Russian zone.

15 In January 1947, Britain and the USA joined their two zones together to try to get German industry going. Marshall Aid was given to Western Germany, as well as West Berlin. The West started to become wealthy while the East (controlled by USSR) was still weak. In 1948 Britain and America set up a new currency for West Germany, Stalin didn t agree with this and by June Stalin stopped supplies getting to West Berlin. Stalin wanted the whole of Berlin to belong to the Soviets; he set up a blockade stopping all road and rail traffic into Berlin. By setting up the blockade, Stalin planned to force the West to withdraw from Berlin by starving the people of West Berlin. The problem was, at Potsdam, three air corridors had been agreed, allowing the West access to their zone. If Stalin attempted to stop planes flying in, it could be seen as an act of war something both sides wished to avoid. Similarly, if the West had used force to break through the blockade, Stalin would have seen it as an aggressive move. So, Truman decided to supply Berlin by air. They airlifted in supplies for the people of West Berlin. At its peak, the airlift saw planes landing every 90 seconds, carrying food, clothes, building materials, fuels and everything Berlin needed to survive. Stalin offered West Berliners citizenship of East Germany, but only 3% accepted, showing that West Berlin was largely loyal to the Western powers and capitalism.

16 In May 1949, Stalin accepted that he had failed and lifted the blockade. The crisis confirmed the divisions of Germany and Berlin. Truman saw the airlift as a great victory. Stalin saw it as a defeat. Air corridors Airlift Facts The blockade lasted 318 days (11 months). In the winter of Berliners lived on dried potatoes, powdered

17 eggs and cans of meat. They had four hours of electricity a day. The airlift was codenamed operation Vittles ; the first flight was on 26 June The Soviet authorities offered to provide West Berlin with essential supplies - this offer was rejected. 275,000 flights carried in 1½ million tons of supplies. A plane landed every 3 mins. On 16 April 1949, 1400 flights brought in 13,000 tons of supplies in one day Berlin only needed 6,000 tons a day to survive. Some pilots dropped chocolate and sweets. The airlift continued until 30 September 1949, in order to build up a reserve of supplies. The USA stationed B-29 bombers (which could carry an atomic bomb) in Britain. The American airmen were regarded as heroes

18 Key issue: How did the Cold War develop in the years ? The formation of NATO: its membership and purpose NATO After the Berlin Blockade American decided that the West needed a common defence to oppose any acts of aggression. In April 1949 the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) was signed. The Aims of NATO NATO was a military pact All countries agreed to help each other against any act of aggression It was to have an army with a common command The nuclear arms race: atom bomb; hydrogen bomb The dropping of atom bombs in 1945 on Japan started the nuclear arms race between the USA and USSR. It was believed the more nuclear weapons you had the more powerful you were. The USA and USSR spent millions increasing their stockpiles of weapons and developing deadlier weapons. After Berlin, the USA and the USSR realised that they were in a competition for world domination. They began to build up their armies and weapons. The arms race was an important feature of the Cold War. It included both a continuing commitment to maintaining a large army, navy and airforce, and also the development of ever-more-deadly nuclear weapons. In 1945, the USA became the first country to develop and use a nuclear bomb. By 1949, the USSR had caught up - it had developed and tested its own nuclear bomb. The USSR s nuclear weapons test prompted the USA to develop hydrogen bombs, a second generation of more powerful nuclear weapons. By 1953, both countries had hydrogen bombs, and during the 1950s and 1960s, both countries competed to create large numbers of nuclear weapons.

