The Extension Of The Arms Race Flashcards
Why was the soviet fp somewhat contradictory?
Summit diplomacy and peaceful coexistence vs weaponisation/ support for revolutionary regimes, the launch of Sputnik and stockpiling of weapons
What was a reason for khrushchev’s pursuit of this?
Mao Zedong’s challenge to his claim on leadership of the communist world
What was president ein and jfk’s view on this?
Even though E claimed the ‘military industrial complex’ he supported the development of new weapons and uk continued this
What started the nuclear arms race ?
March 1954, the USA successfully tested a lithium-based H bomb.
1500 times more powerful than the bomb used at Hiroshima in 1945
1955 the ussr had tested an airborne h bomb that was 100 times more powerful than their first attempt.
Who headed the US strategic air command?
General Curtis Lemay from 1948
What was the SAC?
Serve as a defence system, 24 hr readiness to respond to an external nuclear threat. By 1957, SAC had become an efficient all-jet force focused on strategic bombers.
Background on general curtis lemay?
Illustrious carer, directly involved in high profile us airforce actions most notably the Berlin airlift. Nicknamed ‘old iron pants’
What was the Gaither Report?
Einsehower commissioned a report in 1957 to investigate the state of us-soviet nuclear capability. The popular view was that the Soviet’s were catching up with the USA.
In summer of 1957, they had successfully tested the 1st ICBM, and in October,they put the 1st satellite into orbit.
Missile gap between the USA and the ussr. Predicted a 100 to 30 lead in ICBMs in favour of the ussr. The Washington post reported that the USA was in grave danger, and referred to the USA as becoming a 2nd class power.
Eisenhower was skeptical of the gaither report bc….
From his military experience, he placed his trust in data received from u2 spy plane intelligence.
This data suggested a slow rate of production of nuclear warheads by the ussr e.g by 1959, only 10 SS-6 ICBMs had been deployed and the creation of atlas and titan models strengthened the USAs air strike even further+ Bermuda conference with the Britain that enabled the USA to station IRBMs in Britain.
What was created in 1959?
SLBM Polaris, the Thor and the minuteman systems- USA
Soviet ss-6 and ss-7
The space race was a continuation of….
Nuclear proliferation
What did the su claimed its first victory ?
4 October 1957, launched Sputnik and a dog, Laika, was launched into a 10day orbit in Sputnik II.
Why did this alarm the USA?
There was no known defence against what was perceived as the start of a new era of nuclear missile attacks from space.
Sputnik appeared to fundamentally undermine the effectiveness of the massive retaliation strategy that was so central to the usas Cold War nuclear defence programme.
How much did the govt authorise for technological development in this field?
$1 bil
What was flopnik?
The us navy’s vanguard rocket crashed on its takeoff from cape canaveral
What were key soviet advancement in the space race?
Yuri Gagarin, the 1st soviet cosmonaut, became the 1st human to enter outer space travelling in a Vostok aircraft. He became a symbol of soviet advances in space technology
What did the USA do to reverse the soviet lead?
By 1962, the USA had successfully launched 63 space missions compared to the ussrs 15 missions.
1958 NASA.
1969 1st man on moon
Sig
Tp
Considerable acceleration
Transformative
Paved the way for
Timeline of bombs
1949- soviet bomb
1954- H-bomb USA
1955- USSR air bomb h bomb *threat increases
1957- soviet ICBMS
Late 1950s- USA strengthens position
1959- SLBM
