Lesson Three
-
Suez, Berlin Wall, Khrushchev & the West,
Space Race
Outcomes (SWBAT)
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

Assess the significance of the crisis in the Suez
Describe the events that led to the building of the Berlin Wall
Discuss the role of nuclear weapons and the space race during the Cold
War
Activities
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Attempts to break from Soviets. Add to world map.
Suez Crisis. Whiteboard map with notes.
U2 incident – source documents. Go over these as a class.
Berlin Wall – talk about “Peaceful Co-existence” and then show
segment of “The Wall, A World Divided” DVD, chapters 2 & 3 – handout on Berlin Wall.
Post-lesson responder questions
Materials
1.
2.
Suez and Berlin Wall notes
“The Wall, A World Divided” DVD from Pen-Hi library
Suez Crisis -
lecture notes

In 1955 Egypt concluded a trade agreement with the USSR whereby Egypt
received arms from Czechoslovakia. This action threatened the security of
Israel, whom President Nasser had singled out in his propaganda attacks.

In 1956, American Secretary of State, John Foster Dulles, in retaliation for
Nasser’s agreement with the USSR, announced the withdrawal of
American intentions to help Egypt build the costly Aswan Dam.

Nasser retaliated by nationalizing the Suez Canal (formerly controlled by
UK and France)

Increasing tension between Egypt and Israel prompted Israel to attack
Egypt in fall of 1956 – through the Sinai Peninsula toward the Suez

British and French, apparently still angered by Nasser’s nationalizing the
Suez Canal Company, demanded a ceasefire and permission to occupy key
points on the Canal. When Egypt refused, British and French forces
invaded the Canal Zone

The UN General Assembly arranged the withdrawal of belligerent armies
by sending the UNEF to the Near East. These forces, in the future,
became known as peacekeeping forces. Peacekeeping forces would
become one of the most successful ventures of the UN.

Due to the crisis, the USSR extended its influence to Syria and Iraq, and
drove Nasser closer to the USSR.

UK and France were almost completely discredited by their actions in this
war and were replaced by the USA and USSR as major powers in this
region
In 1955 Egypt concluded a trade agreement with the USSR
whereby Egypt received arms from Czechoslovakia. This
action threatened the security of Israel, whom President
Nasser had singled out in his propaganda attacks.
In 1956, American Secretary of State, John
Foster Dulles, in retaliation for Nasser’s
agreement with the USSR, announced the
withdrawal of American intentions to help Egypt
build the costly Aswan Dam
Increasing tension between Egypt and
Israel prompted Israel to attack Egypt in
fall of 1956 – through the Sinai
Peninsula toward the Suez
The UN General Assembly arranged the
withdrawal of belligerent armies by sending the
UNEF to the Near East. These forces, in the
future, became known as peacekeeping forces.
Peacekeeping forces would become one of the
most successful ventures of the UN.
Due to the crisis, the USSR
extended its influence to Syria
and Iraq, and drove Nasser
closer to the USSR.
Nasser retaliated by
nationalizing the Suez
Canal (formerly controlled
by UK and France)
British and French demanded a ceasefire and
permission to occupy key points on the Canal.
When Egypt refused, British and French forces
invaded the Canal Zone
UK and France were almost
completely discredited by their
actions in this war and were
replaced by the USA and USSR
as major powers in this region
History 12
Ms. Lacroix
Name ___________________________________
SUEZ CRISIS 1956
Mandate system comes back to
haunt…
Aswan Dam and the US?
British and French get involved…
Historical significance?
Trade agreement revs things up in US
Nasser’s response:
The UN gets involved…
Peaceful Co-Existence

1956 – Khrushchev stated that the USSR was ready to peacefully compete
with the USA on a global basis. – Real intention?

The American response to Khrushchev was the Eisenhower Doctrine – a
heavy handed policy of using US troops if necessary to intervene in the
Middle East to help against communist instigated aggression

This signaled a new era of competition between the US and USSR

Some interpret co-existence merely as an announcement of more
aggressive intentions

