1. Superpower Rivalries Preview Main Idea / Reading Focus
The Arms Race Begins
Cold War Around the World
Map: Cold War Hot Spots
Attempts at Arms Control

2. Superpower Rivalries Main Idea Reading Focus
As the Cold War continued, the world’s two superpowers—the Soviet Union and the United States—competed for power and influence around the world.
Reading Focus
How did the arms race begin in the 1950s and early 1960s?
How did the Cold War contribute to conflict around the world?
How did the superpowers attempt to achieve arms control during the Cold War?

3. The Arms Race Begins
During the 1950s and early 1960s nuclear war seemed to draw ever closer as the Soviet Union and the United States raced to develop powerful new weapons. This rivalry between the world’s two superpowers became increasingly tense—and dangerous.
1949, Soviets successfully tested atomic bomb
Great military advantage of U.S. over Soviet Union gone
U.S. sought to develop even more powerful weapons
The Nuclear Arms Race
Atomic bombs used energy created by splitting atoms
Nuclear fusion—larger explosion
1952, U.S. tested first fusion-powered hydrogen bomb, vaporizing island on which tested
Hydrogen Bomb
The U.S. technological advantage was short-lived. Less than one year later the Soviets tested their own hydrogen bomb.

4. Strategy of Deterrence
Change in Tactics
Both sides forced to change military tactics
Could no longer rely on conventional forces, like troops, tanks
U.S., Soviets increased stockpiles of nuclear weapons
Nuclear weapons central to deterrence
Strategy of Deterrence
Deterrence, development of or maintenance of military power to prevent attack
Two superpowers locked in arms race to gain advantage in weapons
U.S. had more weapons, but nuclear attack by either side would lead to terrible destruction

5. Soviet Union Launches Sputnik
In October 1957 the arms race took another leap forward with the Soviet Union’s successful launch of Sputnik.
Sputnik, history’s first artificial satellite—object orbiting earth
Soviet military technology now feared to be in the lead
U.S. government established National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA
Agency would eventually return United States to forefront of space research
Sputnik
Growing threat of nuclear war
Significant impact on people
Built bomb shelters to help protect from nuclear explosion
Schools led air-raid drills to prepare for possible Soviet attack
Books, movies, comic books had plots centered on dangers of radiation, nuclear war
Public Fears

6. Cold War led to so-called Red Scare in U.S.
Many Americans feared possible Communist influence in U.S. government
U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy
Prompted congressional committee in effort to expose Communists in American film industry, government, late 1940s, early 1950s
Accused many innocent people of Communist activities

7. Identify Supporting Details
How did the arms race begin?
Answer(s): development of atomic and hydrogen bombs

8. Cold War Around the World
The Korean War showed that Cold War rivalry could lead to conflict far from the United States or the Soviet Union. During the Cold War, this rivalry led to struggles for influence in countries around the world.
End World War II, France tried to reestablish control over Southeast Asia
Communist rebels in Vietnam fought back, forcing French to give up control
War in Southeast Asia
Peace agreement temporarily divided Vietnam in half
Communists controlled North, anti-Communist regime ruled South
Vietnam Divided
U.S. supported South Vietnam, when revolution broke out sent military troops
Eventually North Vietnamese fought alongside rebels
War dragged on until mid–1970s
American Support

9. Another Crisis in Berlin
Crossing Over
After Communist East Germany, democratic West Germany formed in 1949, tens of thousands of East Germans crossed from East to West Berlin
Some wanted to live in free nation, other simply wanted to find work
Berlin Wall
By 1961, up to 1,000 per day made daily trip between homes in East Germany, jobs in West Berlin
To stop exodus, East Germany erected barrier between two halves of city
Communist Brutality
Barrier, Berlin Wall, heavily guarded
Anyone attempting to cross risked being shot by East German guards
Succeeded in slowing flight of East Germans, became symbol of Communist system brutality

