A10: Superpower Relations 1945-1962: Key Events

Knowing and understanding the key events from each topic is obviously essential. For
Section A topics like Superpower Relations, you need to be able to describe or explain the
causes, key features and consequences of each event. Make sure you study the following
# list of key events as part of your revision:

1.) The Yalta Conference – February 4th-11th 1945

Who? Causes What happened? Consequences

War situation Stalin agreed to declare war on Japan The talk of ‘democracy’ and ‘free
had changed: within three months of the defeat of elections’ was interpreted differently
Germany was Germany. by USA and USSR. American free
close to defeat. speech vs. Stalin’s idea that communism
Compromise over Poland. All agreed to form
represented the people so no opposition
Discussions over a Polish government pledged to hold ‘free
USA led by allowed.
the post-war elections’. Borders of Poland also changed
President
world were – USSR gained land from Eastern Poland Yalta raised false expectations in the
Roosevelt
needed. whilst Poland would gain land from East USA that Stalin would allow western-
UK led by Germany. style governments in Eastern Europe.
Prime USA & UK
wanted USSR The ‘Declaration on Liberated Europe’. Stalin paid only lip service to idea of
Minister
to declare war USA, USSR & UK commit to work for ‘free elections’ in Poland. In March, 16
Winston
on Japan. democracy in Europe. leaders of the Polish resistance were
Churchill
arrested by Stalin and never seen again.
Needed to Allies agree to form the United Nations.
USSR led Further talks over Poland achieved
by Joseph agree a political
Germany and Berlin to be divided into four nothing. USSR refused to allow pro-
Stalin solution for
zones of occupation between Britain, western Poles into new government.
liberated
France, USA and USSR.
countries, Soviet troops had captured most of
especially Big Three restate their agreement that the Eastern Europe. Stalin’s demand for a
Germany and USSR should have a ‘sphere of influence’ in ‘sphere of influence’ had to be taken
Poland. Eastern Europe. seriously.
2.) The Potsdam Conference – July 17th - Aug 2nd 1945
Who? Causes What happened? Consequences

A compromise was reached over war

The war against reparations. Each ally would take The conference ended
Nazi Germany was reparations from the zone they without agreement on what
USA over. Hitler was would happen to the newly
occupied. USSR was also given industrial
represented liberated states across
dead. The Allies equipment from Western zones in
by needed to decide Europe. Both superpowers
return for raw materials.
President how to disarm and were determined to keep
Harry S. punish Germany. Agreed to prosecute Nazi war their half of Europe.
Truman criminals.
A political solution Truman’s attempt to assert
Statement of aims of the occupation of his authority by declaring a
had to be reached
Germany by the Allies: demilitarisation, ‘powerful new weapon’ at the
over the liberated
UK
denazification, democratisation, conference only made Stalin
countries. The
represented
decentralisation and decartelisation. more determined to protect
by Prime Western Allies
now occupied the the USSR. He saw this as a
Minister Details of the German-Polish border
whole of western threat from the USA. He
Winston were finally agreed.
Europe. The Soviet therefore wanted to create a
Churchill &
Red Army occupied The communist dominated Polish ‘buffer zone’ in Eastern
Prime
the whole of Provisional Government of National Europe.
Minister
eastern Europe. Unity was recognized by all three
Clement The USA and UK became
powers.
Attlee Roosevelt had aware of their need to
died and Truman Was confirmed that the Polish confront communism in
was keen to meet Provisional Government of National Europe. Truman approved
USSR Stalin. He wanted Unity would hold ‘free and fair Churchill’s 1946 ‘Iron Curtain’
represented to be tougher with elections’ as soon as possible. speech, in which he said that
by Joseph Stalin over issues countries in the West were
The terms of the surrender of Japan free and countries in the East
Stalin like Poland.
were agreed. Japan had to agree were under communist control
unconditional surrender or face ‘prompt behind an ‘Iron Curtain’.
and utter destruction’.
3.) Churchill’s ‘Iron Curtain’ Speech – March 1946
Who? Causes What happened? Consequences

