1. Two Nations on the Edge
26.4

2. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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)

8. 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)

9. 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.

11. 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

12. 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