Evaluation of key sources to address the question of increased tension Essay Example

display presented here depicts Khrushchev as having a relentless determination, with the caveat that its British origin suggests potential bias and inaccuracy. Despite this, Source A1 remains a valuable resource for analyzing the UK's perspective on the arms race, and provides a visual representation of the positions of the superpowers. It also highlights the heightened tension, especially between the US and Soviet Union, as seen in the intense competition on Khrushchev's facial expressions.

Source A2 provides another perspective on the period. It presents a primary source image featuring an American U2 spy plane flying over the Soviet Union. While the accompanying caption is scant on information about the author and potential biases, it is worth noting that the photograph alone indicates increased tension. The U2 was a specially designed spy plane used by the US to secretly photograph Soviet territory, showing little trust and a clear escalation of tension. This invasion of Soviet airspace without permission was not without consequences, as demonstrated by the infamous flight of Gary Powers which ended in his being shot down over Soviet territory.

The flight path of Gary Powers is displayed on Source A3, however, there are questions regarding the map's reliability. It is unclear who published the map and some of the countries appear distorted or displaced, potentially indicating bias introduced by the Soviet publishers. Despite this, the map contains valuable factual information indicating that Powers started his journey in Peshawar and intended to end it in Bodo, but was intercepted and shot down in Soviet territory near Sverdiavsk.

The tension shown on the map reflects the escalation caused by the US spying on the Soviets, as well as the

aggressive action of the Soviets shooting down a plane, resulting in Gary Powers' capture. The demand for an apology from the Americans was made during the Paris summit, which focused on the state of Berlin and was discussed in source A4 - a caption taken from 'The Cold War' by S.

K. Gibbons wrote in 1986 about the Paris summit, describing the events that occurred. The source highlights the danger posed by the massive missile arsenals developed by the United States and the Soviet Union, which put both countries in peril.

The use of extensive protection by both sides during the Paris Summit indicates heightened tension. While the source was written years after the event, it provides a general overview, but some details may be inaccurate. At the summit, Khrushchev repeatedly demands an apology from Eisenhower, who refuses, indicating increased aggression and tension between the two sides.

At the start of the Paris conference, Khrushchev walked out, resulting in the Berlin issue not being discussed. The tension intensified as Khrushchev refused to communicate with Eisenhower, emphasizing his dislike for him. According to a source, this action actually increased rather than decreased East-West tensions. With the Paris conference failing, friction between the two superpowers escalated even further. Source A5 documents Khrushchev's speech upon returning to Moscow where he accuses America of violating Soviet airspace and being caught red-handed.

Although Khrushchev does not specifically mention US espionage during the incident, it is important to note that this may be due to his recognition of the disputable nature of such accusations. Nevertheless, a cited source reveals an increase in hostility as Khrushchev accuses the US of exacerbating tensions and violating international law

in relation to the unauthorized flight over Soviet airspace. This event was just one of several factors that contributed to heightened Cold War tensions, which also had a significant emphasis on South-East Asia.

In 1954, Eisenhower delivered a speech to the press in which he introduced the concept of the Domino theory. He aimed to demonstrate to Americans the necessity to combat communism, which was rapidly spreading. Source B1, a primary source on the spread of communism in South-East Asia, includes an excerpt that relates to the Domino theory.

It is possible that Eisenhower may omit significant information in his speech to the press, which he thinks the state may not approve of. This could result in a speech that is partial or incorrect as crucial details are left out. The source provides insight into Eisenhower's perspective on the Soviets and the expansion of communism. Eisenhower characterizes the Soviets as a "communist dictatorship" and depicts neighboring countries as dominos, poised to succumb to communism one after the other, as per the Domino theory.

It is probable that Eisenhower developed the theory to convince people of the need to prevent communism. The source reveals heightened tensions and Eisenhower's intention to defeat communism through his allies, as stated in his speech about halting communist progress. By directing this message towards the Soviet Union, Eisenhower's statement is likely to escalate tensions. Although the Domino Theory may have been a tactic to sway public opinion, there is substantial proof supporting its validity.

