Source: https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-8-build-up-to-the-cuban-missile-crisis [Revision notes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes.md) › [GCSE](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse.md) › [History](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history.md) › [OCR](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr.md) › Build-up to the Cuban Missile Crisis # Build-up to the Cuban Missile Crisis History: OCR A GCSE Cold War & International Relations, topic 1.2.8 ## The Arms Race After the USA used nuclear weapons to defeat Japan in World War 2, the Soviet Union began to focus on building its own nuclear weapons and a 'nuclear deterrent'. ### 1940s and 1950s - The USA leads ![1940s and 1950s - The USA leads](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-03/28e2701e-bee5-426b-805b-9bd22676535e/shutterstock_639638614.jpg) - On the 6th and 9th August 1945, the USA dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, to defeat Japan and bring them to surrender. This ended World War 2. - On the 29th of August 1949, the Soviet Union completed its development of an atomic bomb. The USSR was 4 years behind the USA with its nuclear capabilites. - In 1952, the United States successfully built a Hydrogen bomb. Hydrogen bombs are estimated by experts to be 1,000x more destructive than the atomic bombs used in Japan in 1945. - In 1953, the USSR built their own Hydrogen bomb (H-bomb). They were now only 1 year behind the USA. ### 1950s - Neck and neck ![1950s - Neck and neck](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/e7442130-1329-46f4-bdd9-2bf86317aa89/missile-war-guns-.jpg) - Atomic bombs and hydrogen bombs were important because they allowed countries to do lots of damage to their enemies. - Missiles became very important because they allowed countries to remotely fire lots of missiles at their enemies quickly. The atomic bombs over Japan had been dropped out of planes. - In 1958, the USSR completed a test of an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile, called an ICBM. These missiles could be fired 5,500km (the distance from Lisbon to New York over the Atlantic Ocean). - The USA developed ICBMs in 1959, but the USSR had taken the lead in the Arms Race. ### Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) ![Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD)](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-03/5d44c68f-bd26-4b03-bb45-30d994a4b6ab/shutterstock_78352360.jpg) - Whilst the Soviet Union didn't have nuclear weapons (before 1949), the USA knew that in a war, it could use nuclear weapons and win. - After 1949, both the USA and USSR had nuclear weapons. - After 1959, both sides could fire nuclear weapons 5,500km at each other. - If there were to be a nuclear war between the 2 countries, it is likely that both countries would have been completely destroyed, firing nuclear missiles at each other. This concept was called Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD). - This made using nuclear weapons seem like a worse option. ### The Warsaw Pact ![The Warsaw Pact](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-03/15d2eb70-1a7e-46c5-b221-fedb8b0555de/shutterstock_733903858.jpg) - The Warsaw Pact was signed on the 14th of May 1955. - The Warsaw Pact was a rival to NATO (which was created in 1949). - It was an alliance between the Soviet Union and its satellite states in Eastern Europe (East Germany, Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia and more). ## Test yourself on Build-up to the Cuban Missile Crisis - In which year did the USSR first successfully test an atomic bomb? - Timeline of the Arms Race - When was the Warsaw Pact signed? [Practise this topic for free](https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/2536af80-4f7c-11e8-9781-7528a1e10f88/section/e5a26941-0da8-490d-9827-0eaa49f22f87/session) - Previous topic: [1.2.7 End of Topic Test - East & West](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-7-end-of-topic-test-east-and-west.md) - Next topic: [1.2.9 The Cuban Missile Crisis](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-9-the-cuban-missile-crisis.md) ## History: OCR A GCSE Cold War & International Relations contents ### 1 Key Topics - 1.1 Conflict & Cooperation 1918-1939 - [1.1.1 The Treaty of Versailles](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-1-1-the-treaty-of-versailles.md) - [1.1.2 The Terms of Versailles 1](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-1-2-the-terms-of-versailles-1.md) - [1.1.3 The Terms of Versailles 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-1-3-the-terms-of-versailles-2.md) - [1.1.4 Versailles & the League of Nations](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-1-4-versailles-and-the-league-of-nations.md) - [1.1.5 LoN Successes & Failures](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-1-5-lon-successes-and-failures.md) - [1.1.6 LoN Failure - Upper Silesia](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-1-6-lon-failure-upper-silesia.md) - [1.1.7 LoN Failure - Corfu & Washington](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-1-7-lon-failure-corfu-and-washington.md) - [1.1.8 End of Topic Test - Treaties and Agreements](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-1-8-end-of-topic-test-treaties-and-agreements.md) - [1.1.9 The Great