19 Stalin made atomic research a top government priority. Massive amounts of money were poured into R&D. Entire towns like Arazmas-16 were created to house scientists and engineers. The USA allocated 40% of its defence spending to the Air Force, particularly the Strategic Air Command bombing force. This level of funding continued throughout the Cold War. Money was also pumped into developing stockpiles of nuclear weapons. There was a further concern when the Soviets developed the Bison jet bomber and the long-range TU-95 bomber. There aircraft could hit US cities with nuclear bombs, and this triggered off a panic known as the bomber gap In response, the new President Eisenhower ordered new B-52 bombers to close the gap. In reality, there was never a gap the USA always had more nuclear bombers than the USSR. The arms race was significant because it prevented a war in Europe. The USSR had 3 million troops, and could easily capture Western Germany, should she so choose. However, the Soviet leaders never ordered an invasion because they feared an American nuclear retaliation. One atomic bomb could turn an entire city into ashes and hill 100s of 1000s of people in seconds. Soviet leaders had paid close attention to the American bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of WWII and understood the awesome power of the new weapons. NATO flag

20 The Korean War, : reasons for involvement of UN and USA; the role of MacArthur; the part played by USSR and China video.shtml The Japanese had occupied Korea from After its defeat in WWII, Japan had to pull out. It was agreed to divide the country along the 38th parallel (a line of latitude) because of concerns about Korea s ability for self-governance. This was agreed at Potsdam by the Big Three, but the Koreans were never consulted. In the North, a communist state was created under Soviet trusteeship, with Kim Il Sung as the leader. In the South, elections were held. The result was an anti-communist military government led by Sygnman Rhee. Each side claimed to be the rightful government of all of Korea. There were frequent clashes along the border into In 1949, China became communist after a bitter civil war, after which the Communist Party were left in control whilst their opponents, the Kuomintang retreated offshore. On 1 October 1949, Communist Party Chairman Mao Zedong proclaimed the establishment of the People s Republic of China.

21 Truman believed that, if one country fell to Communism, then others would follow, like a line of dominoes. He was worried that, if Korea fell, the Communists would capture Japan. Truman realised the USA was in a competition for world domination with the USSR. By supporting South Korea, America was able to fight Communism without directly attacking Russia. In 1949, he persuaded Stalin that he could conquer South Korea. Stalin did not think that America would dare to get involved, so he gave his agreement. Stalin saw a chance to continue the cold war and discomfort America, but at arm s length without directly confronting the Americans. June - Sept 1950 North Korea attack. The North Korean Army easily defeated the Republic of Korea's army. They capture most of South Korea. March Truman told MacArthur to stop. MacArthur was sacked when he publicly criticised Truman s order. In 1953, Eisenhower became American president. The Americans threatened to use the atomic bomb if China did not stop fighting. The Chinese agree to a truce, which was signed on 27 July February March 1951 The Americans landed more troops and they used bombers. MacArthur reached the 38th parallel in March Nov Feb ,000 Chinese troops attack MacArthur. On 31st December, 500,000 more Chinese troops entered the war and attacked the Americans. They recaptured North Korea, and advanced into South Korea. Sept - Nov 1950 The American General MacArthur led a UN landing. The Americans recaptured South Korea. On 7th October 1950 MacArthur invaded North Korea. He advanced as far as the Chinese border. Truman told MacArthur to stop. MacArthur disregarded Truman and the UN s orders, and in March 1951 he openly threatened an attack on the Chinese. In April, MacArthur was removed from his position as commander, and brought back to the USA. In 1953, Republican Eisenhower became American president, winning a landslide election. The Americans threatened to use the atomic bomb if China did not stop fighting.

22 The Chinese agree to a truce, which was signed on 27 July It is estimated that 10 million people died in the war - as many as died in the First World War. The Thaw : death of Stalin; Austria; Khrushchev s policy of peaceful co-existence Stalin died in He was hated all over Eastern Europe. When they heard he was dead, people in East Berlin rioted. After a short struggle for power, Khrushchev became the new ruler in Russia. At first, the western powers hoped that Khrushchev would be the start of a thaw in the Cold War. Khrushchev often met western leaders at summit meetings. Stalin had made all Communist countries do what he wanted and he had fallen out with President Tito of Yugoslavia. But in 1955 Khrushchev went to Yugoslavia, telling Tito that there are different roads to communism. Western leaders thought he would no longer insist that all communist countries take orders from Russia. In 1955, Austria regained its sovereignty and became an independent, neutral nation after the withdrawal of Soviet troops from the country. In a speech at the Twentieth Party Congress in 1956, Khrushchev attacked Stalin, saying that Stalin was a murderer and a tyrant. Khrushchev began to de-stalinise Russia - political prisoners were set free and Beria (Stalin s

