1) What statement sums up why an arms race developed during this period?

“During conflict your armaments help determine your influence; during war they help determine the outcome”.

2) What 3 factors caused the arms race?

• Growth of international tension-needed to safeguard the interests of East & West

• National and personal considerations-“Keeping ahead” in the Arms Race became a national pride

• Domestic factors-Lucrative economic incentives influece of armed forces on governments

3) Where was the first atomic bomb dropped?

Hiroshima

4) What year did the USSR explode its own atomic bomb?

1949

5) What was the ‘super bomb’ that both sides raced to make, and which side won that race?

The Hydrogen Bomb- USA detonated their first bomb in 1952.

6) What was the name of the Soviet rocket capable of carrying a thermo-nuclear device?

V2 rocket (had ICBM capabilities)

7) What other race was taking place during this time?

The Space Race

7) What was Sputnik?

First ever Space satellite, launched by the USSR in 1957.

8) What was “nuclear diplomacy”? Give examples of US and USSR use.

Using the threat of nuclear weapons in order to gain concessions.US- Korean War

USSR- Berlin Crisis, Suez Crisis.

9) What was, as Gaddis called it, “Potemkinism”?

Process of building just enough capability to provide the illusion that more lies behind it.

10) Give one example of “Potemkinism”.

Moscow Air Show, 1955- Identifying numbers on planes were painted out so they could give the illusion that the USSR possessed more of them

than they actually did.

11) What was the truth behind Khrushchev’s boasts?

Early missiles were unreliable- only 4 ICBMs were functional by 1960.

12) What is MAD?

Mutually Assured Destruction

13) What raised awareness of the possible consequences behind MAD?

The Cuban Missile Crisis

14) How did the arms race actually improve relations between the two Superpowers?

Danger or nuclear war led to restraint from both sides.