By 1946 it became The speech showed that both

clear that Europe Churchill gave a speech in the sides now clearly viewed each
had been divided. presence of President Truman at other as opponents. Stalin
From 1945-1948, Westminster College, Fulton, responded by saying:
th
Stalin rigged Missouri on 5 March 1946:
Former elections to establish ‘…Mr Churchill now adopts the
UK ‘From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste position of the warmonger, and in
communist
Prime in the Adriatic an "Iron Curtain" has this Mr Churchill is not alone. He
governments in
Minister descended across the continent. has friends not only in Britain but
Poland, Hungary,
Winston Behind that line lie all the capitals of in the USA as well. A point to be
Bulgaria, Romania,
Churchill the ancient states of Central and noted in this respect is that Mr.
East Germany &
who lost Eastern Europe. Warsaw, Berlin, Churchill and his friends bear a
Czechoslovakia.
power in Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Belgrade, striking resemblance to Hitler
the The West Bucharest and Sofia; all these famous and his friends.’
1945 responded to this cities and the populations around
division with a war them lie in what I must call the This war of words led to both
general
of words, designed Soviet sphere, and all are subject, in sides initiating spying and
election
to portray Stalin as a one form or another, not only to assessment reports on each
power-hungry Soviet influence but to a very high other to determine the thinking
dictator. Truman had and in some cases increasing measure of their opponents. This resulted
even compared Stalin of control from Moscow.’ in the Long Telegram and
to Hitler. Novikov’s Telegram.
4.) The Long Telegram & Novikov’s Telegram – 1946
Who? Causes What happened? Consequences

Kennan responded to Truman with a telegram on 22nd The telegrams made

February 1946 that reported: both governments
Truman and feel that they were
US
Stalin were  The USSR perceived itself to be at war with facing the imminent
ambassador
both keen to capitalism. possibility of war.
to Moscow,
understand  There could be no peace with the USSR while it
George F. The USA now
each other’s was opposed to capitalism.
Kennan
 The USSR was rebuilding its military. believed that the
intentions and
USSR was planning
Soviet threats so th
Novikov responded to Stalin with a telegram on 27 world domination
ambassador they both September that reported: whilst the USSR
to commissioned
believed the same
Washington, reports to be  America wanted to dominate the world.
Nikolai about the USA.
written by  The USA was no longer interested in co-
Novikov embassy staff. operation. These fears led the
 The American public was being prepared for war USA to form the
with the USSR by ‘capitalist elites’. ‘Truman Doctrine’.
5.) The Truman Doctrine – March 1947
Who? Causes
George Kennan advised Truman
that the USA’s best hope was to
‘contain’ communism rather than
fight it on the battlefield.
Much of Europe was devastated
after the war and communism was
appealing. Truman was worried
President
about the Domino Theory: if
Truman of
communism took over one country,
the USA
neighbouring countries were next
in line to be threatened.
In Feb 1947 the UK announced it
could no longer afford to pay
for troops in Greece and Turkey.
The US feared communism would
spread to these countries.
What happened?
The Truman Doctrine stated that:
 The world had choice between
communist tyranny and
democratic freedom.
 America had a responsibility to
fight for liberty.
 America would send troops and
money help governments against
communism.
 Communism should not be
allowed to grow and spread and
should be ‘contained’.
Over the course of the Cold War,
the Truman doctrine provided arms
and money to defend Greece, Korea,
Cuba, Vietnam, Afghanistan and
South America.
Consequences
The doctrine was significant
because it suggested that
America had the responsibility
to protect the world, not the
UN which marked an end to
USA’s traditional policy of
‘isolationism’.
The doctrine assumed that
Capitalism and Communism were
incompatible = the unofficial
start of the Cold War.
Truman was now committed to
a policy of ‘containment’.
US military aid to Greece
meant that the communists
were defeated in the Greek
Civil War in 1949.
6.) The Marshall Plan – June 1947
Who? Causes What happened? Consequences

Economic crisis in European leaders met at the Paris

The USA decided to offer economic Conference of 1948 to discuss Marshall
Europe: food
aid to Europe, organised by US Aid. The USSR walked out of the
shortages,
Secretary of State General George conference as they believed the US was
unemployment, food
Marshall. Committed $13 billion trying to split Europe into two camps.
rationing and
USD to rebuild the ruined
President starvation. Communist
economies of Europe. Stalin claimed that Marshall Aid had
Truman of party support was
tricked western Europe into an economic
the USA growing, especially in
Countries had to agree free trade reliance on the US. Led to the creation of
France and Italy
agreements with the USA in order Soviet rivals: COMINFORM and COMECON.
George C. where riots broke
to receive money. This would
Marshall, out.
benefit the American economy as West European economies experienced an
US
the US would provide the money economic boom and had returned to pre-
Secretary Truman knew that to
and goods needed to rebuild. war levels of growth when the plan ended in
of State weaken the
1952.
attraction of
American money was made available
communism, he Divided Germany as the military governors
to eastern Europe and the USSR as
needed to rebuild and of western Germany agreed to accept
well. Stalin ordered Poland &
encourage prosperity money. Divide in Europe was now
Czechoslovakia not to accept it.
in Europe. economic, not just ideological.
7.) Creation of COMINFORM – Sep 1947
Who? Causes What happened? Consequences

