The arms race in 1945-1960 Flashcards
The development of the military-industrial complex in the 1950s
The US spent between $40 to $50 billion per year on defence in the years of 1950s and 90% of foreign aid to US allies went on military spending.
Why did the US become involved in an arms race in 1945-1960?
The prospect of other countries developing nuclear weapons meant the USA could be attacked.
Post-war military spending 1945-1960
Billions of dollars were spend on maintaining a military presence throughout Western Europe and South-east Asia, equipping the armed forces, and weapons research and development.
What was the link between an arm race and the development of the Cold War
An arm race to o develop more powerful weapons had worsened relations between the two superpowers
- Atomic weapons
When did the USA tested the first atomic bomb and what was the reaction?
Stalin was shocked in 1945 by the news that the USA had tested its first atomic bomb
- Atomic weapons
When did USSR exploded its first nuclear weapon and what was the consequence for the US
In 1949, the USSR exploded its first nuclear weapon. The USA had therefore lost its monopoly on atomic weapons
- Atomic weapon
When did the USA tested the hydrogen bomb?
In 1954 the USA tested the hydrogen bomb, which was a thousand times the power of an atomic bomb.
What was the implication of USA tested the hydrogen bomb in 1954?
Both sides were entering into an arms race and developing weapons of mass destruction that could have led to the end of the world.
How did the Soviets react to the US hydrogen bomb in 1954
Within a year the Soviets had caught up.
Presidents and the hydrogen bomb in 1954
Eisenhower inherited the hydrogen bomb from Truman
What was the aim of the arm race?
Each superpower wanted more and better atomic weaponry than the other
What was the incident that show American navy was superior than the Soviets
In 1954, America’s first nuclear-propelled submarine was operation, and in 1960, America tested a missile fired from a submerged submarine to hit any target on the globe.
America’s missile testing in 1960 and its implication
At this point, the Soviet navy was years behind the American navy.
