Ch.18.4 The U.S. & Soviet Union Live on the Edge Cause Effect The U.S. lost its advantage in weaponry. Therefore, the U.S. raced to develop the H bomb, or hydrogen bomb, before the Soviets to regain military superiority. H bomb was 67x times the power of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima. (Soviets develop their own H bomb in 1953.) U.S. used the CIA to topple the Iranian gov. in order to establish a gov. in Iran more favorable to the U.S. and western interests. The Guatemalan head of government gave American owned land in Guatemala to peasants. The U.S. publically protested the Soviet invasion but did little to help. In 1957, the USSR launched Sputnik…. In 1960, the USSR shot down an American U-2 pilot. U.S. trimmed its army & navy and expanded the air force (which would deliver bombs). Built up nuclear arsenal. Schools practiced air raids, families built underground bomb shelters, fear of nuclear war became a constant in American life. Ch.18.4 The U.S. & Soviet Union Live on the Edge