 starter activity

1. starter activity How did people react to Stalin’s death? Use this Russian cartoon from the 1950s to work out how people in the USSR responded to the news.

2. How did the policy of ‘Peaceful Coexistence’ develop?  Aims To understand the reasons why relations between East and West improved after Stalin’s death

3.  Your task • Watch the clip from ‘Cold War’ on East-West relations in the aftermath of Stalin’s death and answer the questions your teacher provides.

4. Nikita Khrushev was eventually to emerge as leader of the Soviet Union. He spoke of ‘Peaceful Co-existence’ with the West. Why did he think this was necessary

5. Need for peaceful coexistence • Khrushchev thought downfall of capitalism was inevitable, but ‘Peaceful Coexistence’ was best way of conducting relations in the interim • Alternative was nuclear war • “There are only two ways – either Peaceful Coexistence or the most destructive war in History. There is no Third Way” (Khrushchev)

6.  Your task • Read p.75-8 and list the reasons why ‘peaceful co-existence’ emerged between the two superpowers. Take notes under these headings: • Consolidation of positions • Military & economic context • Death of Stalin • Beria • Malenkov

7. Consolidation • By 1949 division of Europe entrenched • Formation of NATO (1949) & Warsaw Pact (1953) made divisions more evident

8. Military & economic context • By 1955 USA & USSR possessed hydrogen bombs • Arms race picking up speed, e.g 1950 US had 298 atomic bombs, in 1955 it had 2,422 • 1/3 of USSR spending went on military projects US Hydrogen bomb – one very similar was jettisoned in 1958 of coast of Georgia and remains there to this day!

9. Death of Stalin • Power struggle between Beria (head of secret police), Malenkov (Politburo member) & Nikita Khrushchev (Politburo member) Beria (with Svetlana) Khrushchev Malenkov  Read about Beria’s depraved sexual antics

10. Beria’s initiatives • Beria: “All we want is a peaceful Germany, and it makes no difference to us whether it is socialist or not” • BUT Berlin Uprising (1953) dashed hopes of unified Germany – 25,000 arrests, 400 executions

11. Malenkov’s ‘New Course’ • New Course – war between capitalism and communism no longer inevitable • Resources should be directed towards improving living conditions in USSR

12. Khrushchev built on Malenkov’s policy, developing ‘New Course’ into ‘Peaceful Co-existence’ & De-Stalinisation

13.  Extension task If you were going to ‘De-Stalinise’ the USSR and Eastern Bloc countries what would you do?

14.  Your task • Study the information on p.80-1 about the impact of Peaceful Co-existence on Austria & Finland. • What happened to each of these countries after WWII? • What evidence do the agreements provide of Peaceful Co-existence?

15.  Plenary • Which of these factors most explains why ‘Peaceful-Co-existence’ emerged between East and West in the 1950s: • Death of Stalin • Military & economic context • Power-struggle among Soviet leaders

16.  Homework • Create factoids on these key players in the rise of ‘peaceful coexistence’ using the information on p.78-9 and your own research: • Lavrenti Beria • Georgi Malenkov • Nikita Khrushchev

17. Who was responsible for the post-Stalin thaw?  Aims To identify evidence that suggests the Thaw saw improvements in relations and also an increase in tensions To plan an answer to an essay question

18.  Your task • Try to find 5 pieces of evidence which would suggest there was an improvement in relations between the superpowers & 5 pieces of evidence that tensions increased during the ‘Thaw’. Look through your notes and discuss with your partner and then make your list.

19. Improvements in relations • Death of Stalin • Khrushchev’s new policy of ‘Peaceful Co-existence’ • Attempts by Politburo members to improve relations, e.g. Malenkov’s ‘New Course’ • Treaties, e.g. Austrian State Treaty (1955) • Changes in US leadership – Eisenhower, Kennedy • Summit talks resumed, e.g. Geneva Summit (July 1955)

20. Continued tensions • Nuclear arms race – e.g. USA had 2,422 warheads by 1955 • Power struggle in Kremlin – increased uncertainty over Soviet leadership & direction • Continued influence over non-Communist countries, e.g. Finland • New Look policy • Political crises, e.g. Hungary (1956), Berlin (1961), U2 Spy plane (1961) • Formation of Warsaw Pact (1955)

21.  Your task • ‘To what extent was the development of the post-Stalin thaw in superpower relations between 1953 and 1962 the result of Khrushchev’s policy of ‘Peaceful Coexistence’? • Apply the KIT principle to this question to identify what you will include in your introduction.

22.  Your task • Who was responsible for the Thaw? Work in pairs and prepare points / evidence to support the following: • Khrushchev • US presidents, e.g. Eisenhower & Kennedy • Other members of Politburo • Circumstances, e.g. arms race, economic pressures, death of Stalin

23.  Plenary • Which of the four factors explains why the Thaw emerged? Do you have an alternative view? • Write a judgement paragraph, using at least 3 pieces of evidence to support your view.

24.  Homework • Write an essay discussing the question below: ‘To what extent was the development of the post-Stalin thaw in superpower relations between 1953 and 1962 the result of Khrushchev’s policy of ‘Peaceful Coexistence’?  Extension • You will find further evidence of Khrushchev’s part in events by studying Isaacs, ‘Cold War’, p.140-203