11 mark
What event marked the beginning of the Arms Race?
The creation of the satellite states in Eastern Europe.
The Berlin Blockade.
The USA dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
The Cuban Missile Crisis.
Did this page help you?
The Cold War Intensifies, 1952-1958 (Edexcel GCSE History)
Exam Questions
18 mins18 questions
21 mark
When did the Soviet Union successfully develop its first atomic bomb?
1945.
1947.
1949.
1952.
Did this page help you?
31 mark
Who developed the hydrogen bomb in 1952?
Edward Teller.
Dwight Eisenhower.
J. Robert Oppenheimer.
Nikita Khrushchev.
Did this page help you?
41 mark
How many times more powerful is a hydrogen bomb compared to an atomic bomb?
Two
Ten
100
1 000
Did this page help you?
51 mark
What is the name of the bomb that caused the largest man-made explosion ever recorded in 1961?
Ivy Mike.
Fat Man.
Tsar Bomba.
Little Boy.
Did this page help you?
61 mark
What does ICBM stand for?
Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile.
International-Calibre Boundary Missile.
International Confederation of Biometric Missiles.
Iridium-Coated Buoyant Missile.
Did this page help you?
71 mark
What percentage of the USA's GDP was invested in military spending during the 1950s?
10%
13%
15%
20%
Did this page help you?
81 mark
Which policy developed in the 1960s reflected the belief that nuclear weapons would deter warfare?
Containment.
Isolationism.
Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD).
Domino Theory.
Did this page help you?
91 mark
Who succeeded Joseph Stalin as the General Secretary of the Soviet Union after a three-year power struggle?
Lavrentiy Beria.
Georgy Malenkov.
Leonid Brezhnev.
Nikita Khrushchev.
Did this page help you?
101 mark
What speech did Khrushchev deliver at the 20th Party Congress in 1956?
The ‘Iron Curtain’ speech.
The ‘Ich bin ein Berliner’ speech.
The Secret Speech.
The ‘Evil Empire’ speech.
Did this page help you?
11 mark
What action by Imre Nagy in 1956 led to Soviet military intervention in Hungary?
Nationalising Hungarian industries.
Withdrawing Hungary from the Warsaw Pact.
Expanding the secret police.
Releasing political prisoners.
Did this page help you?
21 mark
How did Khrushchev respond to the Hungarian Uprising in 1956?
By negotiating with Nagy to keep Hungary in the Warsaw Pact.
By imposing economic sanctions on Hungary.
By sending 1,000 tanks to suppress the uprising.
By appealing to the United Nations for support.
Did this page help you?
31 mark
How strongly anti-communist was Dwight Eisenhower?
Eisenhower was strongly anti-communist. He wanted to ‘rollback’ communism and defeat, what he deemed, the ‘evil empire’ of the USSR.
Eisenhower was anti-communist, as was his Secretary of State. However, Eisenhower feared nuclear warfare.
Eisenhower had no opinion on communism. He was more concerned with fixing problems within the USA.
Eisenhower was open-minded to communism. Eisenhower's presidential campaign centred on promoting peace and unity with the USSR.
Did this page help you?
41 mark
What was a consequence of the Hungarian Uprising?
Khrushchev loosened his control over the Eastern Bloc, relaxing the Warsaw Pact.
Hungary achieved some freedom from the USSR, improving the lives of Hungarians.
The event improved relations between the USA and the USSR.
The USA’s reputation as a protector of freedom is ruined because of its lack of action.
Did this page help you?
51 mark
What was a consequence of the arms race?
An increase in the amount and power of nuclear weapons available to the USA and the USSR.
An increase in competition between the two countries through the Sea Race.
Nuclear weapons encouraged both countries to pursue open warfare.
An acceptance that nuclear technology will cause Mutually Assisted Destruction.
Did this page help you?
11 mark
What was the impact of the arms race on US-Soviet relations?
The arms race had no impact on US-Soviet relations. Both countries had the technology needed to feel safe and unthreatened by the other Superpower.
The arms race worsened US-Soviet relations. Both countries were afraid of the other because they could destroy the other with nuclear weapons.
The arms race improved US-Soviet relations. Both countries traded nuclear weapons with each other which boosted both nations’ economies.
The arms race was a necessary development of US-Soviet relations. Both countries needed to protect their citizens from conflicting ideologies and significant military threats.
Did this page help you?
21 mark
What was the impact of a change in leadership in the USA and the USSR in 1953 on Cold War tensions?
The change in leadership worsened Cold War tensions. The USA and the Soviet Union gave support to different sides in the civil war in Korea which remained an issue after 1953.
The change in leadership worsened Cold War tensions. Khrushchev and Eisenhower had no desire to de-escalate the Cold War.
The change in leadership had a limited impact on Cold War relations. The US government and people would not accept collaborating with a communist country. Khrushchev could not implement too many capitalist elements.
The change in leadership drastically improved Cold War relations. Both countries significantly reduced their military spending and began to move towards world peace.
Did this page help you?
31 mark
What was the impact of the Hungarian Uprising on US-Soviet relations?
It improved US-Soviet relations as the USA respected the Soviet reaction to the uprising.
It improved US-Soviet relations as the USSR’s military reaction succeeded in containing communism in Eastern Europe.
It worsened US-Soviet relations. The United Nations and NATO’s strong reaction against the USSR showed that East and West could not work together to maintain world peace.
It worsened US-Soviet relations. It increased the Soviet Union's confidence that the USA would not risk military action against them.
Did this page help you?