Post-Stalin thaw

AUSTRIAN STATE TREATY:

• in 1945, Austria had been dealt with in the same manner as Germany and Berlin in that it was divided into four zones
• it was to become a permanent arrangement like that in Germany
• negotiations in regards to the long term situation stopped as common ground was difficult to find
• the USSR used their zone as economic benefit for themselves
• the US introduced Marshall Aid and rearmed the western zone in secret
• by 1955, Khrushchev was in a position to override theharsher approach of Molotov and decided Austrian neutrality was better than permanent division
• he hoped Soviet concessions would convince the west that the USSR was serious about negotiations
• the Austrian State Treay of 1955 was the result
• under the Treaty, both US and USSR would withdraw its armed forces from Austria in return for agreeing neutrality
• Khrushchev regarded the Treaty as a more mature approach

SOVIET WITHDRAW FROM FINLAND:

• the USSR had an interest in Finland, their neighbour and enemy from WW2
• under the Finish-Soviet Peace Treaty signed Paris 1947, the terms of the 1944 armistice were largely confirmed
• Finland was to pay reparations of $300mil to USSR and lose land along its border to USSR
• additionally, the USSR was given a 50-year lease to the Porkkala region which was occupied
• by the autumn of 1955, Khrushchev was ready to withdraw Soviet presence from Porkkala
• he saw no reason to retain Soviet influence in a non-communist country
• Molotov tried to override this decision but was defeated
• in 1956, Porkkala was returned to Finland

ARMISTICE IN KOREA, 1953:

• an armistice was concluded in 1953 that brought the fighting in Korea to an end
• the war had produced a stalemate since 1051 and the peace talks that had been going on have protracted
• the change in leadership to both the USA and USSR gave these talks the persuasion to reach a conclusion
• new Soviet leadership put pressure on North Korean's Kim Il Sung to agree ceasefire

MOLOTOV CALLED…