“And They’re Off!”

The Space Race and Arms Race of the Cold War

Mr. Augugliaro/ Mr. Patten/ Mrs. Kempton

THE SPACE RACE

The 1950’s• The Cold War tension between the United States and

the Soviet Union had worked its way into the everyday life of Americans and Soviets.

October Sky• On October 4th, 1957, the Soviet Union

successfully launches Sputnik, a transmitting satellite into space.

• This was officially the start of the Space Race.

Ready…Set…Go!• December 1957- Soviets put the first living animal, Laika the dog, into space.

• In 1958, the United States launches the Explorer 1 Satellite into space.

• That same year, 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower creates the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Here they Come!• 1959- Soviets launch Luna 2, 1st

space probe to hit the Moon.

• April 1961- Soviet Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin becomes the first man in space and 1st to orbit earth.

• February 1962- John Glenn becomes the first American astronaut to orbit the earth.

The Final Stretch!• 1962- President Kennedy announces

the main goal of putting a man on the moon. Apollo Program begins.

• July 16, 1969- Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins Set off on Apollo 11 mission.

• July 20, 1969- Neil Armstrong becomes the first man on the moon.

• “one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”

The Race

The Atomic Age Begins

The world officially entered a new age of weapons on July 16, 1945 with the creation of the Atomic Bomb.

The Soviet Union, soon after the Hiroshima bombing, obtained the blue prints for the atomic bomb.

The Start of the Race• On August 29th, 1949, the Soviet Union successfully tests

an atomic bomb. The Soviet Union now has atomic power.

• In 1952, the United States test the “Super-bomb”. The first Hydrogen (nuclear) bomb. The Soviets follow in 1953 with their own H-Bomb.

• The United States claims it will follow a policy “massive retaliation” or nuclear attack on the Soviet Union if any major Soviet attack occurs.

The World Goes Nuclear• In 1952, Britain became the 3rd nation to have nuclear

weapons.

• The British-American nuclear programs worked to create more devastating bombs and easier ways of delivering them. (Polaris Missile)

• In 1960 France achieved nuclear power.

• In 1964 the Communist, People’s Republic of China also achieved nuclear power.

The Missile that Changed the World

• The build up of arms led to the creation of Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM).

• The Space Race showed the power of ICBMs that were capable of holding nuclear warheads. These could be launched and reach any part of the world.

Arms Race Heats Up

• Both superpowers built large radar arrays to detect incoming bombers and missiles.

• Anti-ballistic missiles to use against ICBMs were also developed.

• Large underground bunkers were constructed to save leaders, and citizens were told to build fallout shelters and taught how to react to a nuclear attack. These measures were called civil defense.

“MAD” World• Each side had spent billions on their weapons and

could destroy each other multiple times over. 1st and 2nd StrikeCapabilities.

• Mutually Assured Destruction, or MAD, stopped them from attacking one another.

Détente• Because nuclear war meant the end of the world as

they knew it and the extreme economic strain the arms race put on the superpowers, the two sides began talking about disarmament.

• Détente refers to the period of time that the Soviets and the United States reduced their spending on weapons.

Détente• October, 1963, Limited Test

Ban Treaty (LTBT) was signed by the US, USSR, and the UK to limit testing above ground.

• November 1969- Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT I) began and in 1972 SALT I was signed.

• The Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty (ABM) limited each nation to only 2 ABM sites.

Détente• Even after SALT I the US and USSR added over

12,000 nuclear weapons to their already large arsenals.

• Throughout the 1970’s both sides replaced their older nuclear weapons with newer, more effective weapons.

• In 1979 SALT II was signed. This treaty limited both sides’ nuclear weapons and technology arsenal.

“Star Wars”• During the presidency of Ronald Reagan, the US

tried to restart the arms race.

• The US started the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), a space based anti-ballistic missile system called “Star Wars”.

End of the Arms RaceNegotiations between President Reagan and Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev towards the end of the 1980’s, significantly reduced the spending on arms.