Nikita Khrushchev -||- The New Russia -||- The Cold War

~~~- To the Khrushchev Era-~~~

The Cold War

Khrushchev was a great party politician in terms of winning power, but internationally, he didn't do too well.

When the Soviet Union launched Sputnik I and Sputnik II (the first manmade objects in space), the Americans feard Soviet technology. They started thinking strange things like 'Now they can fire ballistic missiles!!!" But Khrushchev did not want the cold war, and agreed to sign a peace treaty to not ire nuclear weapons. Soviet propaganda started to create anti-bomb feelings. He said, in 1959; "In our day, there are only two ways, peaceful coexistence or the most destructive war in history. There is no third way."

Things went bad again when the Soviets captured a spy- Gary Powers, who was flying his spy plane over the territory. The Americans refused to apologize for the diplomatic violation.

What didn't help was Khrushchev's diplomatic style. The was aggressive and crude and embarrasing. He is most famous for banging his shoe in the United Nations General Assembly.

Finally, Khrushchev was embarrassed when he lost to J. F Kennedy. He was forced to disarm nuclear missile bases in Cuba.