The Arms Race 1949-63 Flashcards
What prompted Truman to build the Hydrogen bomb in 1950?
1) the speed with which the USSR has ended the USAs nuclear monopoly
2) Berlin blockade 1948-9
3) establishment of the people’s republic of China
4) discovery of soviet nuclear spy ring
When was the Hydrogen successfully tested?
November 1952
Delivery the bomb by plane
- both sides developed reliable aircraft to carry the bomb
- however the drawbacks were that they could be shot down
What did the SU do in May 1957?
- successfully tested the world first intercontinental ballistic missile(ICBM)
What was also launched by the SU in 1957?
- Sputnik- the first space satellite
- Sputnik 2 was also launched which went in orbit with a dog
What happened in April 1961?
- Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space- the USSR were leading the rocket technology
The Missile Gap 1957-61
- US feared the Soviets had more advanced military equipment
- the missile gap was in the Soviets favour
- however it was the case that they could built a bomb but they could not produce it in its masses- the US were actually not far behind
- the US had more nuclear weapons and also had launched their own satellite (explorer) in 1958
- the CIA discover showed that the USSR had relatively few bombers
- US also had deployed IRBMs
- 1958 Eisenhower increased funding for science education
What did the US deploy in July 1960?
- the worlds first submarine launched ballistic missile (SLBM)- more advanced than any other Soviet weapon
Massive Retaliation
- US confidence in their nuclear superiority in the 1950s led to this massive retaliation led by Eisenhower
- this greater reliance on nuclear weapons involved the use of nuclear weapons
The impact of the arms race on the Cold War
Stabilising Effects
- it prevented US-Soviet confrontation
- nuclear weapons meant that each side respected their spheres of influence
- lead to cooperation- nuclear test ban treaty and the hotline and also removal of weapons
Destabilising Effects
- since the atom bomb in 1949 it’s been a competition to make biggest bomb (hydrogen 1950, ICBMs 1957 and SLBMs 1960)
- encourage brinkmanship which could of resulted in devastation
What caused the Cuban Missile Crisis 1962?
- the Cuban Revolution 1959
- the Bay of Pigs 1961
- Operation Mongoose 1961
- Soviet nuclear weapons on Cuba 1962
What happened during the Cuban Revolution 1959?
- by mid 20th century the US owned much of the Cuban economy (railways, telephone, electricity and sugar production)
- from 1933 it was ruled by Baptista- he had a brutal regime
- January 1959 he was overthrown by Castro
When did the USSR test the atomic bomb?
1949
The growing tensions between US and Cuba from 1959-61
- Castro meet Nixon in 1959 and the meeting didn’t go well- Nixon concluded he was a communist
- Castro executed Baptista’s supporters
- Many of Baptista’s supporters fled to US asking them to invade
- Castro wanted the US to be independent so he distributed land to the poor peasants who had suffered under capitalism
- US oil companies refused to refine the cheaper soviet oil
- 1960 the US refused to buy sugar off Cuba- the SU said they will buy the crop
The Bay Of Pigs Invasion April 1961
- this was an attempt to overthrow Castro
- the 1,400 Cuban exiles who invaded were defeated by the Cuban soldiers
- this was a humiliation for Kennedy
When was Operation Mongoose and what happened?
- October 1961 6 months after the Bay Of Pigs
- it was a plan to destabilise the Cuban regime and topple Castro
- 60 000 acts of sabotage took place on the island
- the US held full scale military exercises to demonstrate their armed might
Soviet nuclear weapons on Cuba 1962
- they stalled medium range ballistic missiles launchers
- they also set jet bombers, jet fighters and elite army regiments as well as 40 000 soldiers
What were Khrushchevs aims putting missiles in Cuba?
- defend Cuba from invasion
- to bargain the removal of missiles from turkey
- to further humiliate Kennedy
- to put pressure of the west to leave Berlin
- to achieve nuclear parity
What happened on the 14th October 1962?
- US spy plane caught missiles in Cuba
What influenced US actions during the Cuban Missile crisis?
1) the soviet missiles could hit most of the large cities in America and destroy all air bases
2) the warning time if they did attack would be 3 minutes- no time to act
3) the missiles posed a threat to American economic interests especially the trade routes
What happened on the 16th October 1962?
- ExComm was assembled to discuss the US military response
What happened on the 20th October 1962?
- Kennedy orders that a quarantine of Cuba should be established immediately to prevent missiles entering
What happens on the 22nd October 1962?
- Kennedy orders the immediate withdrawal of missiles
- US military go on DEFCON 3
What happens on the 24th October 1962?
- American forces go on DEFCON 2- the highest ever in US history