10. Communism in Cuba Bay of Pigs Cuban Missile Crisis
1959, rebels led by Fidel Castro overthrew Cuba’s dictator
Installed Communist government
Centrally planned economy, close ties with Soviets
Actions worried United States; Cuba near Florida coast
Cuba’s alliance with Soviet Union brought Cold War close to American territory
U.S. government secretly trained invasion force to overthrow Castro
April 1961, force came ashore at Cuba’s Bay of Pigs
American officials believed invasion would start uprising against Castro
Instead invaders quickly defeated
Bay of Pigs
1962, Cuban missile crisis, two week confrontation between U.S., Soviet Union over installation of nuclear missiles in Cuba
After standoff missiles removed; U.S. agreed to remove missiles from Turkey, not attack Cuba
Cuban Missile Crisis

11. Other Cold War Conflicts
Suez Canal
1956, Egypt angered West by taking over Suez Canal
Britain, France, Israel attacked Egypt; Soviet Union would take Egypt’s side
U.S. demanded Western allies halt attack; conflict came to end
The Congo
Ending of European colonial rule in Africa brought superpower involvement
1960 Belgium ended control of Congo; U.S., other western countries supported military dictator Joseph Mobutu as good ally against Soviet Union
Angola
1975, Angola won independence from Portugal
U.S., Soviet Union supported opposing sides in ensuing civil war which lasted until 1991

12. Central and South America
The Americas
U.S. supported efforts to overthrow regimes allied with Soviet Union in Central, South America
1970s, U.S. secretly supported opposition to Chile’s socialist leader Salvador Allende, who was overthrown in 1973
1983, U.S. forces ousted Communist regime on island of Grenada
Central and South America
Many countries sought to avoid being caught up in worldwide rivalry between superpowers
Beginning in 1950s, number of nations refused to support either side
So-called nonaligned nations sought to use combined strength to promote interests of poorer countries
Nonaligned Nations

14. How did the Cold War play out around the world?
Find the Main Idea
How did the Cold War play out around the world?
Answer(s): Communism was spreading to many other countries, and the United States became involved in an attempt to stop its spread around the world.

15. Attempts at Arms Control
While relations between East and West were largely hostile throughout the Cold War, some attempts at cooperation were made.
Eisenhower proposed open skies treaty with Soviet Union
Each side could fly over other’s territory, gather accurate weapons information
With accurate information, neither side would have to imagine worst about enemy
Soviets rejected proposal
Early Arms Control
Soviet leaders proposed total nuclear disarmament
United States rejected idea
President Kennedy favored limited nuclear weapons tests
Cuban missile crisis convinced both sides important to make arms control progress
1963 U.S., Soviets agreed on Test Ban Treaty
Test Ban Treaty

16. SALT I and SALT II SALT I ABM Treaty SALT II
U.S. President Richard Nixon sought détente, reduced tension between superpowers; started negotiations called Strategic Arms Limitations Talks
SALT I talks led to agreements limiting nuclear weapons held by each side
ABM Treaty
Also led to Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty, preventing development of weapons designed to shoot down nuclear missiles
Meant to ensure each side remained vulnerable to other’s nuclear weapons
SALT II
Vulnerability important element of principle of deterrence
Two sides began new round of talks called SALT II
Talks resulted in arms control treaty in 1979: never ratified by U.S. Senate

17. The 1980s Reagan Presidency Arms Reduction Talks INF Treaty
Reagan took aggressive position against Soviet Union
Wanted to develop missile defense system
Arms Reduction Talks
Idea of system seemed to violate spirit of ABM Treaty
Began arms reduction talks with Soviet leader Gorbachev
INF Treaty
1988, two countries ratified Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty
Called for elimination of certain types of missiles
Improving Relations
After many years of conflict, relationship between U.S., Soviet Union began to improve

18. Sequence
What were the major arms control agreements negotiated by the Soviet Union and the United States?
Answer(s): Test Ban Treaty, SALT I, reducing the number of nuclear weapons each side held, ABM Treaty that prevented the development of weapons that shoot down nuclear missiles