The twentieth-century world, Year 10: the space race, Hungary and the U-2 crisis (East and West (Cold War) option)

Sputnik

HintIts name is also the Russian word for satellite.

The whySputnik 1 was launched on 4 October 1957. It was a polished metal sphere about 58 cm across, and its launch came as a shock to the United States.

They feared the USA was falling behind the USSR in military technology

HintA rocket does not care what it carries.

The whySoviet success fed fears that the USA had fallen behind in developing new technology. Soviet successes in space triggered fears that the USA was falling behind.

Yuri Gagarin

HintHe was a Soviet pilot.

The whyGagarin's flight in Vostok 1 lasted 108 minutes and took him once around the Earth. It came only days before the Bay of Pigs landing in Cuba, and it added to Soviet prestige.

John F. Kennedy

HintHe set the goal a few weeks after Gagarin's flight.

The whyThe Apollo programme was designed to meet that national goal. Security and prestige were the two motives behind the space race.

Apollo 11

HintNeil Armstrong commanded it.

The whyArmstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the Moon, while Michael Collins stayed in orbit. The USSR had been first with the first satellite, the first man and the first woman in space, so the landing was a major American success.

Imre Nagy

HintThe Soviets backed his appointment as a way to calm the protests.

The whyThe Soviets supported Nagy's reforms at first. Later, when Nagy's government announced that Hungary would leave the Warsaw Pact, the USSR crushed the uprising, and Nagy was executed.

The secret police fired on unarmed demonstrators

HintIt was a violent reaction by the authorities.

The whyThe uprising was caused by anger over declining living standards and a desire for greater freedom. For about a week the revolution seemed to succeed.

That Hungary would leave the Warsaw Pact

HintIt concerned the military alliance of the Eastern Bloc.

The whyMoscow feared that if Hungary left the pact, other satellite states might follow. The Soviet forces attacked on 4 November 1956 with overwhelming military force.

They condemned it but did not send forces to help

HintConsider the risk of fighting a nuclear power.

The whyThe West was deterred by the reality of a nuclear-armed Soviet Union, and was distracted by the British, French and Israeli military action in Egypt at the same time. The episode showed that the West would not risk war to free Eastern Europe.

200,000

HintA figure in the hundreds of thousands.

The whyMost of those who fled went to Austria. A new government under Janos Kadar imprisoned many people and executed leaders of the revolution.

Francis Gary Powers

HintHe was later exchanged for a Soviet intelligence officer.

The whyThe U-2 flew at altitudes that Soviet fighters could not reach, until a surface-to-air missile brought it down. Powers parachuted to the ground and was captured.

An apology for the spy flights over the USSR

HintHe wanted the USA to admit it had done wrong.

The whyEisenhower first denied the spying, and the USA then refused to apologise. Khrushchev walked out, and the summit, which was meant to discuss Germany and a possible test ban, was cancelled.

That it was a weather research aircraft

HintIt was a story meant to hide spying.

The whyAmerican authorities claimed it was a civilian weather research aircraft, but had to admit the true purpose of the flight after the Soviet government produced the captured pilot.

It wrecked the Paris Summit and increased tension between the superpowers

HintLook at what happened to the planned meeting of leaders.

The whyBefore the crisis relations had shown signs of improvement. The summit was supposed to try to resolve issues such as Berlin and nuclear testing, but it collapsed.