Depression](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-1-9-the-great-depression.md) - [1.1.10 Tension in Europe in the 1930s](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-1-10-tension-in-europe-in-the-1930s.md) - [1.1.11 WWII & Failure of the League of Nations](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-1-11-wwii-and-failure-of-the-league-of-nations.md) - [1.1.12 End of Topic Test - Tension in the 1930s](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-1-12-end-of-topic-test-tension-in-the-1930s.md) - [1.1.13 Grade 9 - Conflict & Cooperation](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-1-13-grade-9-conflict-and-cooperation.md) - 1.2 The Cold War 1945-c.1989 - [1.2.1 Emerging US-Soviet Rivalry](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-1-emerging-us-soviet-rivalry.md) - [1.2.2 Communism in the 20th Century](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-2-communism-in-the-20th-century.md) - [1.2.3 The Truman Doctrine & Marshall Plan](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-3-the-truman-doctrine-and-marshall-plan.md) - [1.2.4 East-West Alliances](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-4-east-west-alliances.md) - [1.2.5 Berlin Crises](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-5-berlin-crises.md) - [1.2.6 The End of the Berlin Wall](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-6-the-end-of-the-berlin-wall.md) - [1.2.7 End of Topic Test - East & West](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-7-end-of-topic-test-east-and-west.md) - [1.2.8 Build-up to the Cuban Missile Crisis](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-8-build-up-to-the-cuban-missile-crisis.md) - [1.2.9 The Cuban Missile Crisis](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-9-the-cuban-missile-crisis.md) - [1.2.10 Cold War Conflict - Vietnam](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-10-cold-war-conflict-vietnam.md) - [1.2.11 Cold War Conflict - Afghanistan](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-11-cold-war-conflict-afghanistan.md) - [1.2.12 End of Topic Test - The Cold War 1945-1989](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-12-end-of-topic-test-the-cold-war-1945-1989.md) - [1.2.13 Grade 9 - The Cold War](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-13-grade-9-the-cold-war.md) - [1.2.14 Diagnostic Misconceptions - Russia vs USSR](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-14-diagnostic-misconceptions-russia-vs-ussr.md) - [1.2.15 Diagnostic Misconceptions - Stalin & the Atom Bomb](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-15-diagnostic-misconceptions-stalin-and-the-atom-bomb.md) - [1.2.16 Diagnostic Misconceptions - The Iron Curtain](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-16-diagnostic-misconceptions-the-iron-curtain.md) - [1.2.17 Diagnostic Misconceptions - The Truman Doctrine](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-17-diagnostic-misconceptions-the-truman-doctrine.md) - [1.2.18 Diagnostic Misconceptions - USSR vs Eastern Europe](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-18-diagnostic-misconceptions-ussr-vs-eastern-europe.md) - [1.2.19 Diagnostic Misconceptions - The Berlin Airlift](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-19-diagnostic-misconceptions-the-berlin-airlift.md) - [1.2.20 Diagnostic Misconceptions - The Berlin Wall](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-20-diagnostic-misconceptions-the-berlin-wall.md) - [1.2.21 Diagnostic Misconceptions - Hungarian Uprising](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-21-diagnostic-misconceptions-hungarian-uprising.md) - [1.2.22 Diagnostic Misconceptions - Stalin's Death](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-22-diagnostic-misconceptions-stalins-death.md) - [1.2.23 Diagnostic Misconceptions - Cuba](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-23-diagnostic-misconceptions-cuba.md) - [1.2.24 Diagnostic Misconceptions - Bay of Pigs](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-24-diagnostic-misconceptions-bay-of-pigs.md) - 1.3 From the End of the Cold War to 9/11 - [1.3.1 Reagan & Gorbachev](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-3-1-reagan-and-gorbachev.md) - [1.3.2 Consequences of the Soviet War in Afghanistan](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-3-2-consequences-of-the-soviet-war-in-afghanistan.md) - [1.3.3 End of Topic Test - End of the Cold War to 9/11](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-3-3-end-of-topic-test-end-of-the-cold-war-to-911.md) - [1.3.4 Grade 9 - The End of the Cold War](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-3-4-grade-9-the-end-of-the-cold-war.md) - [1.3.5 Diagnostic Misconceptions - Fall of the Wall](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-3-5-diagnostic-misconceptions-fall-of-the-wall.md) ### 2 Changing Interpretations - 2.1 Changing Interpretations - [2.1.1 Appeasement](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/2-1-1-appeasement.md) - [2.1.2 The Responsibility for Cold War Tensions](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/2-1-2-the-responsibility-for-cold-war-tensions.md) - [2.1.3 End of Topic Test - Appeasement](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/2-1-3-end-of-topic-test-appeasement.md) - [2.1.4 Grade 9 - Changing Interpretations](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/2-1-4-grade-9-changing-interpretations.md)