Nuclear Arms Race Research Paper

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.

Harry Truman (1884-1972) was the most influential person in the race for the super bomb. As President Roosevelt’s Vice President, he knew nothing about the development of the atomic bomb. But within months of assuming the office of President of the United States on April 12, 1945, he became the first and only American leader to authorize the use of atomic weapons against an enemy target. Truman’s era only marked the beginning of the race for nuclear weapons. The development of nuclear weapons is still an issue today, decades after Truman left office.

During World War II America, Great Britain, and Russia worked together to create the Allied Powers and defeat Germany. During the war, no one knew how much damage this war was going to have on the world. Because the war was so intense America needed to create a powerful weapon to use as a threat. In 1942 America started the top secret Manhattan Project, creating an atomic bomb. Although this bomb was to only be used in extreme conditions, the world felt threatened with just the knowledge that this bomb existed, especially Russia. Before the creation of the atomic bomb, America and Russia worked closely together in World War II, but after the creation of the bomb, tension grew between the two countries.

The arms race created very bitter enemies. The atomic race caused cold war - Russia

This is why many historians agree that this was the beginning of the nuclear arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union. Each side of the “Iron Curtain” had opposing views on the other side, and there was no mutual reason for peace anymore after the war ended. After a number of smaller conflicts began to accumulate, each side felt that they needed to prepare for a nuclear war, and each side began churning out more and more destructive nuclear weapons (Race for the Superbomb). Later, the build up of these weapons would lead to the Cold War, but at that time, the arms race between the two rival countries was just

The end of World War II had many nations shocked and pondering in 1940’s. Thoughts of a weapon that can erase an entire populous in a short amount of time prompted many nations to consider nuclear armament. This originated from the devastating events of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which brought the world somber, and fearful. Some individuals recognized this and did take measures in order to regulate and prevent future use of these weapons. The Acheson-Lilienthal Report was a document that took a stand against national independent control of atomic weapons by proposing compromise between the U.S, and U.S.S.R., the failure to secure the document prompted the Cold War era and Nuclear Arms race, this became a foundation for further agreements and

In ww2 , the atomic bomb was dropped on japan to put an immediate end to the war and not draw other countries (i.e. the soviet union or china) into fighting combatively against the U.S. As far as foreign relations go, it proved to the world that the U.S was the most powerful country in that time ( superpower) . This also relates to several years later during the cold war. It prompted the Soviet Union to develop their own nuclear warfare. (i.e us comes out with hydrogen bomb and a year later USSR develops one). It's also the first introduction of Nuclear weapons to the world

America was not alone in the development of nuclear weapons. Germany had also been developing nuclear weapons throughout the course of the war (3,58). Germany's plan was to use atomic weaponry in the famous V-1 and V-2 rockets (3,58). With these rockets they thought they could conquer the world, but the plan failed. What Germany did succeed at, though, was the creation of an arms race between themselves and the U.S (3,59). Even though Germany was busy at work with the development of atomic weapons, they could not put all of the time or money into it (3,58). This was because they were busy with their plan to dominate the world.

The development and use of nuclear weapons in 1945 changed not only warfare, but how countries approach warfare as a whole. As Andrew Heywood notes in his book, Global Politics, says that there’s a tendency “for any weapons to proliferate” or spread. With that knowledge it should be assumed that many nations would want to obtain nuclear weapons after seeing what the power that they hold. A state being in possession of a nuclear weapon can deter potential enemies and make them a power on the global scale. The Cold War era and post- Cold War era both saw an in increase in the spread of nuclear weapons. During the Cold War, after the US first used a nuclear weapon in 1945, states that gained nuclear capabilities were the France, the UK, China and the Soviet Union. Post – Cold War era India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea all gained nuclear weapons and shows the problem with proliferation of them. India and Pakistan are neighboring states and rivals which can lead to the possibility that they could be used at any moment. North Korea is a dangerous militaristic state that constantly threatens other states. This illustrates that the spread of nuclear weapons is a global problem because nuclear proliferation can possibly put WMDS, weapons of mass destruction, in the hands of rival states or extremely dangerous nations. There’s also the possibility of them falling into the hands of non state actors such as terrorists groups. Nuclear proliferation and nuclear disarmament/arms

In 1947, after Harry Truman took over as President, was when tensions between the USSR and the United States finally sprung into what is now known as the Cold War. The spread of communism throughout Eastern Europe, China and Korea made Americans feel threatened by their increasing power and influence. Even after the war the United States continued operation in military bases which had the initial intent to protect against further Nazi advancement into Western Europe. Post-World War II these bases seemed to serve the purpose of maintaining a presence where their greatest perceived threat continued to grow. On the opposite side of the Cold War conflict, Josef Stalin and the Soviets grew ever more wary of the United States, who still were the country with Nuclear weapon capabilities at the time. So when Stalin called for the manufacturing of Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (Gatland, Kenneth. Manned Spacecraft, Second Revision. 1976. Pg 100) a viscous cycle ensued. For every technological advancement either the United States or USSR made from 1947 until the end of the 1960’s, the other would try to match or beat it with the justification that it was in the best interests of national security. The United States had its first successful ICBM in 1957 (Hall, Rex; David J. Shayler. The Rocket Men: Vostok & Voskhod, The First Soviet Manned Spaceflights. Pg 56) and once the Soviet’s developed their first successful Nuclear weaponry in 1949,

Instate violence has decreased in recent decades when it comes to nuclear war, but small arms war is still wide spread. More "wars" have had the use of guns than the use of nuclear weapons. More people have been killed in "wars" because of guns than because of nuclear weapons. However, more people can be killed in an instant by nuclear weapons whereas when you use a gun, more people can be killed in a span of a few months. It is also easier and cheaper to get a gun than it is to make and use a nuclear weapon. Terrorists are scary with a gun or a box-cutter, but imagining ISIS or Al Qaeda with a nuclear weapon would cause the utmost terror across America.

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

In my opinion, the immediate cause of the Arms Race was when the U.S. released

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

This project will discuss nuclear weapons technology and its impact on the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons, also known as the NPT (Nonproliferation Treaty). The Treaty covers three main pillars: disarmament, nonproliferation, and peaceful uses of nuclear energy. It was signed in 1968 due to concern that the safety of the planet was at risk by having a high number of nuclear weapon states. After the United States bombed the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki using vastly destructive nuclear fission bombs, it became apparent that the States and possibly other countries could divert resources towards weapons rather than peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Thus, nuclear weaponry prompted the creation of the Treaty.