Nuclear Arms Race

1
Nuclear Arms Race
2
Events Leading to the Space and Nuclear Arms Race

• World War II ended in 1945 and the Cold War
  begins
• The Cold War was a competition between the United
  States and the U.S.S.R. in which the two
  countries fought for military dominance.

3
The Soviets Get The Atomic Bomb

• The next, each nation competed to be the first to
  create the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile
  (ICBM).
• ICBM could deliver a nuclear weapon from the
  nation's soil to its enemy's cities and military
  bases.
• Is this important?

4
The Effects of the Nuclear Arms Race at Home

• An example of this propaganda is Bert the
  turtle,
• cartoon turtle that was created to stress the
  need to take cover from flying glass and debris
  in case of a raid
• Would this really work?

5
Sputnik

• On October 4, 1957, the Soviets launched Sputnik,
  the first artificial satellite, into orbit around
  the earth.

6
Sputnik

• Sputnik weighed 184 pounds and was 23 inches in
  diameter.
• Sent out a "beep-beep" radio signal through its
  that scientists and human radio operators
  throughout the world could hear.

7
Sputnik

• Sputnik remained in orbit until January 4th ,
  1958
• burned up when re-entering earths atmosphere
• The USSR launched a series of Sputniks after the
  successful launch of Sputnik I.

8
Sputnik

• Sputnik II, launched on November 3, 1957, carried
  a dog named Laika on board.
• Laika was the first living organism in space.

9
The United States Reaction to Sputnik

• Many Americans felt Sputnik was a step closer
  to a nuclear attack by the Russians.
• There was an overhwhelming feeling that the USSR
  was winning the space race.
• NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space
  Administration, is created to encourage space
  technology in the United States.

10
Military Industrial Complex

• Eisenhower used his farewell address to inform
  Americans of a new danger
• He warned of the potential misuse of power by the
  arms industry.
• Close connections to the government and an
  industry that profits from war.
• Careful to support one industry too much

11
John Fitzgerald Kenndey

• Runs for President of the United States in 1960
• Kennedy Argues that a "missile gap" favoring the
  Soviet Union makes an increase in defense
  spending necessary
• His opponent, Richard Nixon, Asserts that the
  U.S. has maintained military standing with the
  Soviet Union, and that military spending should
  be watched carefully for excess

12
Results

• Hotly contested very close
• Kennedy wins by 113,000 out of 68 million cast
• Nixon publicly claims that he will not contest
  for good of nation

13
The First Man To Orbit The Earth

• On April 12, 1961, Yuri A. Gagarin was launched
  into space aboard the Soviet vessel Vostok I,
  making him the first human to orbit the earth.

14
The First Man To Orbit The Earth

• The ship made a single orbit around the earth,
  and the flight only lasted about 1 hour 28
  minutes.
• This was another great victory for the Soviet
  Union and a big step towards defeating the U.S.
  in the space race.