Ch 16 sec 2

 Nuclear weapons were such a scary thing that it changed the way military strategy was planned from Hiroshima to today.  No nuclear weapons were used in Korea, but during the war both the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. increased their stockpiles and testing more weapons.

 The hydrogen bomb was the new weapon that used fusion to create more power, but many people felt it was too powerful.  The U.S. and the U.S.S.R. developed the weapon, and increased the tension between the countries.

 Both sides had relatively the same technology, so they increased the numbers of weapons and new ways of delivering the weapons.  Eisenhower changed the focus of the military from a large standing army with conventional weapons to focus on nuclear weapons.

 The hydrogen bomb was huge, and weighed over 1 million pounds at first. Scientists were able to get to a manageable size.  At first, the U.S. focused on bombers to deliver nuclear warheads. Bombers were constantly in the air, and the bombers on the ground could take off with 15 minutes notice.

 Soon the U.S. started working on missiles to deliver nuclear weapons, and eventually will develop ICBMs, that could hit any target anywhere in the world.  The first nuclear powered submarine, the Nautilus, was launched by the U.S. It could stay underwater for months, and travel at high speeds.

 Later, the U.S. began to arm the subs with nuclear weapons, that gave the U.S. the ability to strike anywhere with little warning.  The Soviets were lagging a little behind the U.S. in the arms race, but they were the first to put a satellite in orbit, Sputnik. Then they sent a dog into space a month later.

 This set off a competition for superiority in space. The U.S. was freaked out, and felt like they were behind, so they emphasized math and science in public education.  NASA was also established in 1958 to focus the nation on space programs.

 The reality of war was fresh in the minds of Americans. The fact that Pearl Harbor was attacked made people realize that the oceans weren’t enough protection.  Nuclear weapons could destroy entire cities, and the radioactivity could continue to destroy the population long after the bombs.

 Americans built up their civil defense preparations in the event of an attack.  Air raid sirens were put up in communities, instructional films about surviving nuclear attacks were made, and printed materials were distributed.

 Bomb shelters were built in many backyards in anticipation of attacks, and the fear of nuclear fallout made many people question all of the nuclear testing.  Eisenhower also warned the population about the military industrial complex. Because the economy and government were so focused on military spending, there would not be a way to separate the military from the economy.

 Do you think backyard bomb shelters would be effective in the case of a nuclear attack? Why or why not?