Vienna Summit

Vienna Summit ( Vienna , Austria in June 3, 1961) was where President Kennedy and Soviet Premier Khrushchev met at a summit conference. The summit, which was initially seen as a diplomatic triumph, seems, in retrospect, to have been a failure. After the summit, Khrushchev underestimated Kennedy, leading to the Cuban Missile Crisis.

The discussions touched on a range of topics, including Laos , Nuclear Disarmament and ideological musings. The discussions, however, were dominated by the discussions over Berlin. Khrushchev threatened to sign
a peace agreement with East Germany that would impinge on Western access to Berlin by
turning over control of the access roads and air routes. Kennedy was shocked at the tone and
threats made.

Khrushchev told Kennedy, "Force will be met by force. If the US wants war,
that's its problem." "Its up to the US to decide whether there will be war or peace." "The
decision to sign a peace treaty is firm and irrevocable, and the Soviet Union will sign it in
December if the US refuses an interim agreement." Kennedy replied, "Then, Mr. Chairman,
there will be a war. It will be a cold winter."

Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, left, and U.S. President John F. Kennedy sit in the residence of the U.S. ambassador in Vienna, Austria, at the start of their historic talks.

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Vienna Summit