The 1959 Kitchen Debate - Paper Example

Introduction

Kitchens are not the first place that comes to mind when thinking about a meeting of global leaders. The setting of the debate between Vice President Nixon and Nikita Khrushchev in 1959 was, therefore, quite unorthodox. The two world leaders held the meeting in an exhibition kitchen during the US National Exhibition held in Moscow's Sokolniki Park. There is no exact recording of this historic meeting, but its impact was substantial during the Cold War (Shi & Tindall, 2016). The kitchen debate set the tone for high-level meetings between the two countries as they embraced a broad cultural exchange program. The kitchen debate of 1959 kickstarted the fall of communism in the Soviet Union.

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What brought Chairman Nikita Khrushchev and Vice President Richard Nixon together?

Diplomatic relations between America and the Soviet Union had been an ongoing process since the two were allies in the Second World War. There was intense competition for global dominance in areas of science and technology between the two nations in these years. They also shared in various areas, and one of them is the US-Soviet Cultural Agreement of 1958 which allowed each country to hold an exhibition in the other (Richmond, 2009). They had agreed to hold these exhibits as a form of cultural exchange to foster understanding.

Chairman Khrushchev and Nixon met as the latter had come to the Soviet Union to grace the opening of the American National Exhibition in Moscow. It was a crucial gesture during the period since both countries were engaged in the Cold War (Shi & Tindall, 2016). Nixon took the Soviet leader on a tour of the exhibition to show him how Americans made life easier by using an array of kitchen appliances. The meeting was one of four held between the two leaders to foster diplomacy while Nixon was in the Soviet Union (Richmond, 2009).

What Was Their Debate About?

The debate between Nixon and Khrushchev was unorthodox with different issues dominating their conversation. Nixon had started his meetings with Khrushchev on the morning of his first visit by reading a conciliatory statement from President Eisenhower which termed the Cold War as unnecessary. Eisenhower expressed the hope that this exchange of exhibitions would form the initial step in restoring the unity and trust that both countries had enjoyed during World War 2 (Richmond, 2009).

One of the things discussed during the kitchen debate was the status of the citizens in both countries. It occurred as Nixon suggested that every American worker could afford to have a similar kitchen like the one on display. The kitchen was well-equipped with appliances like a range, dishwasher, and refrigerator to emphasize the strides that the American society had taken. Khrushchev retorted that the average Russian worker also enjoyed similar equipment in their homes, but only affluent Americans could afford the same. However, he was awed by the display of American modernity since he admitted to feeling envious but promised that Russian would soon overtake America (Richmond, 2009).

Khrushchev attacked Nixon during the first meeting in the Kremlin. The Soviet leader castigated the Captive Nations Resolution that the US had passed. It criticized the move made by the Soviet Union to occupy the other states in Eastern Europe. The resolution also requested Americans to pray for the deliverance of these people who had been held captive (Richmond, 2009).

The advanced American worker bore increasing significance when the two leaders discussed the economic and political ideologies in both countries (Shi & Tindall, 2016). They debated the various merits of capitalism versus communism, from washing machines to nuclear weapons. Nikita said that Russian citizens were entitled to receive housing from the state unlike in America where people slept on the streets if they had no money. Nixon replied by suggesting the diversity of builders and designs was the best thing about capitalism (The Kitchen Debate - transcript, 1959). There was a freedom to choose unlike in Russia where the communist state made all the decisions.

What Can It Tell Us About the Scope and Nature of the Cold War?

The debate occurred during a period of heightened tension in the Cold War that had been triggered by Russia's launch of the space shuttle Sputnik (Shi & Tindall, 2016). The debate helped to put the Cold War into context. It was a contest of ideologies between Western democracies, primarily America, and the communist states that had emerged after World War 2 (Shi & Tindall, 2016). The verbal sparring between the two leaders demonstrated the diverse views held by the two countries in the aftermath of the Second World War. There was a significant absence of trust between the two countries despite the continuous diplomatic relations. Nixon repeatedly told Khrushchev, during the debate, not to be afraid of embracing new ideas. The Russian leader was suspicious of Nixon and his suggestion of increased sharing of ideas between the two countries (The Kitchen Debate - transcript, 1959).

The cold war led to intense competition between the USA and the Soviet Union especially in the field of space exploration. There was no actual battle of arms, but it was a matter of who could usurp the other on the global platform. The debate was a representation of the Cold War since Nixon and Khrushchev engaged in a war of ideas trying to prove that one political ideology was better than the other. Many points were raised as the debate grew heated but everything ended amicably without any escalation of hostilities. Similarly, the Cold War originated from the conflict between capitalism and communism as the appropriate ideologies (Shi & Tindall, 2016). The kitchen debate is well-known as the encounter that pits communism against capitalism as every leader gave points to support the approach they adopt in their countries.

The American National Exhibition hosted the exhilarating exchange between the two leaders. It was a heartwarming moment as many Soviet citizens turned up to see what America had to offer despite the reality of the Cold War. It marked a significant breakthrough in Soviet-American culture and relations. There was the indelible feeling that Americans and Soviets can communicate on a personal level despite the different political ideologies (Richmond, 2009). However, it also showed the Russians that a different system was not necessarily a bad one.

Conclusion

The meeting between Nixon and Khrushchev was unorthodox yet groundbreaking. The verbal exchange in the model kitchen signaled the beginning of high-level summit meetings involving the leaders of both countries. It also opened up the way for a broad cultural, and other, exchange programs which led to significant changes within the Soviet Union. The Soviet citizens got a first real look into the lifestyle of their American counterparts, and what they were capable of doing. There were no restrictions on consumerism since the capitalism model ensured there was plenty in the market as long as there was demand. This debate opened the eyes of Soviet citizens, and hence it is one of the critical factors that led to the fall of communism in Russia.

References

CIA. (1959). The Kitchen Debate - transcript [pdf]. Moscow. Retrieved from https://www.cia.gov/library/readingroom/docs/1959-07-24.pdf

Richmond, Y. (2009). The 1959 Kitchen Debate. Russian Life. Retrieved from http://sir.spbu.ru/obrazovanie/master/rs/library/The%201959%20Kitchen%20Debate.pdf

Shi, D., & Tindall, G. (2016). America: A Narrative History, Volume 2 (10th ed.). New York: W. W. Norton & Company Incorporated.