The Arms Race

Selections from https://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/arms-race

An arms race occurs when two or more countries increase the size and quality of military resources to gain military and political superiority over one another. The Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union is perhaps the largest and most expensive arms race in history. . .

Nuclear Arms Race

Though the United States and the Soviet Union were tentative allies during World War II, their alliance soured after Nazi Germany surrendered in May 1945. 

The United States cast a wary eye over the Soviet Union’s quest for world dominance as they expanded their power and influence over Eastern Europe, and the Soviet Union resented the United States’ geopolitical interference and America’s own arms buildup.

Further fueling the flame of distrust, the United States didn’t tell the Soviet Union they planned to drop an atomic bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, although they had told them they had created the bomb.

To help discourage Soviet communist expansion, the United States built more atomic weaponry. But in 1949, the Soviets tested their own atomic bomb, and the Cold War nuclear arms race was on.

The United States responded in 1952 by testing the highly destructive hydrogen “superbomb,” and the Soviet Union followed suit in 1953. Four years later, both countries tested their first intercontinental ballistic missiles and the arms race rose to a terrifying new level. 

Cold War Arms Race Heads to Space

The Soviet’s launch of the first Sputnik satellite on October 4, 1957, stunned and concerned the United States and the rest of the world, as it took the Cold War arms race soon became the Space Race. 

President Dwight D. Eisenhower tried to tone down the rhetoric over the success of the launch, while he streamed federal funds into the United States’ space program to prevent being left behind.

After a series of mishaps and failures, the United States successfully launched its first satellite into space on January 31, 1958, and the Space Race continued as both countries researched new technology to create more powerful weapons. 

Missile Gap

Throughout the 1950s, the United States became convinced that the Soviet Union had better missile capability that, if launched, could not be defended against. This theory, known as the Missile Gap, was eventually disproved by the CIA but not before causing grave concern to U.S. officials.

Many politicians used the Missile Gap as a talking point in the 1960 presidential election. Yet, in fact, U.S. missile power was superior to that of the Soviet Union at the time. Over the next three decades, however, both countries grew their arsenals to well over 10,000 warheads.

Cuban Missile Crisis

The Cold War arms race came to a tipping point in 1962 after the John F. Kennedy administration’s failed attempt to overthrow Cuba’s premier Fidel Castro, and Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev implemented a secret agreement to place Soviet warheads in Cuba to deter future coup attempts.

After U.S. intelligence observed missile bases under construction in Cuba, they enforced a blockade on the country and demanded the Soviet Union demolish the bases and remove any nuclear weapons. The tense Cuban Missile Crisis standoff ensued and came to a head as Kennedy and Khrushchev exchanged letters and made demands. 

The crisis ended peacefully; however, both sides and the American public had fearfully braced for nuclear war and began to question the need for weapons that guaranteed “mutually assured destruction.” 

Famous cartoon w/ Nikita Khrushchev arm-wrestling John F. Kennedy

Arms Race Continues

The Cold War ended in 1991; however, in 1987, the United States and the Soviet Union had signed the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) to limit the scope and reach of all types of missiles.

Other treaties such as the START 1 treaty in 1991 and the New START treaty in 2011 aimed to further reduce both nations’ ballistic weapons capabilities.

The United States withdrew from the INF treaty in 2019, however, believing that Russia was noncompliant. Though the Cold War between the United States and Russia is over, many argue the arms race is not.

Other countries have beefed up their military might and are in a modern-day arms race or poised to enter one, including India and Pakistan, North Korea and South Korea, Iran and China. 

The Arms Race

S

elections

from

https://www.history.com/topics/cold

-

war/arms

-

race

An arms race occurs when two or more countries increase the size and qu

ality of military

resources to gain military and political superiority over one another. The

Cold

War

between the United States and the

Soviet Union

is perhaps the largest and most

expensive arms race in history

. . .

Nuclear Arms Race

Though the United States and the Soviet Union were tentative

allies during World War II,

their alliance soured after

Nazi Germany

surrendered in May 1945.

The United States cast a wary eye over the Soviet Union’s quest for world dominance as

th

ey expanded their power and influence over Eastern Europe, and the Soviet Union

resented the United States’ geopolitical interference and America’s own arms buildup.

Further fueling the flame of distrust, the United States didn’t tell the Soviet Union they

planned to drop an

atomic bomb

on

Hiroshima

on August 6, 1945, although they had told

them they had created the bomb.

To help discourage Soviet communist expansion, the United States built more at

omic

weaponry. But in 1949, the Soviets tested their own atomic bomb, and the Cold War

nuclear arms race was on.

The United States responded in 1952 by testing the highly destructive hydrogen

“superbomb,” and the Soviet Union followed

suit in 1953. Four years later, both countries

tested their first intercontinental ballistic missiles and the arms race rose to a terrifying

new level.

Cold War Arms Race Heads to Space

The Sov

iet’s launch of the first

Sputnik

satellite on October 4, 1957, stunned and

concerned the United States and the rest of the world, as it took the Cold War arms race

soon became th

e

Space Race

.

President

Dwight D. Eisenhower

tried to tone down the rhetoric over the success of the

launch

, while he streamed federal funds into the United States’ space program to prevent

being left behind.

After a series of mishaps and failures, the United States successfully launched its first

satellite into space on January 31, 1958, and the Space Race con

tinued as both countries

researched new technology to create more powerful weapons.

The Arms Race

Selections from https://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/arms-race

An arms race occurs when two or more countries increase the size and quality of military

resources to gain military and political superiority over one another. The Cold

War between the United States and the Soviet Union is perhaps the largest and most

expensive arms race in history. . .

Nuclear Arms Race

Though the United States and the Soviet Union were tentative allies during World War II,

their alliance soured after Nazi Germany surrendered in May 1945.

The United States cast a wary eye over the Soviet Union’s quest for world dominance as

they expanded their power and influence over Eastern Europe, and the Soviet Union

resented the United States’ geopolitical interference and America’s own arms buildup.

Further fueling the flame of distrust, the United States didn’t tell the Soviet Union they

planned to drop an atomic bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, although they had told

them they had created the bomb.

To help discourage Soviet communist expansion, the United States built more atomic

weaponry. But in 1949, the Soviets tested their own atomic bomb, and the Cold War

nuclear arms race was on.

The United States responded in 1952 by testing the highly destructive hydrogen

“superbomb,” and the Soviet Union followed suit in 1953. Four years later, both countries

tested their first intercontinental ballistic missiles and the arms race rose to a terrifying

new level.

Cold War Arms Race Heads to Space

The Soviet’s launch of the first Sputnik satellite on October 4, 1957, stunned and

concerned the United States and the rest of the world, as it took the Cold War arms race

soon became the Space Race.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower tried to tone down the rhetoric over the success of the

launch, while he streamed federal funds into the United States’ space program to prevent

being left behind.

After a series of mishaps and failures, the United States successfully launched its first

satellite into space on January 31, 1958, and the Space Race continued as both countries

researched new technology to create more powerful weapons.