Essential Question: How did the arms race & space race escalate the Cold War between the United States & the Soviet Union?

From 1945 to 1991, the USA & USSR used a variety of strategies to win the Cold War

In the early years of the Cold War (1945-1949), the USA used a containment policy to successfully stop the spread of communism in Europe Marshall Plan NATO Berlin Airlift Truman Doctrine

The USA went to war in Korea to defend South Korea from communism When communism spread to China in 1949, the USA feared the “domino theory” & became more aggressive in its efforts to stop communism The USA went to war in Korea to defend South Korea from communism The Soviet Union supplied weapons to the communists in North Korea during the war The type of indirect fight between the USA & USSR is called a “proxy war”

From 1949 to 1970, the Cold War escalated as a result of a nuclear arms race, space race, & espionage

The U.S. monopoly on nuclear weapons ended in 1949 when the USSR successfully tested an atomic bomb The Soviet development of the atomic bomb led to a nuclear arms race between the USA & USSR

The Soviet Union responded by detonating its own hydrogen bomb in 1953 In 1952, the USA tested the first hydrogen bomb which is 1,000 times more powerful than the atomic bomb The Soviet Union responded by detonating its own hydrogen bomb in 1953

Soviet Transporter Erector Launcher (TEL) By 1959, both the USA & USSR developed rockets called intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) that could deliver nuclear warheads to distant targets U.S. Polaris Submarine Soviet Transporter Erector Launcher (TEL) U.S. Titan ICMB from the 1960s Soviet ICMBs from 1960-1975

In the 1950s, U.S. President Eisenhower escalated the Cold War by using brinkmanship: threatening to use nuclear weapons & willingness to go to the brink of war If the USSR attacked a NATO member, the U.S. would use massive retaliation: attack every major Soviet city & military target The Threat of Nuclear War As these alliances were forming, the Cold War threatened to heat up enough to destroy the world. The United States already had atomic bombs. In 1949, the Soviet Union exploded its own atomic weapon. President Truman was determined to develop a more deadly weapon before the Soviets did. He authorized work on a thermonuclear weapon in 1950.The hydrogen or H-bomb would be thousands of times more powerful than the A-bomb. Its power came from the fusion, or joining together, of atoms, rather than the splitting of atoms, as in the A-bomb. In 1952, the United States tested the first H-bomb. The Soviets exploded their own in 1953. Dwight D. Eisenhower became the U.S. president in 1953. He appointed the firmly anti-Communist John Foster Dulles as his secretary of state. If the Soviet Union or its supporters attacked U.S. interests, Dulles threatened, the United States would “retaliate instantly, by means and at places of our own choosing.” This willingness to go to the brink, or edge, of war became known as brinkmanship. Brinkmanship required a reliable source of nuclear weapons and airplanes to deliver them. So, the United States strengthened its air force and began producing stockpiles of nuclear weapons. The Soviet Union responded with its own military buildup, beginning an arms race that would go on for four decades. As a result, the USA & USSR began stockpiling nuclear weapons & building up their militaries

With the USA & USSR in possession of large nuclear stockpiles, each side could destroy each other: this was known as Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) Throughout the Cold War, the USA & USSR looked for ways to gain first strike capability Mutual Assured Destruction When the Soviet Union achieved nuclear parity with the United States, the Cold War had entered a new phase. The cold war became a conflict more dangerous and unmanageable than anything Americans had faced before. In the old cold war Americans had enjoyed superior nuclear force, an unchallenged economy, strong alliances, and a trusted Imperial President to direct his incredible power against the Soviets. In the new cold war, however, Russian forces achieved nuclear equality. Each side could destroy the other many times. This fact was officially accepted in a military doctrine known as Mutual Assured Destruction, a.k.a. MAD. Mutual Assured Destruction began to emerge at the end of the Kennedy administration. MAD reflects the idea that one's population could best be protected by leaving it vulnerable so long as the other side faced comparable vulnerabilities. In short: Whoever shoots first, dies second.

In 1957, the USSR used its first ICBM to launch Sputnik, the first satellite into space Sputnik shocked Americans who feared the U.S. had fallen behind the USSR in science & technology Space Race: Sputnik, NASA, race to moon The Cold War in the Skies The Cold War also affected the science and education programs of the two countries. In August 1957, the Soviets announced the development of a rocket that could travel great distances—an intercontinental ballistic missile, or ICBM. On October 4, the Soviets used an ICBM to push Sputnik, the first unmanned satellite, above the earth’s atmosphere. Americans felt they had fallen behind in science and technology, and the government poured money into science education. In 1958, the United States launched its own satellite. In 1960, the skies again provided the arena for a superpower conflict. Five years earlier, Eisenhower had proposed that the United States and the Soviet Union be able to fly over each other’s territory to guard against surprise nuclear attacks. The Soviet Union said no. In response, the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) started secret high-altitude spy flights over Soviet territory in planes called U-2s. In May 1960, the Soviets shot down a U-2 plane, and its pilot, Francis Gary Powers, was captured. This U-2 incident heightened Cold War tensions.. As a result of Sputnik, the Cold War escalated into a space race to show American & Soviet dominance

…U.S. schools promoted math, science, & technology In 1958, the USA created National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) to catch up to the USSR… The USSR repeatedly beat the USA in space by launching the first man into orbit & orbiting the moon …U.S. schools promoted math, science, & technology NASA’s original seven NASA Mercury astronauts

