“Oh no they didn’t!”

1. “Oh no they didn’t!” The Arms Race

2. Background and review • At the time of the Berlin conflict USSR was expanding its territory into Europe. • U.S. viewed this as “conquering” • USSR viewed as “protection;” a buffer zone from the West (remember they were attacked twice by Ger.)

3. Military Alliances • The United States and the Soviet Union soon enlisted the support of other countries.

4. North Atlantic Treaty Organization (1949) • United States • Belgium • Britain • Canada • Denmark • France • Iceland • Italy • Luxemburg • Netherlands • Norway • Portugal • 1952: Greece & Turkey • 1955: West Germany • 1983: Spain

5. The NATO Alliance • NATO: The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was a group of Western European nations that pledged to support each other if attacked.

6. Warsaw Pact (1955) • U. S. S. R. • Albania • Bulgaria • Czechoslovakia • East Germany • Hungary • Poland • Rumania

7. The Warsaw Pact • Warsaw Pact: Defensive alliance formed by the Soviet union and seven of its satellites in Eastern Europe.

9. In response to USSR’s satellite countries • U.S. and NATO builds military bases surrounding USSR • Threatened USSR builds bases as well. • U.S. and USSR begin “arms race” that will continue until the 1980’s

10. Cold War Expands Things get a bit warmer • Sept 2, 1949 a U.S. B-29 detects atmospheric radiation. • Proves USSR has an atomic bomb way ahead of schedule

11. Arms Race • In the background of this growing animosity both superpowers raced to develop weapons. • Soviets acquired nuclear weapons in 1949 • For 40 years the superpowers spent increasing amounts of money on acquiring superior weapons. • Many feared a war would destroy the world. • Soon the symptom of the Cold War (nukes) becomes the major problem

13. Key Arms Race concepts • “Mutually Assured Destruction” • “Massive Retaliation” • “Brinkmanship”

14. “Mutually Assured Destruction” The belief that the use of nuclear weapons by opposing militaries will in effect, destroy both sides Nukes are a deterrent to war

15. “Massive Retaliation” • U.S. policy that stated the U.S. would respond to commy threats to allies with overwhelming force. • Maybe even nukes • Idea is to scare enemies into not being aggressive

16. “Brinkmanship” • Concept of pushing events to the verge of disaster in order to gain an advantage • In theory this will force your enemy to back down for fear of destruction.

17. Impact of these policies • U.S. invests in nukes and things to deliver them (subs, plans and silos) • Nuclear testing sky rockets between US an USSR • Other countries want nukes • World becomes armed to the teeth

18. Space Race The superpowers also competed in space. In 1957 the Soviet Union launched Sputnik. This launched the superpowers into a competition for space!

19. Why space??? Nukes must go into orbit to hit a target. Thus, if you can put a satellite into space you can put a nuke anywhere on the globe This is SPUTNIK