1. The Cold War: Arms Race & Space

2. Arms Race Sept 1949: USSR tested atomic bomb
Nov: Communists take China…
Work began to create hydrogen bomb
Mutually assured destruction: hoped to build up enough weapons to avoid actually using nuclear devices
Duck and Cover (1951) – Bert the Turtle
B-29 flying over Alaska detected unusual atmospheric radiation.. Radiation cloud drifting eastward from direction of Siberia.
We had thought they were years away  USA no longer has monopoly on atomic weapons…
1952: US tested first hydrogen bom. Soviets tested one of their own in 1953.
More bombs and tests followed; most of the tests happened aboveground, spewing radioactive waste into atmosphere. Atomic testing in the west led to increased atmospheric radiation and long-range health problems for ppl living downward of test sites
Duck and Cover:

3. Eisenhower’s New Policies
1952: Dwight Eisenhower becomes Prez. (R)
Adopted lots of Truman’s F.P. but focused on stockpiling nuclear weapons  helped save $$
Secr. State John Foster Dulles: policy of massive retaliation
Brinkmanship: going to brink of war to protect vs. communism
Ike’s policy drew criticism: conservatives felt like downgrading conventional forces would weaken American defense; liberals feared that preparing for nuclear war made such a war more likely
US would respond to communist threats to its allies by threatening to use crushing, overwhelming force, perhaps even nuclear weapons

4. Bye, Stalin Stalin dies March 1953
Successor: Nikita Khrushchev  not as suspicious/ cruel; wanted more “peaceful co-existence”
Hungarian revolt 1956
Khrushchev responds brutally  sends Soviet soldiers, tanks to crush rebellion. Executed leaders, killed hundreds of other people
US watched in horror  couldn’t respond w/ nuclear weapons to help Hungary gain independence.

5. Suez Crisis Egypt wants to build dam on Nile River
US/GB say ok, but Egypt recognizes PRC & talks to USSR  US says no
Egypt nationalizes Suez Canal (under gov’t control)
Threatens oil flow
GB + FR + Israel use force to seize Canal
Ike mad; counted on US support  must withdraw

6. CIA (1947) helped protect US interests abroad
Eisenhower Doctrine (Jan 1957): US would use force to help any Middle Eastern nation threatened by comm.
CIA (1947) helped protect US interests abroad
CIA created in 1947 to gather information/ intelligence. Eisenhower gave it a new task  covert operations to protect American interests. Aided coups to install new gov’ts (Iran, 1953; Guatemala, 1954). Helped place anticommunist leaders in power but also created long-term resentment vs. USA

7. Space Race Oct 1957: Sputnik 1 satellite launched by USSR {video}
PANIC.
National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) to coordinate space-related efforts of science/military
One month later, launched larger satellite carrying a dog to see how living creatures would react to life in outer space. No way to return the satellite to earth, so Laika died in orbit…
Launch of Sputnik:
Freaked Americans OUT  long thought superior technology would beat the USSR. But what if the space technology gave them the rocket power to alunch missiles into American cities?
State of crisis  approved National Defense Education Act ($1 billion) to produce more scientists, engineers, science teachers. Loans for HS/ college grads to continue education in science.