In 1969, Apollo 11 landed U.S. astronauts on the moon In 1962, President John Kennedy committed the USA to beating the Soviet Union in the race to the moon In 1969, Apollo 11 landed U.S. astronauts on the moon

The USA & USSR used spies to gather intelligence During the Cold War, the USA & USSR created intelligence agencies, the CIA and KGB, in order to spy and carry out covert operations The USA & USSR used spies to gather intelligence Espionage: CIA, KGB, covert military ops Cold War Strategies The United States, the Soviet Union, and, in some cases, China, used a variety of techniques to gain influence in the Third World. (See feature on next page.) They backed wars of revolution, liberation, or counterrevolution. The U.S. and Soviet intelligence agencies—the CIA and the KGB—engaged in various covert, or secret, activities, ranging from spying to assassination attempts. The United States also gave military aid, built schools, set up programs to combat poverty, and sent volunteer workers to many developing nations. The Soviets offered military and technical assistance, mainly to India and Egypt. U.S. & Soviet spy planes gathered information also Convicted spies Julius & Ethel Rosenberg

The CIA overthrew the governments of Iran & Guatemala and intervened in Egypt, Bolivia, Chile, & Cuba to stop communism The Cold War escalated as the threat of communism spread into the Middle East, Africa, & Latin America

The Cuban Missile Crisis brought the United States & Soviet Union to a near nuclear war in 1962

The USA & Soviet Union engaged in the Cold War from 1945 to 1991 In the 1940s, 50s, & 60s the USA fought to contain communism throughout the world In the 1970s, U.S. détente policy ended as the USSR invaded Afghanistan

Reagan took a strong stand against communism & the Soviet Union In the 1980s, two new leaders changed the direction of the Cold War: U.S. President Ronald Reagan & Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev Reagan took a strong stand against communism & the Soviet Union Reagan’s goal was to win the Cold War & restore America’s position as a dominant super power Reagan referred to the Soviet Union as an “evil empire” He spent $2 trillion to increase the size of the American military AN intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) is a ballistic missile with a long range (greater than 5,500 km or 3,500 miles) typically designed for nuclear weapons ... Containment was the key strategy employed in US Foreign Policy throughout the Cold War against the USSR and Communism in the second half of the 20th Century Read more at Suite101: US Containment Strategy in the Cold War | He sent over 500 ICMBs to Western Europe to protect NATO allies

Reagan’s most ambitious program was the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), called Star Wars, to protect the U.S. from Soviet nuclear attacks

In the 1980s, two new leaders changed the direction of the Cold War: U In the 1980s, two new leaders changed the direction of the Cold War: U.S. President Ronald Reagan & Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev Soviet socialism did not offer incentives for hard work; By the 1980s, the USSR had low industrial & agricultural production Mikhail Gorbachev came to power in 1982 at a time when the USSR was facing serious problems The USSR spent 50% of its budget on the military, was fighting an expensive war in Afghanistan, & maintained troops and tanks in Eastern Europe Soviet leaders faced the impossible task of competing with SDI & taking the arms race into space Low production in industry and agriculture due to lack of incentives? They pretend to pay us and we pretend to work. Heavy spending on the Soviet military (50%); War in Afghanistan, troops in Eastern Europe Reality of having to compete with SDI & extend the arms race into space Communist control forbade criticisms & eliminated new ideas The Soviet government restricted freedom of speech & did not allow democratic elections so no alternative opinions were offered

“Don't Be Afraid of Work.” Gorbachev began three major reforms to save the communist system in the Soviet Union Gorbachev introduced glasnost (“openness”) to encourage freedom of speech & to allow expression of new ideas Perestroika relaxed some gov’t controls over farms and factories to make production more efficient & it allowed citizens to open small businesses Democratization allowed citizens to vote for Communist politicians (but Communists only) 'Be Bold, Comrade! Openness: Our Strength!' “Don't Be Afraid of Work.”

In 1989, Gorbachev ended the 9 year war in Afghanistan In addition to his economic reforms, Gorbachev changed Soviet foreign policy Reagan’s SDI plan forced Gorbachev to admit that the USSR could not keep up with the arms race Gorbachev withdrew Soviet tank divisions from the communist nations in Eastern Europe In 1989, Gorbachev ended the 9 year war in Afghanistan

Reagan was able to work with Gorbachev to reduce Cold War tensions In 1987, Reagan & Gorbachev agreed to end all medium-range ICBMs

Rather than saving the communist system in the USSR & Eastern Europe, Gorbachev’s reforms helped bring an end to communism

Gorbachev did not use the Soviet military to stop these revolutions In 1989, a surge of democratic revolutions swept through the Eastern European communist satellites Eastern European nations broke from Soviet control & created democracies Gorbachev did not use the Soviet military to stop these revolutions In November 1989, the Berlin Wall came down

In 1991, the Soviet Union broke apart & 15 new nations were formed Ethnic nationalism & desire for democracy led to the break-up of the Soviet Union from 1990 to 1991 In 1990, the Soviet states of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania declared independence from the Soviet Union In 1991, the Soviet Union broke apart & 15 new nations were formed The break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991 marked the end of the Cold War