3.2.1
Arms Race & Space Race
The Arms Race
The Arms Race
The USA had nuclear superiority over the USSR from 1945. However, by 1955 the USSR had developed a powerful hydrogen bomb and from 1957 there was rapid development of Soviet Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs).
Gaither Report
Gaither Report
- In 1958 Eisenhower commissioned a study of the military strength of the USSR in comparison to the USA.
- He focused on nuclear weapons and the ‘missile gap’. The report suggested that the USSR had superior missile technology. But, this was found to be unlikely after the U-2 spy planes gathered intelligence from the USSR’s military bases.
- Photographic evidence showed that the Soviets could match the USA’s missile technology however, their capability to develop the technology further would evolve at a slower pace than the American missile technology.
NATO encirclement of the USSR
NATO encirclement of the USSR
- Eisenhower used the report, despite it having some misleading information, to gain support from allied countries for the USA’s protection against the USSR.
- Eisenhower appealed to Britain, Turkey and other NATO allies for assistance by asking them to house American intermediate-range ballistic missiles in their countries in the event of an attack by the USSR.
- The USSR felt they were being encircled (surrounded by NATO bases). They would be very vulnerable in a nuclear war.
The Space Race
The Space Race
Both the USSR and the USA had the capability of building rockets that could be launched into space. This was a massive advantage in the arms race because these rockets could be used to transport nuclear weapons.
Sputnik 1
Sputnik 1
- On 4th October 1957, the USSR took the lead in the space race when Sputnik 1 was successfully launched into space.
- This caused great panic in America because they believed that the USSR was a step closer to being able to launch nuclear weapons from space.
- President Eisenhower was heavily criticised. The American people claimed that the USA did not spend enough money on the space programme which caused them to be ‘behind’ in the space race and possibly vulnerable to the USSR.
Eisenhower's response
Eisenhower's response
- Eisenhower committed one billion dollars to the space programme. He also commissioned a study of the military strength of the USSR in comparison to the USA.
- The study focused on nuclear weapons and the ‘missile gap’.
- In 1958 Eisenhower created the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). This showed how committed the USA was to the space race.
- Despite this, the USSR edged further ahead in the space programme.
- In 1959 the USSR successfully sent a satellite to the moon and in 1961 Yuru Gagarin was the first person to orbit the earth in space.
The space race under Kennedy
The space race under Kennedy
- In 1961, President Kennedy took over from Eisenhower and massively increased the funding for NASA.
- Federal money was put into education (science, maths and technology primarily) in order to try and catch up with the advancements that the Soviets had made.
- By 1962, the USA had carried out 63 successful space missions compared to the USSR’s 15 successful missions.
- By 1969 the Americans had successfully landed a man on the moon- Neil Armstrong.
1Origins of the Cold War, 1945-9
1.1Events of 1945
1.2The Collapse of the Grand Alliance
1.3Developing Tensions
1.4US Involvement in Europe
2Widening of the Cold War
2.1US Containment in Asia
2.2The Korean War
2.3Increasing Cold War Tensions, 1949 -1953
3The Global War
3.2Cold War Rivalries
3.3Conflict in Asia
3.4Confrontation Between Superpowers
4Confrontation & Cooperation
4.2Cooperation
4.3Pressures on the USSR
5Brezhnev Era
5.1Detente
5.2Second Cold War
5.3Developments in Africa & Americas
6Ending of the Cold War
6.1Gorbachev
6.2Cooperation between US & USSR
6.3Collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe
6.4End of Tensions Across the World
Jump to other topics
1Origins of the Cold War, 1945-9
1.1Events of 1945
1.2The Collapse of the Grand Alliance
1.3Developing Tensions
1.4US Involvement in Europe
2Widening of the Cold War
2.1US Containment in Asia
2.2The Korean War
2.3Increasing Cold War Tensions, 1949 -1953
3The Global War
3.2Cold War Rivalries
3.3Conflict in Asia
3.4Confrontation Between Superpowers
4Confrontation & Cooperation
4.2Cooperation
4.3Pressures on the USSR
5Brezhnev Era
5.1Detente
5.2Second Cold War
5.3Developments in Africa & Americas
6Ending of the Cold War
6.1Gorbachev
6.2Cooperation between US & USSR
6.3Collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe
6.4End of Tensions Across the World
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