Khrushchev and the Warsaw Pact

Khrushchev and the Warsaw Pact Is the Cold War thawing now that Stalin is dead?

Stalin dies in 1953 of a heart attack. Nikita Khrushchev will become first secretary of the Communist Party in 1953, then Prime Minister in 1958 - 1971 After Stalin’s death, the Communist Party support was weakened due to Stalin’s killings. Leadership switches hands between Georgy Malenkov (Prime Minister immediately after Stalin), Lavrenty Beria (head of the Soviet secret police and a deputy prime minister), and Vyacheslav Molotov. Khrushchev gains support throughout these 5 years.

While denouncing Joseph Stalin in a speech one day, Khrushchev was interrupted by a voice from the audience: "You were one of Stalin's colleagues," the man declared. "Why didn't you stop him?" "Who said that!?" Khrushchev roared. This was followed by a terrified silence - only broken at last by Khrushchev himself.

"Now..." he said in a quiet voice, "Now you know why."

De-Stalinization (1956) Khrushchev: “After Stalin’s death, the Central Committee began to implement a policy of explaining concisely and consistently that it is impermissible and foreign to the spirit of Marxism-Leninism to elevate one person, to transform him into a superman possessing supernatural characteristics, akin to those of a god. Such a man supposedly knows everything, sees everything, thinks for everyone, can do anything, is infallible in his behavior. Such a belief about a man, and specifically about Stalin, was cultivated among us for many years. The objective of the present report is not a thorough evaluation of Stalin’s life and activity. Concerning Stalin’s merits, an entirely sufficient number of books, pamphlets and studies had already been written in his lifetime. Stalin’s role of Stalin in the preparation and execution of the Socialist Revolution, in the Civil War, and in the fight for the construction of socialism in our country, is universally known. Everyone knows it well. At present, we are concerned with a question which has immense importance for the Party now and for the future – with how the cult of the person of Stalin has been gradually growing, the cult which became at a certain specific stage the source of a whole series of exceedingly serious and grave perversions of Party principles, of Party democracy, of revolutionary legality.” Speech Delivered: February 24-25 1956; http://www.marxists.org/archive/khrushchev/1956/02/24.htm

De-Stalinization (1956) • Khrushchev reveals the following in his speech to Congress: • Stalin’[s purges • Creation of the myth (Stalin as a hero) • Accused Stalin of destroying democracy • This came as a shock to the audience, some fainted in disbelief • Khrushchev distances himself from the purges stating that they took place before he came into office (1939) – not altogether true

Process of De-Stalinization • Speech 1956 that denounces Stalin • Removal of Stalin’s body from the mausoleum in Moscow • Releases prisoners held in Gulags • Greater policy of peace with the West • Freedom of media • Tolerance of religions • Not all completely fulfilled but steps taken towards most of them • De-Stalinization is not capitalism, it is getting back on track with communism

“You do not like Communism. We do not like capitalism. There is only one way out – peaceful co-existence.” (Khrushchev speaking on a visit to Britain in 1956) “We may argue. The main thing is to argue without using weapons.” (Khrushchev speaking in 1959)

Did Khrushchev really believe in peaceful coexistence? • Arms Race: 1953 Russia develops the Hydrogen Bomb • 1955 Burma and Afghanistan given economic aid for supporting Russia • Space race: • 1957 Sputnik is launched • 1961 Yuri Gagarin became the first astronaut to orbit the earth • Propaganda war • Warsaw Pact

Propaganda War Title: "American Imports and Exports“ Explanation: American soldiers are bringing in Coca Cola, Kodak film and cigarettes, and removing Germany's art treasures. This was part of the general claim that the U.S. was an uncivilized country.

Propaganda War Title: "The Resurrection" Explanation: Konrad Adenauer, the West German chancellor, is presented as standing in Adolf Hitler's place, carrying an American flag and reading a fine speech.