23 Chief of Secret Police) was executed. In 1961 Khrushchev declared that the period of the dictatorship was at and end, and that he would bring in instead: the state of the whole people. Khrushchev said that he wanted peaceful co-existence with the West. Western leaders hoped this meant the end of the Cold War. The formation of the Warsaw Pact: membership and purpose. In 1955 West Germany joined NATO, the USSR was concerned over this and this led to the formation of the Warsaw Pact. The Pact was a military alliance for mutual defence between Communist countries. The pact stated that all nations should unite to prevent war. It was described as a treaty of friendship, co-operation and mutual assistance. All the armies of the pact were placed under the leadership of a Soviet commander. This allowed Soviet troops to be stationed in these countries for the purpose of defence. It became a way for the USSR to keep the countries under control. The Warsaw Pact was seen as a response to NATO, and divided Europe into two rival alliances. The founding signatories to the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance consisted of the following communist governments: Albania Poland USSR Hungary Czechoslovakia Romania Bulgaria

24 Hungary, 1956: causes of the rising, why it was a threat to the USSR and how the Soviets dealt with it; the effects on Europe and the Cold War Causes The basic cause of the Hungarian revolution was that the Hungarians hated Russian communism: Poverty Hungarians were poor, yet much of the food and industrial goods they produced was sent to Russia. Russian Control The Hungarians were very patriotic, and they hated Russian control which included censorship, the vicious secret police (called the AVH after 1948) and Russian control of what the schools taught. Catholic Church The Hungarians were religious, but the Communist Party had banned religion, and put the leader of the Catholic Church in prison. Help from the West Hungarians thought that the United Nations or the new US president, Eisenhower, would help them. Destalinisation When the Communist Party tried to destalinise Hungary, things got out of control. The Hungarian leader Rakosi asked for permission to arrest 400 trouble-makers, but Khrushchev would not let him. Events of the Hungarian Uprising On 23 October, there were riots of students, workers and soldiers. They smashed up the statue of Stalin, and attacked the AVH and Russian soldiers.

25 On 24 October, Imre Nagy took over as Prime Minister. He asked Khrushchev to take out the Russian troops. On 28 October, Khrushchev agreed, and the Russian army pulled out of Budapest. 29 October 3 November: The new Hungarian government introduced democracy, freedom of speech, and freedom of religion (the leader of the Catholic Church was freed from prison). Nagy also announced that Hungary was going to leave the Warsaw Pact. On 4 November, at dawn, 1000 Russian tanks rolled into Budapest. By 8.10 am they had destroyed the Hungarian army and captured Hungarian Radio its last words broadcast were Help! Help! Help! Hungarian people even children fought them with machine guns. Some 4000 Hungarians killed fighting the Russians. Consequences of the Hungarian Uprising 200,000 Hungarian refugees fled into Austria. Russia stayed in control behind the Iron Curtain no other country tried to get rid of Russian troops until Czechoslovakia in People in the West were horrified many British Communists left the Communist Party. The West realised it could do nothing about the Iron Curtain countries but this made Western leaders even more determined to contain communism video.shtml

26 The continuation of the nuclear arms/space race: Sputnik 1; ICBMs; Polaris; Gagarin; Apollo The Space Race was closely linked to the nuclear arms race. The ability to fire rockets would mean the ability to fire nuclear missiles. Up to 1957 the US had been ahead in the development of nuclear weapons, the launch of Sputnik 1 changed this. The US still had to carry nuclear weapons by plane whereas the USSR now had the technology to fire missiles on the US. By 1959 the US had developed Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles. In 1960 the US fired the Polaris missile from a submarine, this meant they could get closer to the USSR and be more accurate. Each country had enough weapons to destroy the other; this meant they were less likely to use them. They continued the build-up weapons to keep the balance and this was known as the nuclear deterrent. By the end of the 1960 s both countries had enough weapons to destroy the whole world.

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