EXPLAIN WHY RELATIONS BETWEEN THE SOVIET UNION AND THE USA CHANGED WITHIN THE YEARS? (1957-69)
*Arms Race
*Prague Spring
During the war the Soviet Union and the USA formed a close alliance due to the shared aim of the defeat of Germany. The Soviet Union became a lot more powerful due to Stalin’s five year plans, and became a contender with the USA for the world’s largest superpower. This sparked conflict between the two nations and a race to see who would be the most powerful, the Cold War.
One of the main factors that that caused the relationship between the Soviet Union and the USA was the arms race, which consisted of both nations building up their military and economic power to more than the other. A large army, navy, air force and weaponry were maintained and each party aspired to be more powerful with the bigger military force. America established the first nuclear bomb in 1945. When Stalin heard of this at the Potsdam conference the race began. By 1949 the USSR also had a nuclear bomb. America then created the Hydrogen bomb. Both countries steadily built their nuclear weaponry in secret which prompted both sides to send spies to collect information of the other country’s progress. This caused a feeling of mistrust and contempt and caused a strong dislike between the two.
The final reason was the Prague spring; on the 20th of August 1968, troops and tanks from the Soviet Union and other members of the Warsaw pact invaded Czechoslovakia. This brought an immediate change in relations between the Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia and was due to increasing opposition to communism within Czechoslovakia, leading to reforms under Dubcek, and the reactions of Moscow to these reforms. The first reason for a change. Dubcek wanted to allow more cultural freedom and peace to the citizens of Czechoslovakia. Therefore the relations shown the soviet union as the doves , wanting harmony and peace, for example some of the reforms were ; More power given to the Czech parliament , the legalization of political opposition groups as that but not lease a relaxation of press censorship.
In conclusion the relations changed between 1957-69 the arms race and the Prague spring both increased tensions between the USA and the USSR, the arms race increased tension both physically were preparing for war as well as the Prague spring, it shown Khrushchev’s dictatorship as for when they invaded Czechoslovakia showing the same tension increased and mistrust used as the arms race.
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