10.9 Lecture – The Cold War Thaw

I. Soviet Policy in Eastern Europe A. Stalin dies in More moderate leaders came to power after his death. a. They allowed countries somewhat more independence, as long as they remained allied with the Soviet Union. 2. Nikita Khrushchev became the dominant Soviet leader. a. Denounced Stalin for jailing and killing loyal Soviet citizens. b. De-Stalinization – Purging the country of Stalin’s memory. 1. Workers destroyed monuments of the former dictator. c. Khrushchev called for “peaceful competition” with capitalist states. d. Promoted the relaxation of government controls and improved the standard of living. 1. Promised better wages and more consumer goods. 2. Gave artists and intellectuals more freedom. 3. Reduced terror of secret police 4. Freed political prisoners from labor camps.

B. The Cuban Missile Crisis 1. Nuclear war begins its threat in a. Khrushchev secretly placed nuclear missiles in Cuba only 90 miles away from Florida. b. Done to offset the nuclear missiles the US had in Turkey c. Khrushchev didn’t want to see Communism overthrown by US in Cuba d. Blockade set up by Cuba by US e. Resolution – Khrushchev would remove missiles if Kennedy would not invade Cuba 2. Most significant conflict in Cold War due to the fact of blowing each other up with nuclear warfare. a. The superpowers decided to establish a better relationship. b the Soviets and Western Allies signed a treaty banning nuclear weapons tests in the atmosphere. 3. So much time, money, and energy spent on for technology advancement the production of consumer goods was depleted. a. The people were so upset that in 1964 Khrushchev was removed from office.

C. The Brezhnev Era 1. Khrushchev lost prestige in his country as a result of the Cuban Missile Crisis. a. In 1964, party leaders voted to remove him from power. 2. Leonid Brezhnev quickly adopted repressive domestic policies. a. Political thoughts and ideas were more like Stalin. b. The party enforced laws to limit such basic human rights as freedom of speech and worship. c. Government censors controlled what writers could publish. d. The secret police arrested many dissidents. e. He made it clear that he would not tolerate dissent in Eastern Europe. f. Increased Soviet nuclear arsenal and its supplies of conventional weapons. 1. Brezhnev felt that military power gave the Soviet Union a stronger position in world diplomacy. 2. Economic conditions worsened due to money spent on the military. i) Outdated equipment ii) Industries 20 years old iii) Consumer goods in short supply iv) Poor farming production – forced to buy grain from the West.

D. Soviet Satellites 1. Yugoslavia became the only communist state to resist control from the Soviet Union. a. Developed own form of communism b. Various ethnic and religious groups held together c. Received aid from the West. 2. East Germany a. Most prosperous of the Soviet Satellites b. 3 million East Germans will migrate to the West due to their dislike of control in East Germany. c. Berlin Wall build miles long feet high 3. topped with electrified wire 4. Purpose of the wall was to keep Westerner and their ideology out, but it was also used to halt the exodus of East Germans from East Berlin. 5. Many died trying to climb and escape East Germany in hopes to gain their freedoms. 6. Most visible and powerful physical symbol of the iron curtain.

3. Poland a. Industrialized b. Did not like Communist rule from Soviet Union c. Leadership positions not strong 4. Hungary a. Agricultural nation, collective farms enforced b. Revolutions will occur but by the 1980s economic reform will help and influence political reform 5. Czechoslovakia a. Last country to become communist b. Did not become de-Stalinized until 1960s c. Brezhnev Doctrine established - Soviet Union declared its right to intervene in Communist states to counter any opposition that threatened communism or the unity of the Soviet bloc. 1. This doctrine used for the next 20 years.

E. The United States turns to Détente 1. Derived from the French word meaning relaxation 2. The United States backed away from its policy of direct confrontation with the Soviet Union. a. Détente – a policy of lessening Cold War tensions, replaced brinkmanship under Richard Nixon. 1. Meant dealing with other nations in a practical and flexible manner. 2. While the United States continued to try to contain the spread of Communism, the two superpowers agreed to pursue détente and to reduce tensions. 3. Nixon became the first US President to visit Communist China. a. Three months after visiting Beijing in February 1972, Nixon visited the Soviet Union.

4. After a series of meetings called the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT), Nixon and Brezhnev signed the SALT I Treaty. a. This five-year agreement limited the number of intercontinental ballistic and submarine-launched missiles each country could have. b. In 1975, 33 nations joined the United States and the Soviet Union in signing a commitment to détente and cooperation, the Helsinki Accords. F. The Collapse of Détente 1. In the late 1970s, President Jimmy Carter was concerned over harsh treatment of protesters in the Soviet Union. a. This threatened to prevent a second round of SALT negotiations. 1. In 1979, Carter and Brezhnev finally signed the SALT II agreement. 2. Ronald Reagan – a fiercely anti-Communist President a. He increased defense spending, putting both economic and military pressure on the Soviets. b. In 1983, Reagan also announced the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), a program to protect against enemy missiles. 1. It was not put into effect but remained a symbol of US anti-Communist sentiment. 3. A change in Soviet leadership in 1985 brought a new policy toward the United States and the beginnings of a final thaw in the Cold War.