Khrushchev and East-West relations: impact of risings in Poland and Hungary and Soviet intervention; the degree of 'peaceful coexistence', including exchange of visits and Paris summit
After Stalin died, Soviet leader Khrushchev tried to reduce Cold War tension through diplomacy. But when Hungary and Poland rebelled against Soviet control in 1956, the USSR crushed them — exposing the limits of that new approach.
Real World
When Hungarian students and workers rose up in October 1956 and formed a new government under Imre Nagy, Soviet tanks rolled into Budapest within days, killing thousands — making clear that 'peaceful coexistence' had hard limits at the edges of the Soviet empire.
Exam Focus
For 'how far' questions, use Hungary as counter-evidence against peaceful coexistence to show the concept was always conditional.
Essay Framework
Use PEEL to structure every paragraph. Tap each step for guidance and an example.
How well did you know this?