Evidence?
USSR – broke across the Baghdad Pact (CENTO) and arranged an arms deal
between Egypt and Czechoslovakia
Khrushchev visited India, Afghanistan, and Burma… increase Soviet influence
1959 – Khrushchev tried to force Allied troops out of Berlin
History 12
Ms. Lacroix
Name __________________________________
THE BERLIN WALL
1959 – Khrushchev announced his government’s intention of signing a peace
treaty with East Germany. Western nations feared this would result in East
Germans attempting to block the access routes from West Germany to West
Berlin.
Khrushchev proposed to make Berlin a free city, but western leaders felt this
action was just a prelude to communist domination of the entire city.
Summit Conference, 1960
PM MacMillan, De Gaulle, Eisenhower, and Khrushchev meet. Talks collapsed
when Khrushchev refused to meet with western leaders until the US apologized
for the U-2 incident.
U-2: spy plane, piloted by Gary Powers, an American pilot, was shot down by a
missile over the USSR. For years, the US had gotten away with flying their
planes into Soviet territory, but the invention of the rocket powered missile
changed all of that.
The Wall – 1961
Khrushchev precipitated another crisis when he pressed JFK and Western Allies
to get out of Berlin altogether. Part of this concern was the brain drain he
witnessed happening as Easterners left in huge numbers, an embarrassment to
the Soviets. (Since 1949 more than 3 million Germans had left East Germany
through East Berlin to the West… most were skilled workers)
Instead of accommodating him, JFK increased American strength. This
prompted Khrushchev to build the Wall. The permanent wall was made of
concrete, barbed wire, and guarded with “shoot to kill” guards.
At home, Khrushchev ramped up nuclear tests, with a 58 megaton bomb. (The
bomb at Hiroshima was a 0.02 megaton bomb)
Kennedy – “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech
In this speech, he boldly announced his commitment to the defense of Berlin.
“All free men, wherever they may live, are citizens of Berlin, and, therefore, as a
free man, I take pride in the words, “Ich bin ein Berliner”.
Poland – Radio Free Europe had played Khrushchev’s speech at the 20th Congress.
Poland was fertile territory as workers were close to revolt after years of shortages and
hard work
June 1956 – Bread Liberty and Freedom for Catholic Church and end to Soviet
domination of Poland.
Demonstrators met with Polish tanks and bullets. 74 were killed.
This was a worker’s movement, not an intellectual or political movement.
The uprising fueled the spirit of rebellion. Reformers in Communist Party made radical
demands such as the withdrawal of Soviet troops.
Gomulka, a patriotic communist, was chosen as their new leader. Fearful of an antiRussian revolt, Moscow ordered tanks on warsaw and Khrushchev headed to Warsaw to
teach Gomulka a lesson.
Soviet troops readied for a strike while America looked on.
Dulles – America would not send their own armed forces into Poland or E. Germany.
Would precipitate a full scale world war.
Gomulka won vs Khrushchev as long as they remained a member of the Warsaw Pact.
Soviet troops were ordered back. Gomulka promised a freer, more Polish nation and this
calmed the demonstrators.
Hungary
Hungary had remained under Rakosi’s ruthless rule. 3 kind of people in Hungary – who
was in jail, who is in jail, who will be in jail for political reasons.
The new Kremlin leadership disapproved of Rakosi, and sent officials to deal with him.
“The Soviet leadership has decided you are ill. You will need treatment in Moscow so
you must resign.”
Hungarians wanted Imre Nagy to take over – a reform leader. The Soviet embassy in
Budapest was against that. Moscow was warned by Andropov. Khrushchev thought he
could cope with the situation.
October 23, 1956
Inspired by Gomulka’s success, thousands poured into the streets of Budapest, students
and workers demanded free speech, the disbanding of the secret police and the removal
of Soviet troops.
Soviet’s wouldn’t agree to removal of Soviet troops.
Demonstrators and communist supporters urged Nagy to take control. Nagy misjudged
the popular mood who wanted immediate and radical change. The monument to Stalin
was toppled, but Nagy kept silent when Hungary’s tottering communist leadership called
on the Kremlin to crush the unrest.
Soviets approached the city and Hungarian machine guns opened fire. Armed civilians
had prevented Soviet tanks from entering Budapest using Molotov cocktails, rifles,
machine guns and enthusiasm.
During 4 days of fighting the Budapest revolutionaries stood their ground. Heavy losses
on both sides until Nagy agreed to a ceasefire and the Soviet tanks left Budapest. Nagy’s
patriotism took over and he backed the Hungarian revolutionaries cautiously.
During the fighting, many had taken refuge in cellars, emerging to a city in ruins.
Hungarians thought they had won their revolution and came out to mourn their dead
heroes. Western correspondents flocked to report a victory. People were enormously
optimistic everywhere in the country, with the Hungarian tricolor flag flying with the
Soviet emblem ripped out of the middle. Many looked to America and the west to
guarantee their revolution.
The West’s attention was diverted by the Suez Canal crisis in the Middle East. America
hadn’t been consulted when the UK, France, and Israel attacked Egypt and they were
furious. So were the Hungarians as their uprising was now ignored and the Soviets could
now act with impunity against the Hungarian revolution.
Communist party offices were destroyed and Red Flag burned, secret policemen were
strung up and lynched. An orgy of bloodletting in Budapest and other cities. The Soviets
sent more troops into Hungary and PM Nagy tried one last gamble, declaring Hungarian
neutrality and divorce from the Warsaw Pact He hoped for international pressure to stop
the Soviet crush.
Other communist states, especially China, were urging Khrushchev to use force.
Soviets used the excuse of saving Hungarians from bandits and terror. If America
entered from the west, the feeling was this could begin WWIII.
Soviet army reentered Budapest- Nagy refused to declare war against the Soviets.
Khrushchev had ordered the attack after Eisenhower let him know that they believed
Hungary belonged in the Soviet sphere of influence. Hungarian fighters waited in vain
for Western help. American policy was to avoid war with the Soviets and also not offer
any optimistic hope to Soviet satellite states that they would receive help from the USA.
Revolution was crushed, thousands were killed in the fighting, Nagy was executed. 200
000 Hungarians fled to Austria before the border was sealed by Soviet troops. The rest
stayed in Hungary as prisoners, and Khrushchev had reinforced the Iron Curtain.