The Easing of Cold War Tensions: Khrushchev�s Policy of Peaceful Coexistence
TITLE
Assess the extent to which Khrushchev’s policy of peaceful coexistence eased Cold War tensions.
ESSAY
Khrushchev's policy of peaceful coexistence did ease Cold War tensions to some extent, but it was not without its limitations and challenges. This essay will assess the impact of Khrushchev's policy on Cold War dynamics.
One key aspect of Khrushchev's policy of peaceful coexistence was his willingness to engage in diplomacy and negotiations with the West. For example, the end of the post-war occupation of Austria and the creation of a neutral country demonstrated a willingness to resolve disputes peacefully. Khrushchev's speech denouncing Stalin at the Twentieth Party Congress in 1956 also signaled a shift away from the harsh Stalinist era, which contributed to a more open dialogue between the Soviet Union and the West.
Cultural exchanges and Khrushchev's visit to the United States in 1959 further promoted a sense of détente between the two superpowers. These interactions helped to foster a sense of mutual understanding and respect, which could have potentially reduced tensions between the US and the USSR.
However, despite these positive steps, Khrushchev's policy of peaceful coexistence faced significant challenges. Both the US and the Soviet Union remained deeply suspicious of each other's intentions, particularly in relation to military actions and nuclear capabilities. Eisenhower's foreign policy of massive retaliation and reactions like the formation of the Warsaw Pact and the continued arms race highlighted the ongoing competition and mistrust between the superpowers.
Events such as the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, the launching of the first intercontinental ballistic missile by the Soviets, and the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 all underscored the fragility of the peaceful coexistence approach. Khrushchev's support for national liberation movements and the escalation of conflicts in various parts of the world also contributed to continued tensions between the US and the USSR.
Ultimately, while Khrushchev's policy of peaceful coexistence did have some positive impacts in easing Cold War tensions through diplomatic efforts and dialogue, it was limited by underlying ideological differences, military competition, and regional conflicts. The Cold War persisted well beyond Khrushchev's time in office, highlighting the complexities and challenges of achieving lasting peace between the two superpowers.
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Assess the extent to which Khrushchev’s policy of peaceful coexistence eased Cold War tensions.
Khrushchev’s adoption of the policy of peaceful coexistence with the West, alongside his de-Stalinisation policy, signalled a thaw in the Cold War. In 1955 he agreed to negotiate an end to the post-war occupation of Austria and allow a neutral country to be created. In the same year, he told Tito, the Yugoslav leader, that ‘there are different roads to communism’. He also called for a reduction in defence expenditures and reduced the size of the Soviet armed forces. On 24 February 1956, at the Communist Party’s Twentieth Congress, Khrushchev made a speech denouncing Stalin. It became known as the ‘secret speech’ as it was read in a closed discussion but the US State Department soon obtained a copy. It seemed as if there would be a relaxation of Cold War tensions.
In the late 1950s, the United States and the Soviet Union initiated a cultural exchange programme and, in 1959, Nikita Khrushchev visited the United States briefly meeting Eisenhower at Camp David. Predictions of improved future relations were reported which praised ‘the spirit of Camp David’ showing both superpowers were willing to enter into dialogue. It seemed that Khrushchev never intended peaceful coexistence to end competition between the two superpowers, merely that it would be peaceful competition. Both sides remained suspicious of each other’s ideological stance. Eisenhower’s 'New Course’ foreign policy included the use of greater nuclear weapons, a policy of massive retaliation, and brinkmanship. In 1955 Khrushchev set up the Warsaw Pact, and its members had plans of how to wage nuclear war against NATO. Khrushchev also rejected Eisenhower’s ‘Open Skies’ proposal at the Geneva Summit in 1955, which proposed that United States and the Soviet Union exchange maps indicating the exact location of every military installation in their respective nations.
In addition, the United States was suspicious of Khrushchev’s intentions, especially after he sent troops into Hungary in 1956 to crush the revolts there. In 1957, the Soviets launched their first intercontinental ballistic missile which created US fears of a missile gap between the Soviet Union and the United States and began the space race with the launch of Sputnik 1, the first satellite. The problem of Berlin caused tension too; in November 1958, Khrushchev announced that unless the West removed its forces from West Berlin within six months, he would allow the East Germans to control the access routes. The West stood firm, and Khrushchev eventually backed down but West Berlin remained an area of tension. A summit meeting in Paris in 1960 was stopped by the shooting down of a U2 spy plane over Moscow and in 1961 Khrushchev ordered the building of the Berlin Wall after Kennedy’s ‘Ich bin ein Berliner’ speech.
Moscow also took every opportunity to promote its interests in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. In January 1961, Khrushchev declared at an informal summit meeting in Vienna that Moscow would provide active support to national liberation movements throughout the world. The Cuban Crisis of 1962 saw the two sides on the brink of nuclear war. The crisis ended when Khrushchev agreed to remove Russian missiles from Cuba in exchange for a promise from the United States to respect Cuba’s territorial sovereignty. It also led to a hot line being established between the Kremlin and the White House, and the Limited Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty was signed in Moscow on 5 August 1963, by the United States, the Soviet Union, and the United Kingdom.