Warsaw Pact 1955 “Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance Between the People's Republic of Albania, the People's Republic of Bulgaria, the Hungarian People's Republic, the German Democratic Republic, the Polish People's Republic, the Rumanian People's Republic, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the Czechoslovak Republic, May 14, 1955”

Warsaw Pact

Warsaw Pact • Use of the UN to settle disputes, not force • Cooperation of securing peace • Cooperation between treaty members in case of an armed attack • Joint command of armed forces • No coalitions or alliances that conflict with Warsaw Pact • Respect the sovereignty of each country • Foster economic relations • 20 years, then reviewed by Polish government for another 10 years

1964 Warsaw Pact Plan • “Plan of Actions of the Czechoslovak People’s Army for War Period “ • After an “assessment” of the “enemy”, it was feared that NATO would launch a nuclear attack on Czechoslovakia • Russia to aid in attacking Western Germany – attack calls for the use of 96 nuclear missiles and 35 nuclear bombs http://se2.isn.ch/serviceengine/FileContent?serviceID=PHP&fileid=9F64B1FE-9E5A-DF9E-885C-CBC8BB7BFAD3&lng=en

America Responds • American Senator Joseph McCarthy (Rep) begins his witch-hunt for communists in America • Losing support in his first years as a senator and is advised to start a campaign to seek out communists in the Democratic part to gain support • Works with Jack Anderson (a journalist) to trade information about politicians, J. Edgar Hoover of the FBI • Claims that there are communist spies feeding intelligence to the Russians and were therefore traitors to America • He goes wild with allegations – had a list of 205 alleged communists that he later cuts back to 57 (part of the American Communist Party) • Hollywood actors and writers were accused (Charlie Chaplin, Orson Welles) – before McCarthyism • Targets anti-American books to rid of • HUAC (House-UnAmerican-Activities-Committee est 1934) used to try suspected communists • Sentences include jailing (Alger Hiss) or execution (Julius & Ethel Rosenburg)

America Responds 2. Propaganda War “Today’s headlines shout of battles with the Communist hordes in Korea – of Red Riots in Rome and Paris and Berlin! But there’s another secret battle taking place – RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW! An unheralded, underground fight between communism and democracy for the youth of America. Here is the story of my part in this battle… A tale of love and communism, laughter and death…”

3.Arms Race US Hydrogen Bomb in 1952, Russia in 1953 Possession of this technology may have stopped the escalation of the Cold War (MAD) Russia focuses on quantity of missiles, US on quality 1967 China develops H-bomb America Responds

Arms Race • 1955 500,000 troops stationed in West Germany (leads to creation of the Warsaw Pact)

Arms Race • B-52 Bombers that could travel 6000mi to deliver Nuclear bombs

Arms Race • 1957 DEW Line (Arctic Defense Early Warning) system developed – in Canada

Arms Race stats 1967 http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/nuclear_arms_race.htm

America Responds 4) Space Race “We have a long way to go in the space race. We started late. But this is the new ocean, and I believe the United States must sail on it and be in a position second to none.” President John F. Kennedy, 1962

America Responds 4) Space Race • Originates from the race to launch long range rockets with nuclear warheads • Satellites used for photographing enemy areas • Moon landing was not military, but a defined goal of this race – part of civilian activities and was publicized

Space Race Sputnik: • Launched in Oct 4,1957 • Instruments to measure density of atmosphere • Launch rocket = ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile) • Strikes absolute fear in Americans • Leads to the creation of NASA • US launches Explorer 1 Jan, 1958 • Discovers radiation belts around the Earth

Space Race Man in Space • March 23, 1961 Russia launches “Ivan Ivanovich”, a mannequin to test their space suit • April 12, 1961 Yuri Gagarin is launched into space and orbits the Earth once • Pressures the US (Kennedy) into speeding up their efforts and they set their goal to get to the moon first

Slide Rule This is what engineers used to make calculations about rocketry!!

http://www.nasm.si.edu/exhibitions/gal114/SpaceRace/sec300/sec331.htmhttp://www.nasm.si.edu/exhibitions/gal114/SpaceRace/sec300/sec331.htm Soviet Firsts

http://www.nasm.si.edu/exhibitions/gal114/SpaceRace/sec300/ Firsts Continue

America Responds 5) U2 Spy Planes 1956 • Flies higher than fighter planes • Equipped with the highest resolution cameras

U2 photo (circa 1957)

Khrushchev and the Warsaw Pact