1) what was destalinisation? the attempts to liberalise the ussr after the death of stalin in 1953

1) What was Destalinisation?

The attempts to liberalise the USSR after the death of Stalin in 1953.

2) What happened on 25th February 1956?

Khrushchev’s famous speech at the 20th Party Conference, where he denounced Stalin and recognised the rights of the satellite states to find their “national

ways to socialism”

3) Why else were expectations of reform higher during this time?

Improved relations between the USSR and Yugoslavia- again reinforcing different

roads to socialism.

4) What was the issue with “different roads to socialism”?

Questions over how the USSR would react to a controversial road that they might

not agree with

5) Why the USSR intervene in the Polish Crisis?

Feared they’d seek to restore Polish independence

6) Why did the Red Army troops pull out?

Deteriorating situation in Hungary

7) What were Tito’s ambitions for Hungary?

For it become an independent Communist regime, and look to Belgrade rather then

Moscow.

8) Why did the USSR’s decision to place Imre Nagy in charge of Hungary backfire?

He announced he intended to withdraw from the Warsaw Pact, and share power

with non-Communist groups.

9) What was the Suez Crisis?

British, French and Israeli attack on Egypt focused on the Suez canal as a result of

its nationalisation.

10) Why is the Suez Crisis important to the Hungarian uprising?

Khrushchev pressured from two sides- couldn’t afford to lose influence in the

Middle East and in Hungary.

11) How did the Suez crisis end? (3)

US supported Egypt, believing that Britain and France were wrong to try and ‘prop up their disintegrating

empires’.

US applied pressure on Britain by refusing loans, and brought an end to fighting on 6th November.

On 5th November, USSR threatened nuclear attacks on Britain, France and Israel if they did not withdraw

12) Why is this development important? (2)

Appeared to the world that the Soviet ultimatum, rather than US financial

pressure, had saved Egypt.

Also marked the beginning of “nuclear diplomacy”

13) Following these crises, how did USSR react to this at the Moscow Conference of international Communist leaders, October 1957?

Declared the USSR as ‘the first and mightiest’ of socialist countries

Despite some freedoms- countries were encouraged to stick to the Soviet model.

14) Why was Western Europe concerned, following the development of Soviet nuclear policy?

Threatened with attack, would the US surrender West Germany, or Western

Europe in order to protect themselves?