August 6, 1945, the United States dropped a five- ton atomic bomb over the Japanese city, Hiroshima, causing the Arms race. The Arms race was a competition between nations for superiority in the development and accumulation of weapons, especially, between the United States and the former Soviet Union during the Cold War. The Cold War began two years after World War II, and ended forty- four years later in 1991. By this time the Soviet Union had fallen apart due to all the foreign controversy. The Cold War had begun due to the United States attempting to force the Soviet Union to give up land, and the Soviets refusing. Following the Soviets refusing to give up their land, the United States gave European countries a tremendous amount of money in attempt to help them fight off communist forces which caused a threat to the Soviet Union, causing competition between the two. Although the Soviet Union started the Space Race, the United states is to blame for the Cold War because they dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, causing the Arms Race, gave European countries economic aid in an attempt to help …show more content…
The United States dropped the bomb in a successful attempt to end World War II; thus causing a threat to USSR, Soviet Forces. The Soviet Union then began creating the same weaponry as the United States. In response to the foreign controversy, President George Washington states, “ The great rule of conduct for us, in regard to foreign nations, is in extending our commercial relations to have with them as little political connection as possible…” Hence, though the President doesn’t agree with the Cold War, the military feels as if it is the best option. The United States involve themselves into a detrimental amount of foreign controversy. The United states triggered the start of the Arms Race which also displays that they are to blame for the Cold
The Cold War was the result of a clash between communism and capitalism, two opposing world-views. Another cause of the build up to the Cold War was the intransigent attitude of both sides. The Soviet Union was extremely concerned about its security after having been invaded twice in the twentieth century. In 1945 America created and used the atomic bomb against Japan and the USSR was determined to create one of its own. Both the
When President Truman authorized the use of two nuclear weapons in 1945 against the Japanese in the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki to end World War II, the nature of international security was changed irreversibly. At that time, the United States had what was said to have a monopoly of atomic bombs. Soon thereafter, the Soviet Union began working on atomic weaponry. In 1949, it had already detonated it first atomic bomb and tensions began to heat up between the two countries. With the information that the Soviets had tested their first bomb, the United States began work on more powerful weapons1, and a fight for nuclear superiority had begun.
The cold war in conjunction with the nuclear arms race raised a countless number of dangers that were new to Americans. One of the most obvious risks raised by the nuclear arms race was the blast of the bomb itself. The bombs that were emerging were only getting colossal, and the effects were reaching potential world destruction. For example, the atomic bombs used on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were minuscule compared to the Hydrogen bomb, which the U.S built to stay ahead of the Soviet Union. But as history has shown itself, the Soviet Union came kept up with the competition and created a Hydrogen bomb as well. Now both countries possessed bombs that could decimate out entire countries.
Following the detonation of two atomic bombs over Japan and the closure of World War II, the United States of America and the Soviet Union entered a period of ideological conflict, the Cold War. The United States sought to preserve and protect democracy throughout the world while the Soviet Union established communist satellite states. During the Cold War, the United States government pushed for the expansion of the United States space program in an attempt to demonstrate power and innovation over the Russians, and in doing so, accelerated the process of space exploration and endangered the lives of their astronauts.
The decision to drop the atomic bomb, made by President Truman, was largely influenced by political factors rather than military factors. Traditionalist historians argue from the military perspective that the bomb was used to end the war as quickly as possible and with as minimal causalities as possible. Revisionist historians, on the other hand, argue the political perspective where they believe that the bomb was dropped as a diplomatic tool to intimidate the rising superpower that was the Soviet Union. In 1945, there was little reason to doubt the traditionalist perspective; however, in retrospect, with the evidence now gathered and available, it was very likely there were other strategic reasons that played a larger role in the decision Truman had made. By observing the historical timeline, the Cold War began shortly after World War II. Truman was aware of the rising power of the USSR and the threat of the spread of communism into Europe and Asia. The fear of this threat was what likely influenced him and Congress to use the bomb more so than the desire to end the war more efficiently.
