Arms Race

Question 1

Atomic bomb test

Answer 1

July 1945, Trinity test in New Mexico
August 1945, used against Japan -> USSR deeply intimidated

Question 2

Nuclear arms gap

Answer 2

USA atomic bomb 1945
USSR 1949

USA hydrogen bomb 1952
USSR hydrogen bomb 1953

Question 3

MAD theory and ‘first strike’

Answer 3

Nuclear weapons become defensive: need to have enough to destroy enemy on first strike, otherwise it will strike back
‘Mutually Assured Destruction’ unless capability to destroy enemy on first strike

Question 4

Spending before Berlin / after Korea PER YEAR ON NUCLEAR WEAPONS

Answer 4

USA
1949: $13.5 billion
1953: $50 billion

USSR
1949: $13.4 billion
1953: $26 billion

Question 5

Social effect

Answer 5

2nd Red Scare 1950s
Fear of soviet spies
Rise in tension and fear encouraged by anti-communist propaganda
(anti-capitalist in USSR, too)

Question 6

Consequence of WW2: Pax Americana

Answer 6

Established superiority of USA after WW2, and the stability/peace it brings western countries
Theory that there has been no major war since Hiroshima/Nagasaki due to fear of nuclear weapons

Question 7

Space race:

Answer 7

1957: USSR-Sputnik: first artificial satellite launched
1961: USSR-first man on space: Yuri Gagarin
1961: USA-man to space
1969: USA: first man on moon: Neil Armstrong

Question 8

Apollo 11 mission

Answer 8

1969, first man on moon by Americans
$25 billion spent ($700B in today’s money)

Question 9

New weapons: missiles

Answer 9

More destructive, can be launched from anywhere, replaces aircraft
ICBMs most dangerous (intercont)
SLBMs (1960 USA submarine)