At an international conference, the USSR

Stalin was concerned created the Communist Information Bureau
COMINFORM organised
that eastern European (COMINFORM) which represented Communist
strikes in Western Europe
countries would be Parties across Europe and brought them under
did not work as growing
tempted by the the control and manipulation of the USSR.
prosperity weakened the
Marshall Plan. He wanted
attraction of communism.
Communist to prevent this by forcing COMINFORM encouraged Communist Parties
Party General Eastern European in Western Europe to organise demonstrations
COMINFORM
Secretary countries to become and strikes in order to wreck the Marshall
strengthened Stalin’s hold
Joseph ‘satellite states’, Plan. 2 million workers went on strike in
on Eastern Europe. He
Stalin controlled by the USSR. France in 1947 calling for their government to
could use COMINFORM to
reject Marshall Aid.
investigate government
Stalin wanted satellite
ministers and employees,
states on his European COMINFORM was also used to stamp out
and remove or imprison
borders to trade with, opposition and ensure the loyalty of Eastern
those who were not loyal.
and for military defence. European governments. 5% of population was
imprisoned in Hungary by 1953.
8.) Creation of COMECON - Jan 1949
Who? Causes What happened? Consequences

The failure of
The Council for Mutual Was not very successful as the Soviet
COMINFORM to
Economic Aid (COMECON) Union had little spare cash to inject
destroy Marshall
was designed as a trading into the economies of Eastern Europe.
Plan through political
organisation of communist Meant that Eastern Europe did not
opposition forced the
countries. Aims was to develop as fast as Western Europe.
Communist USSR to consider an
Party economically develop Eastern
economic rival. Stalin
Europe and prevent trade The USSR used COMECON to help
General wanted to minimise
with Western Europe. rebuild itself first – not its satellite
Secretary the influence of the
states. The USSR eventually
Joseph USA. USSR, Bulgaria, encouraged COMECON members to
Stalin Czechoslovakia, Hungary, specialise in different products.
Stalin wanted to
Poland and Romania were all
prevent Eastern Stalin’s wish of a sphere of influence
members in first year.
Europe from
Albania and Eastern over Eastern Europe was now made
benefiting economical an economic reality.
Germany joined in 1950.
from the West.
9.) The Berlin Blockade and Airlift – June 1948
Who? Causes What happened? Consequences

Stalin set up a military blockade Stalin backed down on 12th May

Stalin didn’t want a
rd
around West Berlin on 23 June 1949. Stalin seemed like the
divided Germany.
1948. He planned to cut western aggressor as the attack on Berlin
Germany’s main
Germany off from its capital: Berlin. looked like the first step in a march
economic resources
Communist This would prove that a divided westwards. This was a propaganda
were in the west and he
Party Germany could not work. success for the USA.
wanted to prevent the
General USA from having
All roads and railways to Berlin were Blockade seemed to prove to the West
Secretary further influence in
blocked by the Soviets. Stalin that the USSR wanted to take over
of the Germany. He feared
assumed the West would give in as 2 Europe. This led to the creation of
USSR, they were rebuilding
million Berliner’s were starving. the NATO alliance in April 1949 and
Joseph Germany as an ally
Stalin the creation of West Germany (FDR)
against the USSR. Truman responded with the Berlin
as an independent state in Sep 1949.
Airlift. It was the first major test of
US He viewed the merging This in turn forced the USSR to
the Truman Doctrine. Allied planes
President of the Allied zones of establish East Germany (GDR) as an
would supply West Berlin from the air.
Harry Germany in 1947, along independent nation one month later.
The first flight was on the 26th and by
Truman with the introduction of
Sep, a US aircraft was leaving every 3 Stalin ordered the speeding up of
the Deutschmark in
minutes. 70 large cargo planes airlifted atomic testing as he realised that
June 1948 as an
600-700 tonnes of food and supplies without an atomic bomb, he could not
attempt to divide
every day. This increased to 1000 win confrontations with the USA. The
Germany. He expected
tonnes within weeks. At its height, the USSR test their first atomic bomb in
the western powers to
airlift provided over 170,000 tonnes of 1949, starting the arms race.
make a humiliating
supplies, flying along 3 ‘air corridors’
retreat.
during January 1949.
10.) Creation of NATO – April 1949
Who? Causes What happened? Consequences