Throughout the Cold War, two hostile alliances, the United States and the Soviet Union, were involved in the conflict regarding the Korean War. One of the main radical actions the Soviet Union carried out was the 1949 explosion of an atomic bomb, which terminated the monopoly of the bomb in the United States (“Us Enters the Korean
“The Evil Empire” — that is what, at the height of the arms race, United States President Ronald Reagan called the Soviet Union (Rudolph 1). Unsurprisingly, the Soviet Union was similarly upset at the United States. This anger is what fueled the arms race. During the Cold War, due to fears of nuclear attack, the US and Soviet Union designed and deployed thousands of nuclear warheads, each hoping to deter the other from nuclear launch with threat of counter attack (O’Neal 1). This massive arms buildup, however, had many negative effects on the US. To recognize the impact that the arms race continues to have on today, it is crucial to understand not only its causes, but also its immediate impacts on the US economy, society, foreign
During the twentieth century, the power struggle between the United States and the Soviet Union emerged through proxy wars and the Space Race. The Cold War began in 1947 when the United States worried about the growing influence of the Soviet Union on Eastern European nations(Challenge to Apollo). The rivalry between the Soviet Union and the United States had become one of the biggest contests, that eventually culminated in the dissociation of the Soviet Union. Although many different events occurred during the Cold War, perhaps the most important one would be the Space Race. Despite popular belief that the atomic bomb made America a global superpower, the moon landing was the main reason why America prevailed as a global superpower because it showed America had superior technology, a preferred ally, and pulled America into the lead of the Cold War.
After the Second World War, United States and the Soviet Union entered into a Cold War that lasted more the 40 years because both sides had Atomic Weapons that were aimed at each other with each side fearing and dreading what a Hot War would cause if Atomic Weapons were used.
The cold war started quickly after World War 2 ended. The soviet Union and U.S. (United States) were close allies, they then turn to enemies. The U.S. ignored the Soviets desire to impose totalitarian rule and wanted to take over the economy/land. Both countries Started fighting over weapons of mass destruction. The race on creating the largest atomic bomb began. The U.S. were wanting to have the largest arsenal to use against enemy countries. Neither country really understood each other so neither country could really agree with each other because their leaders couldn't discuss a treaty without frustration. The U.S. dropped the first atomic bomb (20 kilotons, killing 80,000 people) on Hiroshima in 1945, as well as the second atomic bomb (22
The Cold war dated from 1947-1991. It was characterized by both political and military superiority between United States, which was backed by its NATO allies, and Soviet Union that led the communist side. The cold war was mainly started after the success of the alliance that was formed against Nazi Germany. This competition supremacy on nuclear warfare attracted other countries that also started making nuclear weapons due to the tension that existed in the world. Both sides directed huge sums of money to their military budgets with each side trying to outdo the other.
Although the United States was not solely to blame for the start of the Cold War there are many pieces of evidence that would say otherwise. In 1954 when the U.S secretary of state John Foster Dulles announced the policy “massive retaliation” that stated any major Soviet attack would be met with a massive nuclear response. The “massive retaliation” became the most significant product of the cold war, the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile. These were supported with the thermonuclear bomb which has a much greater destructive power than the original atomic bomb. This became the United States strategic nuclear arsenal. Not only did the United States create a deadly bomb but they started an alliance
The Cold War was a response to the perceived threat by the United States that Communism would interfere with national security and economic stakes in the world. It was a perceived threat by communist countries that the United States would take to the world. During the Cold War, the United States, Russia, and other countries made efforts to avoid another world war, while warring in proxy in other lands. The devastation caused by the hydrogen bombs exploded in Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the next technological advancements became only deterrents to the public. Governments had their own agenda which would result in worsening the strain between nations. The United States hid behind a curtain of nationalism resulting in increased
The nuclear arms race involving both the Unites States of America and the Soviet Union will forever be part of the foundation of what we know emergency management to be today.
The development of nuclear weapons helped to end World War II, but in turn created their own war between the United States and the Soviet Union. The development of modified military missiles such as the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile, or ICBM, by Americans and the Soviets, had an impact on the struggle of power of the Cold War. The importance of military involvement in the creation of modified missiles and engines were critical events of the Cold War. Additionally, the steps taken to get to space were a byproduct of this Arms Race and the Cold War. Because the United States and the Soviet Union feared what the other country would or could do with weapons of mass destruction and the thought of the opposing country being able to control