The Arms Race Flashcards
Why did each side fear the other having more military weapons?
They feared that if either gained a significant military advantage, the country may be tempted to trigger a war and take advantage of it.
What was the ‘stand off’ which developed?
Both countries didn’t dare act against the other, but didn’t dare get left behind either
When did the USSR send the first man onto the moon?
1961
When did the USA send astronauts onto the moon?
1969
When did the USA detonate its first hydrogen bomb?
1952
When did the USSR detonate its first hydrogen bomb?
1955
What was an ICBM?
Intercontinental ballistic missile
When did the USSR first successfully test an ICBM?
August 1957
When did the USA test their first ICBM? What did they do after?
- They quickly increased their stock of these missiles until they had a significant
When was NATO formed?
1949
Which countries signed a treaty of alliance in February 1950? What did the west think of this?
China and the USSR. This strengthened western fears that a communist domination was being planned.
Who took power when Stalin died in 1953?
Nikita Khrushchev
What did Khrushchev say he wanted with the west?
A ‘peaceful coexistence’
How did Khrushchev aim to spread communism?
To clearly demonstrate its superiority- not defeat the West in war.