The creation of NATO significantly

The Berlin The North Atlantic Treaty
1949 – USA, heightened tensions in the Cold War. The
Blockade raised Organisation (NATO) was
UK, Canada, creation of NATO now added a clear
the possibility of established as a military alliance
Iceland, military divide to Europe.
war in Europe as it between the USA and Western
France, was the first Europe. An attack on one member The USSR felt threatened by the
Portugal, military would be considered as an attack creation of NATO and especially when
Italy, Belgium, confrontation of on all members. West German troops joined. The USSR
Luxembourg, the Cold War.
responded by creating the Warsaw Pact in
Netherlands, It was in effect a military alliance
1955 which was a military alliance of
Denmark and European with the aim of defending the
Eastern European countries.
Norway. 1952 countries were West against communism. It
– Greece and keen to establish wasn’t just a promise either. Five The build-up of military alliances turned
Turkey. 1955 a military alliance divisions of US troops were based into an arms race when the USSR tested
– West in order to ‘keep in Germany. its own nuclear bomb in 1949. But
Germany. the USA in, the
paradoxically, the threat of Mutually
1982 – Spain. USSR out and the West Germany joined NATO in
Assured Destruction (MAD) prevented war
Germans down.’ 1955, adding millions more troops.
in Europe.
11.) The Korean War – June 1950 – July 1953

Who? Causes What happened? Consequences

North Korea, Truman believed the

Demonstrated the US commitment
led by Kim Il Russians were behind Korea was divided after the Second
to containing communism anywhere
Sung the attack and it was World War. On 25th June 1950, North
in the world. Proved that
a test of his policy of Korea led by Kim Il Sung invaded the
containment could work to prevent
South Korea containment. South in an attempt to re-unite the
the Domino Theory – would later
led by country by force.
influence decision making in
Syngman China had become
Truman asked the UN Security Vietnam.
Rhee communists in 1949
providing further Council to back the use of US troops
War led to rearmament
China led by proof that in Korea. The Security Council approved
throughout the western world. The
Mao Zedong containment was the use of force to defeat the
Involvement of USSR and China
needed. Northern invasion.
USA led by persuaded the US to increase
President In Sep 1950, US troops led by defence spending, up to 400% after
In Sep 1949 the USSR
Truman and General Douglas MacArthur led a the war. Marshall Aid money also
had developed an
Dwight D. successful counter-attack and by 1st was diverted to defence spending in
atomic bomb. Truman
Eisenhower Oct, US troops had reached the 38 th Western Europe.
became convinced
from 1953 that communism parallel. When MacArthur invaded
Dangers of nuclear war, proposed
wanted to take over North Korea, the Chinese intervened,
US/UN by General MacArthur scared the
the world. pushing US led forces back to Seoul.
Forces led by world and put pressure on the
For the rest of the war, stalemate
General superpowers to negotiate. After
UN vote gave the USA ensued. Ceasefire was agreed on 27th
Douglas the death of Stalin in 1953, this led
greater ‘legitimacy’ to July 1953. Korea remained divided.
MacArthur to a thaw in relations.
invade
12.) Creation of the Warsaw Pact – May 1955
Who? Causes
The formation of NATO in 1949
altered the balance of power in
USSR, Poland, Europe in the West’s favour.
Czechoslovakia, Stalin needed his own rival alliance
Romania, to ensure parity with the west.
Bulgaria,
Hungary, The addition of West Germany
Albania and to NATO in 1955 along with over a
East Germany. million extra German soldiers
accelerated the need for the
USSR to create a military alliance.
What happened? Consequences
The USSR responded to
NATO by creating the
The creation of a communist
Warsaw Pact which was a
military alliance cemented the
military alliance of
control of the USSR over Eastern
Eastern European
Europe.
countries. The countries
agreed to respect each It also contributed to the
other’s independence and increasing competition of the
to defend each other in arms race. The Warsaw Pact had
the event of war. poor technology and relied on
conscription, therefore the USSR
Unlike NATO, the Warsaw
focused on developing nuclear
Pact countries were
weapons as a means of deterrence.
strictly dominated by the
USSR.
13.) The Hungarian Uprising – Feb-Nov 1956

