New
New
Year 11
AQA

Khrushchev and peaceful coexistence

I can explain why there were hopes for improved superpower relations in the early 1950s.

New
New
Year 11
AQA

Khrushchev and peaceful coexistence

I can explain why there were hopes for improved superpower relations in the early 1950s.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. New leaders came to power in both the USA and USSR after 1953.
  2. Khrushchev and Eisenhower both believed US and Soviet differences did not need to be settled through conflict.
  3. The 1955 Geneva Summit was attended by both Eisenhower and Khrushchev.
  4. The Geneva Summit was the first meeting between the leaders of the superpowers since the end of WW2.
  5. No agreements were reached during the Geneva Summit.

Keywords

  • Arms race - the situation in which two or more countries try to have more and stronger weapons than each other

  • Inevitable - something which you cannot avoid or prevent from happening

  • Summit - a meeting between different nations or political powers where key issues and problems are discussed

Common misconception

The arms race only made the superpowers more hostile towards one another.

The high costs and growing power of nuclear weapons developments meant both the USSR and USA were interested in finding ways to improve relations between them.

Students should write a conclusion for Task B, offering their overall view on whether or not the 1955 Geneva Summit should be considered a successful demonstration of peaceful coexistence or not.
Teacher tip

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
Write the missing word. Something is if you cannot avoid it or prevent it from happening.
Correct Answer: inevitable, Inevitable
Q2.
Who was the leader of the USSR during the 1940s?
Correct Answer: Stalin, Joseph Stalin, stalin, joseph stalin
Q3.
Which of the following countries was occupied by the USA, USSR, Britain and France after the end of World War Two?
Correct answer: Germany
Greece
Italy
Spain
Q4.
Write the misisng word. In 1947, US President announced a US policy of containment.
Correct Answer: Truman, truman
Q5.
Which Asian country became communist in 1949?
Correct answer: China
India
Japan
Q6.
Whcih city was blockaded by the USSR from 1948 to 1949?
Correct answer: Berlin
Paris
Rome
Vienna

6 Questions

Q1.
Write the missing word. A is a meeting between different nations or political powers where key issues and problems are discussed.
Correct Answer: summit, Summit
Q2.
Match the Cold War leaders to the correct descriptions.
Correct Answer:Eisenhower,US President from 1953-61

US President from 1953-61

Correct Answer:Khrushchev,Leader of Soviet Union from the mid-1950s

Leader of Soviet Union from the mid-1950s

Correct Answer:Stalin,Leader of the USSR until 1953

Leader of the USSR until 1953

Correct Answer:Truman,US President from 1945-53

US President from 1945-53

Q3.
Write the misisng word. The War ended in 1953.
Correct Answer: Korean, korean
Q4.
Which world leader promoted the idea of peaceful coexistence?
Correct Answer: Khrushchev, Nikita Khrushchev, khrushchev, nikita khrushchev
Q5.
Which statement about the Geneva Summit is most accurate?
It was a meeting of Western countries opposed to communism.
It was a meeting of Eastern countries opposed to capitalism.
Correct answer: It was a meeting of Eastern and Western countries hoping to reduce tensions.
Q6.
Starting with the earliest, sort the following events into chronological order.
1 - End of World War Two
2 - Truman Doctrine announced
3 - Berlin Blockade
4 - Eisenhower became president
5 - Geneva Summit

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