Source B2 depicts a map of communist and non-communist states, highlighting the former's expansion into the surrounding non-communist ones. Although it lacks an explicit publication date or authorship information, its veracity

is assumed. If American-made, the Domino theory may be overstated. Regardless, the map evidences heightened tension and supports the theory of communism's aggressive spread, potentially reinforcing the public's sense of urgency to contain it and increasing the likelihood of US intervention.

Johnson, the vice-president at the time, shared Eisenhower's desire to stop communism. During a report to President Kennedy in May 1961, Johnson proposed supporting non-communist countries that were under communism's pressure. His report, which included a visit to Vietnam, emphasized South Vietnam's need for help. Johnson used persuasive language to illustrate America's need for involvement – he even used the phrase 'throw in the towel' to convince Kennedy on the action's appropriateness. Johnson repeatedly described the action as defensive and emphasized that South Vietnam was an ally who needed support.

The source highlights America's strong opposition to communism and its willingness to provide military support to South Vietnam, risking a potential war with the communists. Johnson recommends that Kennedy takes action promptly to assist these countries in defending themselves. This indicates a rise in tension as America prepares to aid South Vietnam, which could provoke the Soviets. The source, B4, is derived from an extract from Stephen E Ambrose's book, 'Rise to Globalism: America's foreign policy since 1938', written in 1985. As the book covers a broad time period, the extract is brief and generalized, omitting many important details.

The reliability of the secondary source is in question. It discusses Kennedy's establishment of the Green Berets and how civil agencies were employed to prepare South Vietnam for war. In addition, the source covers Kennedy's training of an elite corps to be ready for jungle conflict,

as he aimed to respond to communist aggression at all levels. This source provides valuable insights: it reveals Kennedy's active efforts to research and improve his troops, his prudent action-taking and careful consideration, indicating his utmost seriousness towards the conflict.

Kennedy was clearly concerned about the looming threat of communism and wanted to actively combat it. The source indicates an escalation in tensions as America invested significant resources, including time and money, to assist the South Vietnamese in the war. This action would undoubtedly anger the Soviets. Kennedy's involvement extended beyond providing training and governmental advice; he also provided technological aid such as American helicopters to the Vietnamese troops, as seen in a primary source image shown in B4 (ii).

Although the Publisher's identity is unknown, the photograph remains of immense significance. It illuminates America's deep involvement and concern over the looming communist threat, as evidenced by their considerable financial investment in sophisticated technology. This display of aggression towards Soviet communism ultimately led to increased tension between the two superpowers. The outcome of such substantial involvement was far from glorious - it was not a triumph but a failure.

According to Source B5, the Viet Cong had gained dominance over a large portion of Southern Vietnam. The excerpt comes from JM Roberts' book "The Hutchinson History of the World" published in 1976. It mainly focuses on Kennedy's actions and should be kept in mind that as a brief and descriptive history of the world, its reliability may be questionable.

The article discusses how America's involvement in the Vietnam War went against Truman's doctrine of passively supporting non-communist countries financially. Despite this, Kennedy sent 4,000 advisors to the South Vietnamese

Government and lost 50,000 Americans in the process. This caused tension between the government and the public, leading to Kennedy having a less stable lead of the country. The article provides useful information about the war, including the number of advisors and dead Americans, and highlights the increase in tension. However, Kennedy's attack on North Vietnam only added to the anger of the Soviets and their desire to fight back. Overall, America's involvement in South Vietnam was a major test and did not go well.

When the new president took office, Khrushchev saw an opportunity to exploit his vulnerability. The state of Berlin was a crucial challenge for America and the focal point of the cold war. Berlin was divided into two parts, with the Soviet Union controlling the east and western capitalist countries such as America, France, and UK controlling the west. However, in West Berlin there was prosperity which led to desperation among those living in East Berlin who attempted to move but were denied entry. This caused concern for the Soviets who feared losing their educated population and decided to exert pressure on Kennedy to unite Berlin in their favor.