Who? Causes What happened? Consequences

Hungarians were dissatisfied

After Khrushchev’s ‘secret speech’
with Soviet rule. After 1949,
in Feb 1956, many students began Nagy fled to the Yugoslavian
COMINFORM imposed an
to riot in Budapest, attacking embassy but was arrested by
oppressive regime on Hungary.
Soviet troops with petrol bombs Soviet troops as soon as he left.
Hungarian land was given to other
and grenades. Police lost control He was accused of treason by
countries, resources shipped to
and protests erupted in other Khrushchev and was hanged in
Hungarian Russia, political parties abolished
cities. By the summer, Khrushchev June 1958.
Dictator and Matyas Rakosi was appointed
realised that Rakosi was
Matyas dictator in Aug 1952. The west was accused of
extremely unpopular & replaced
Rakosi him with Erno Gero in July 1956. ‘abandoning’ the Hungarians.
Rakosi’s reign was harsh – he
This made little difference. The USA had encouraged the
Hungarian used what he called ‘salami
uprising but didn’t want to risk
Leader tactics’ to deal with opposition
On 24th Oct, Khrushchev agreed nuclear war. May have actually
Erno Gero ‘one slice at a time’. He
to calls for a more liberal leader improved relations as USSR had
imprisoned over 387,000 people
and appointed Imre Nagy. He seen the USA as having no
Hungarian and was responsible for over
proposed leaving the Warsaw Pact, desire to interfere in its sphere
Leader 2000 deaths.
making Hungary a democracy with of influence.
Imre Nagy
free election, communism should
The death of Stalin in 1953 led
end and Hungary should ask the UN The lack of military help from
Hungarian to the end of ‘Stalinism’ and the
for help against the USSR. the USA discouraged other
Leader start of what Khrushchev called
radicals in Eastern Europe from
Janos ‘peaceful co-existence’ with the
Khrushchev worried that to allow rising up. In that sense,
Kadar west. This was taken to mean
this greater freedom and let Khrushchev’s show of force
that Soviet rule was to be
USSR led Hungary leave the Warsaw Pact worked to strengthen his
relaxed in Hungary.
by Nikita would mean the end to Soviet control on Eastern Europe.
Khrushchev control of Eastern Europe. He
In June 1956, there were anti-
responded by sending 200,000 Janos Kadar was appointed as
Soviet demonstrations in Poland.
Soviet troops and 2500 tanks into the new Hungarian leader who
Khrushchev agreed to allow
Hungary to crush the government. called for: re-establishing
reforms there. This inspired
They reached Budapest on 4 th
Nov. communist control and remaining
many Hungarians to demonstrate
20,000 Hungarians were killed and in the Warsaw Pact.
and protest, hoping to gain
another 200,000 fled to Austria.
reforms in their country.
14.) The Berlin Crisis & U2 Incident – 1958-1961

Who? Causes What happened? Consequences

In Nov 1958, Khrushchev issued an

The wall stopped East Germans
Khrushchev was ultimatum giving Western Powers six months
from escaping to the West,
deeply concerned to withdraw from Berlin. Eisenhower was
ending the refugee crisis. Allowed
by the growing unsure how to respond but agreed to hold
the communists to consolidate
refugee problem. talks on the issue.
their hold over East Germany.
Between 1949 and
Further talks are held in Geneva (May
1961, 2.7 million Allowed Khrushchev to avoid war
1959) and at Camp David (Sep 1959) but
East Germans with USA whilst appearing strong.
both talks fail to achieve anything. Further
USSR led escaped to West
talks are scheduled for 1960. Was propaganda victory for the
by Nikita Germany through
Khrushchev USA as USSR had to ‘wall people in’
Berlin. Many were
On 1st May 1960, an American U2 spy
highly skilled. to make sure they didn’t run away
plane is shot down over USSR. Khrushchev
USA led by from communism. Kennedy took
used this to expose the USA’s spying
President Khrushchev also advantage of this by touring West
programme at the UN.
Truman believed that West Berlin in 1963, saying in a speech:
and Dwight Berlin was being “All free men, wherever they live,
The Paris Summit on 16th May 1960 breaks
D. used by the West are citizens of Berlin and
down as Khrushchev walks out. Eisenhower
Eisenhower as a base for therefore as a free man, I take
refuses to punish the leaders of the U2
from 1953 spying and pride in the words Ich bin ein
programme.
sabotage. Berliner.”
th
At the Vienna Conference on 4 June 1961,
The post-war 86 Germans would die over the
Khrushchev challenges Kennedy to withdraw
recovery of West next 30 years in trying to cross the
US troops from Berlin within 6 months or
Berlin seemed to wall.
to declare war. Kennedy refuses.
remind people of
the benefits of Led to a period of calm in Europe
On morning of 13th Aug 1961, Berliner’s
capitalism. This as both sides accepted there was
awake to find that a fence had been
worried Khrushchev. no immediate prospect of change so
erected around the whole of West Berlin. It
tension went down.
was eventually reinforced.
15.) The Cuban Missile Crisis – October 1962
Who? Causes What happened? Consequences

