The USSR and the Soviet Empire, 1953–2000 (A-level only) –…

The idea

Khrushchev’s foreign policy aimed to balance ideological rivalry with the avoidance of nuclear war through 'peaceful coexistence' with the West. This approach, however, provoked the Sino-Soviet split, as Mao Zedong viewed Khrushchev's policies as revisionist. Tensions with the West remained high, culminating in intense negotiations over Berlin, leading to the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961. The 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis brought the superpowers to the brink of nuclear war before a diplomatic resolution was reached. Concurrently, the USSR sought international prestige through the space programme, achieving major propaganda victories with Sputnik in 1957 and Yuri Gagarin’s flight in 1961, demonstrating Soviet technological prowess.

What earns the marks

• Assess the ideological and geopolitical factors driving the Sino-Soviet split, including Mao's rejection of peaceful coexistence.
• Evaluate the successes and failures of Khrushchev's policy of peaceful coexistence, noting the contradictions in his approach to the West.
• Analyse the causes and consequences of the Cuban Missile Crisis, focusing on Khrushchev's brinkmanship and subsequent domestic fallout.
• Examine the negotiations over Berlin and how the construction of the Berlin Wall served as both a pragmatic solution and a propaganda failure.
• Explain the role of the space programme in Soviet foreign policy as a tool for demonstrating ideological and technological superiority.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Assuming peaceful coexistence meant an end to Cold War rivalry.

  Put it right: It actually meant competing through economic and technological means rather than direct military conflict.

• Viewing the Cuban Missile Crisis solely as a Soviet defeat.

  Put it right: Khrushchev successfully secured a US pledge not to invade Cuba and the secret removal of US Jupiter missiles from Turkey.

• Treating the Sino-Soviet split as purely ideological.

  Put it right: It was also driven by national security interests, border disputes, and competition for leadership of the communist world.

Exam tips

• Link the space programme directly to Cold War diplomacy, showing how technological milestones like Sputnik were used as leverage in negotiations.
• When discussing Berlin, contrast Khrushchev's aggressive ultimatums with his ultimate acceptance of the physical division of the city.
• Evaluate how Khrushchev's handling of the Cuban Missile Crisis contributed to his eventual removal from power in 1964.