Thaw In The Cold War

Last updated Dec 16, 2022 Edit Source

• After the Breakdown of Grand alliance, tensions between the US and the Soviet Union increased

• Evidences for the thaw

  • 1953 Korean War Armistice

    • North and South Korea agreed on complete “cessation” (休戦)

    • However, Peace treaty not yet achieved

  • 1955 Austrian State Treaty

    • Treaty of independence of Austria
      • Was under the rule of Allies, splitted like Germany
    • Became neutral and independent state

  • 1953 De-Stalinization Speech

    • Khrushchev: “USSR will aim for peaceful coexistence”
      • Conflicts with previous Stalin’s policy.
    • Khrushchev also denied other Stalin’s cult of personality and secrecy.

  • Khrushchev’s visit to the US

  • 1955 Geneva Summit

    • Discussed German unification, trade agreements, Arms race
    • US Claim: Open Skies plan
    • Soviet Claim: Removal of NATO and Warsaw Pact
    • Although agreement couldn’t be made, it was a progre

• Evidence that denies the thaw

  • U2 incident 1960
    • An American spy plane was shot down in the USSR, which the Americans claimed it to be a weather plane. The truth was discovered when the USSR searched the crash site. Eisenhower’s visit to the USSR (The Paris Summit) was cancelled due to this incident.
  • The New Look policy/Brinkmanship 1953
  • Guatemalan Coup 1954
    • Carried out by the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
    • Removed the democratically elected Guatemalan President Jacobo Árbenz and made Carlos Castillo Armas the ruler.
    • The US attempted overthrowing governments that were too left-winged including this and the government of Mohammad Mossadegh in Iran
  • Hungarian Uprising 1956
    • The attempt of Hungary to get out of the Soviet Union’s control.
    • Khrushchev, despite his policy (de-Stalinization), tried to suppress the uprise with force.
  • The Space Race

    • 1957 The Soviet Union launched Sputnik: the first man-made object to be placed into the Earth’s orbit (also proved the overwhelming power of R-7 ballistic missile, the launcher, the Soviet Union has)

      • “Sputnik Crisis”: Caused public fear and shock, Broke confidence of the US about their technology
        • Largely affected US policy: Created NASA, Improved science education, Increased funding for scientific researches
        • （試みとして画像を挟んでみてる、記憶に残りやすくなるかなーと）（不要そうだったら消す）
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    • 1959 The Soviet Union first person in space

    • 1968 The US first man on the moon: the Soviet Union also had 4 attempts but failed within 1969-1972, which made the US effectively a “winner” of the space race

  • 1956-1957 Suez Crisis
    • Egypt’s Suez canal, a vital trade route for the UK, France and Israel, was closed by Egypt
    • Soviet Union came in behind Egypt
    • US intervened and stopped the two sides from going into war

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