In August 1961, Khrushchev agreed to defend

Long-term
The continuing arms race
forced both sides to find
ways in which to gain
military supremacy. The
launch of Sputnik 1 in
1957 had intensified the
arms race. In early 1962,
the US placed nuclear
missiles in Turkey. The
USSR decided to retaliate
Cuba by stationing Russian nuclear missiles in Cuba.
On 25th September 1962, Khrushchev sent 114
ships to Cuba carrying nuclear warheads and long
range missiles.
14th Oct – American U2 spy plane spots a nuclear
site under construction in Cuba.
16th Oct – Kennedy was shown the photographs
proving the missiles were on Cuba. The ExComm
committee is established and he spends 6 days
secretly discussing how to respond.
Short-Term
Kennedy and the USA appeared
victorious as Khrushchev was seen
by the world as the one to
publically back down. This
propaganda defeat contributed to
Khrushchev resigning in 1964.
Kennedy had agreed to pull US
missiles out of Turkey. In reality,
the event did end in compromise.

by placing missiles in Cuba. European allies of the US were

This would allow the USSR
to undermine American
nuclear superiority without
having to develop
expensive inter-continental
ballistic missiles.
USA led by
President
Short-term
Kennedy
The overthrow of the
USSR led
pro-US Batista
by Nikita
government in Cuba with
Krushchev
a communist government
led by Fidel Castro in
Cuba led by
1959 intensified fears of
Fidel
communist expansion in
Castro
Latin America. Cuba was
only 90 miles from Florida.
Castro nationalised US
property in Cuba and the
USA banned the import
of Cuban sugar – their
main export. This forced
Cuba to turn to the USSR
for help. The USSR now
gave economic aid to Cuba.
The failed Bay of Pigs
invasion of Cuba in April
1961 by the CIA left
Castro fearing another US
invasion. He asked
Khrushchev for military
help.
20th Oct – Kennedy ignores pressure from ‘hawks’ and
shocked at how little they were
decides to impose a naval blockade around Cuba to
consulted throughout the crisis.
prevent further missiles reaching Cuba.
French leader Charles de Gaulle
nd pulls France out of NATO in
22 – Kennedy gives a public address officially
response. NATO is weakened.
declaring the blockade with 100 ships and calls on
Khrushchev to recall his ships on route to Cuba. He
The Chinese were not impressed
promised to destroy any ships that passed the
with the performance of the
‘quarantine line’.
USSR so began to pursue a more
independent foreign policy. World
23rd Oct – Khrushchev states that Soviet ships will
communism was also weakened.
break though the blockade.
This led to the creation of a
24th Oct – Khrushchev issues a statement saying the
‘hotline’ in June 1963 between
USSR is prepared to respond with nuclear weapons if
Washington and Moscow in order
the USA goes to war.
to avoid future
25 th
Oct – Kennedy writes a letter to Khrushchev ‘misunderstandings’.
asking him to withdraw missiles from Cuba. Both
The Limited Test Ban Treaty
armies told to prepare for war. Tension at highest
was agreed in August 1963. Both
point.
sides agreed to ban nuclear
th
26 Oct – Khrushchev’s first offer: he ignores calls testing in space, in the sea and
for a nuclear war and responds, saying in a letter he above ground.
will withdraw the missiles in return for a US
Long-term
guarantee not to invade Cuba.
Both sides recognised the dangers
27th Oct – Khrushchev’s second offer: he sends a
of direct conflict. The USA and
second letter now demanding that the US withdraws
USSR began to search for
its missiles from Turkey in return for the removal
meaningful ‘peaceful co-existence’
of Cuban missiles. Kennedy ignores this letter but
as they realised how close they
agrees to the first letter. Robert Kennedy then
came to nuclear war. This led to a
meets with Soviet ambassador Anatoly Dobrynin. He
policy called ‘détente’ – a
agrees to Russian demands to withdraw missiles from
relaxing of tension in the Cold
Turkey but insists the deal must be kept secret.
War which dominated superpower
28th Oct – Khrushchev agrees to the secret deal relations in the 1970s.
and orders all ‘cargoes’ to return to the USSR.