Source D1 presents statistics on the extent of the situation in East Berlin by showing the figures for the number of refugees who fled from there. The table covers several years and includes a particular focus on 1961 which saw the erection of the Berlin Wall, creating a physical separation between East and West.

The Berlin Wall had a significant effect on the number of people who fled, as demonstrated by the source. In the year following its construction, only one-tenth of the previous number

left East Berlin. The Wall created tremendous impact and increased tension. The source depicts the desperate situation of East Berliners, which would have put the Soviets under pressure to find a solution. The Vienna Summit conference of June 1961 attempted to address this issue.

The meeting between Khrushchev and Kennedy in regards to Berlin is depicted in a photograph found in primary source D2. Although useful for indicating the meeting's occurrence in Vienna, its usefulness is limited as we lack knowledge of the discussed topics' potential to cause increased tension. For a more accurate account, source D2 (ii), an excerpt from Walter Laqueur's book "Europe since Hitler" published in 1982, provides detailed information regarding the events of the Vienna summit.

The text details Khrushchev's approach to pressurizing Kennedy through an 'ultimatum' concerning the issue of Berlin. Khrushchev's intention was to intimidate Kennedy into reaching a decision on the matter and bring about the unification of Berlin. The text highlights Khrushchev's efforts to scare Kennedy and provides insight into his perception of the US leader.

The Soviet leader Khrushchev made an error in assuming that Kennedy would easily concede, resulting in increased tension. Kennedy was angered by Soviet threats, becoming less willing to compromise. However, he recognized that the Soviets also wished to avoid a nuclear war, leading tension to escalate.

In response to the disappointing outcome of the Vienna conference, Kennedy delivered a public speech on July 26, 1961, as seen in source B3, to express his views on communism and his feelings regarding Berlin. The primary source reveals Kennedy's criticism towards communism and his praise for Berlin as an "island of freedom in a

communist sea" and a "beacon of hope." Moreover, the speech sheds light on Kennedy's plans for Berlin and suggests his determination to oppose communism amid escalating tension.

According to this source, Kennedy is urging the public to take action against the Soviet Union due to increased tensions, stating that any dangerous situation can be defended. The Soviets constructed the Berlin Wall in an attempt to prevent East Berliners from fleeing, but Kennedy refused to give in to their demands. The construction of the Berlin Wall began on August 17th, 1961, as evidenced by a photograph captured in source D4 (i).

Source D4 (i) reveals a man building the Berlin wall from the perspective of the western side. The photo captures the construction on August 17, 1061, indicating the growing tension and drastic measures taken by the Soviet government to prevent East Berliners from escaping to the West, an action that the Americans were unlikely to support. Kennedy regarded the Berlin wall as a critical concern and even traveled there in person in 1963 after resolving the Cuban missile crisis in 1962. Source D4 (ii) displays a photograph of his visit to the wall.

The photograph demonstrates Kennedy's visit to the Berlin wall and his belief in the crucial importance of Berlin which he was willing to address. This visit likely heightened tensions and conveyed a strong message to Khrushchev that Kennedy was not passive regarding this matter. During his visit, Kennedy delivered a renowned speech, a portion of which is presented in source D5. This speech reveals Kennedy's perspective on Berlin and the significance it holds for the free world. As a primary source, it enables us

to understand Kennedy's thoughts on communism. Essentially, Kennedy argues that Berlin's location renders it a crucial issue.

In highlighted rhetoric, Kennedy echoes the phrase 'Let them come to Berlin' as a symbol of freedom and the capitalistic lifestyle. This serves as a representation of the positive attributes of western society, in contrast to communism. Moreover, Kennedy explicitly opposes communism, labelling it as an 'evil system'. As tension builds, Kennedy affirms his solidarity with Berlin by declaring, 'Ich bin ein Berliner!' This era saw a multitude of events that escalated tensions between superpowers, including the Gary Powers incident, American intervention in the Vietnam War, and the Berlin issue.

Although it is hard to determine the exact moment that sparked the shift in relations, it is undeniable that the palpable escalation of hostilities raised the specter of nuclear conflict and compelled both parties to make tough choices that they may come to rue in the future.