Arms Race Flashcards
What was the Arms Race?
A competition between the USA and the USSR over who could develop the most powerful weapons. Each side also aimed to build more of each type of weapon than the other possessed.
Why were nuclear weapons the main focus of the Arms Race?
- They were cheaper than conventional weapons (more cost effective to build up nuclear weapons than pay for large standing armies)
- Nuclear weapons were a deterrent as if there was a war, both sides would nuke each other and be destroyed (MAD)
- Prestige (reputation and importance) was very important to both sides. Many people from the USA and USSR saw the arms race as a test of their country’s strength as a part of the battle between capitalism and communism.
What started the Arms Race?
In 1945, the USA dropped two atomic bombs on Japan (Hiroshima and Nagasaki), which triggered the USSR to develop their own nuclear bomb in 1949.
What was the first hydrogen bomb and when was it developed?
The first hydrogen bomb was developed by the USA in November 1952. It was a new type of bomb which was even more powerful than the atomic bombs. The USSR developed their own hydrogen bomb in 1953.
Why did it seem likely that disarmament would occur in the mid-1950s?
East and West relations were improving after the death of Stalin in 1953 and the ascension of Nikita Krushchev, a far more peaceful President of the USSR. Both Krushchev and Kennedy (new US president) wanted to cut military spending, so disarmament seemed likely.
Why did disarmament not occur in the mis-1950s?
The USA wanted to create an ‘open skies’ policy which would allow spy planes in the USA and USSR to ensure that neither side had nuclear weapons but the USSR would not agree to this so disarmament did not happen.
What was the first ICBM and when was it developed?
The first ICBM (Inter-continental Ballistic Missile) was developed by the USSR in 1957
What were the U2 spy planes and why did the USA start using them?
The U2 spy planes were planes used by the USA to keep track of the Soviet military position. They could take aerial photographs from 70,000 feet above the ground. The USA started using them because they thought that the USSR had overtaken them and created a ‘missile gap’, however, the planes confirmed that the USSR only had a limited number of ICBMs and the USA had more nuclear weapons.
How did the use of the U2 spy planes nearly lead to nuclear war?
The use of the U2 spy planes led to an increase in tension between sides. One of the planes took a photograph of Cuba, a newly Communist country, which was only 90 miles off the coast of Florida. They showed that the USSR had been building nuclear weapon sites, which nearly led to the outbreak of nuclear war.
How did the USSR catch up to the USA in the Arms Race?
In 1965, the USA got involved in the Vietnam War, which led to a lot of spending trying to defeat Communist forces in South East Asia. The USSR used this as an opportunity to ‘catch up’ with the Americans and by 1971, the Soviets had officially bridged the gap.
