Two Nations on the Edge 26.4

H-Bomb 1942 scientists that built the atomic bomb suspect they can build an even more powerful weapon. Nov 1, 1952 US develops H-Bomb (67x’s more powerful than A-Bomb) Dwight D. Eisenhower is president in 1950’s and supports any means necessary to prevent communism (containment) Called Brinkmanship: willingness of US to go all out (even use nukes) to stop communism Expanded military, especially air force (Soviet’s do the same) Year later Soviet’s develop their own version https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxF10IYOMCo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjnm3V0xYjI

A secret document, published in declassified form for the first time by the Guardian today, reveals that the US Air Force came dramatically close to detonating an atom bomb over North Carolina that would have been 260 times more powerful than the device that devastated Hiroshima. The document, obtained by the investigative journalist Eric Schlosser under the Freedom of Information Act, gives the first conclusive evidence that the US was narrowly spared a disaster of monumental proportions when two Mark 39 hydrogen bombs were accidentally dropped over Goldsboro, North Carolina on 23 January 1961

CIA Central Intelligence Agency Uses spies to gather info about other countries Also carries out secret missions to weaken or overthrow those governments the US doesn’t like Becomes depended on by Eisenhower in the new nuclear age

CIA in the Middle East… First actions of CIA take place in Middle East 1951 Iran’s leader, Mohammad Mossadegh, has gov’t take control of their oil fields and businesses (no more private ownership, used to be GB that had control) GB protests by no longer buying oil from Iran US is afraid that USSR will help Iran out with $, so US gives millions of $$ to anti-Mossadegh supporters. This allows a new leader to come to power, one who is controlled by the US The new leader, the Shah of Iran, gives oil and business control back to private companies (mostly owned by Westerners)

Warsaw, Geneva, and the Eisenhower Doctrine USSR and 7 other Eastern European countries form Warsaw Pact, their answer to NATO 1955, US and USSR meet in Geneva, Switzerland US proposes peace and freedom of the skies - Soviet Union rejects this proposal, but many considered the meeting a step towards peace Eisenhower Doctrine: US would defend Middle East against any communist attack (result of Suez War)

Suez War 1955, GB and US agree to help Egypt build a dam (Aswan) on the Nile River But leader of Egypt, Gamal Abdel-Nassar tries to get aid from USSR too and plays US and USSR against each other 1956, the US is mad says no money for Egypt, Egypt responds and says we can’t use the Suez Canal (waterway, was owned by GB and France) GB and France MAD! GB and France start to go to war with Egypt, US and UN step in and stop it Egypt gets to keep control of canal but everyone can use it.

USSR and US 1953, Stalin dies and Nikita Kruschev takes over USSR (US and USSR still don’t like each other) - Kruschev does favor a policy of peaceful coexistence with the US Oct 4, 1957 USSR launches Sputnik (first satellite) US FREAKS OUT (how dare the SU beat us at something!!) and Space Race starts, change in education in US to focus on Science and Math Jan 31, 1958 US launches its first satellite

U-2 Incident US (CIA) had been flying secret spying missions over USSR, even though promised not to do so U-2 planes can fly at high altitudes w/o detection Takes pictures of troop movement and missile sites May 1, 1960 US U-2 spy plane shot down over USSR air space US first claims not ours and didn’t know about it but later admit that we do USSR demand apology and hurts any peace efforts