Arms Race Competition in the Cold War by Joelle Sihombing https://padlet.com/25sihombingj/yxol5kv1r1gy982y The Cold War has created an arms race competition between the United States and the Soviet Union. en-us 2022-04-06 12:56:30 UTC 2025-05-24 19:34:08 UTC hello@padlet.com https://cdn-0.emojis.wiki/emoji-pics/facebook/bomb-facebook.png 1.) What was competition in the Cold War? 25sihombingj https://padlet.com/25sihombingj/yxol5kv1r1gy982y/wish/2132578220 Competition in the Cold War was a conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union in gaining political superiority and influence in Europe and the world for large access to benefits and goods.
In this case, the United States and the Soviet Union had an arms race, in which both countries raced to develop a larger quantity of even larger weapons to administer influence in the world.]]> 2022-04-06 13:04:24 UTC https://padlet.com/25sihombingj/yxol5kv1r1gy982y/wish/2132578220 2.) Historically, how did the Dreadnought Ship (1906) create an arms race? 25sihombingj https://padlet.com/25sihombingj/yxol5kv1r1gy982y/wish/2132586090 The 1906 HMI dreadnought was a battleship created for the British Naval army as the new standard for naval architecture. However, the Germans started to compete against Great Britain, creating another set of dreadnought ships. Both sides started creating bigger and better ships until Germany was no longer able to outdo Great Britain. Although this instance would end quickly, the idea of an arms race would soon affect World War II and the Cold War.]]> 2022-04-06 13:08:52 UTC https://padlet.com/25sihombingj/yxol5kv1r1gy982y/wish/2132586090 3.) How did the atomic bomb help destroy a friendship between the US and USSR? When would the Soviets test their own bomb? 25sihombingj https://padlet.com/25sihombingj/yxol5kv1r1gy982y/wish/2132595303 The US and the USSR already had tension as both resented their geopolitical interference and arms build-up during the end of WWII. However, the last break would be the US not notifying the Soviet Union about the dropping of the atomic bomb until it was dropped on August 6th, 1945. The Soviet Union was appalled with this new weaponry and tried to compete. In retaliation, the Soviets tested their own bomb on August 29, 1949.]]> 2022-04-06 13:13:16 UTC https://padlet.com/25sihombingj/yxol5kv1r1gy982y/wish/2132595303 4.) What was the hydrogen bomb? How was it part of the arms race? 25sihombingj https://padlet.com/25sihombingj/yxol5kv1r1gy982y/wish/2132602783 The hydrogen bomb was a thermonuclear bomb that held 1,000 times more power than the previous atomic bomb with two new isotopes of hydrogen. The hydrogen bomb also proved as a frightening advancement in the arms race, as after the initial hydrogen bombing by the United States in 1952, the Soviets followed suit in 1953. Soon, the arms race became even more devastating and this large specific advancement would start fright among the people of both countries.]]> 2022-04-06 13:17:08 UTC https://padlet.com/25sihombingj/yxol5kv1r1gy982y/wish/2132602783 5.) What is an ICBM? What did it add to the arms race? 25sihombingj https://padlet.com/25sihombingj/yxol5kv1r1gy982y/wish/2132610153 ICBMs are fully named Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles, which, after development by Nazi Germany during WW2, would go through numerous advancements during the Cold War. (The main feature and mission of this missile are to shoot from a longer distance accurately).  The ICBM would not only become an icon of this Cold War but also would undergo numerous advancements through the arms race. These missiles had advanced to be able to be underwater, far away, and reach a target accurately over time. This added more fear among the people as nuclear weaponry soon be able to accurately aim at a farther shooting point.]]> 2022-04-06 13:20:53 UTC https://padlet.com/25sihombingj/yxol5kv1r1gy982y/wish/2132610153 6.) What did the Cuban Missile Crisis have to do with the US and USSR? How would this be an important moment in the arms race? 25sihombingj https://padlet.com/25sihombingj/yxol5kv1r1gy982y/wish/2132615677 As America failed to overthrow Fidel Castro, the Soviet Union soon made an agreement with Cuba to put Soviet bases to ‘protect’ the Cuban government.  The US then put a blockade on Cuba and demanded to shut down these bases. That would be an important moment in the Cold war as if it went the wrong way, a nuclear war could have happened from this tense standoff. It was recorded as the closest point the US and the USSR were close to war. However, thankfully, the conflict would end in peace.]]> 2022-04-06 13:23:34 UTC https://padlet.com/25sihombingj/yxol5kv1r1gy982y/wish/2132615677 7.) What are 3 ways that the arms race created competition between the US and USSR? 25sihombingj https://padlet.com/25sihombingj/yxol5kv1r1gy982y/wish/2132627381 The involvement in foreign affairs became competitively tense after the development of nuclear weapons.
The United States and the Soviet Union soon used their missiles and arms to meddle in foreign affairs and use to protect allies and land. An example would be the Cuban Missile Crisis, which created tense competition between the US and the Soviet Union due to their different government beliefs and use of weapons to defend/threaten the country. Weaponry was also used to ship to allies and those they deem as threatened by the other.

Both countries believed in creating a larger quantity and quality of nuclear weaponry to create a larger political superiority.
For the longest time, especially after the two world wars, militarism and having great artillery power have proven to gain political superiority among countries. The United States and the Soviet Union wanted to spread their influence and saw advancement in weaponry as a way to do as so. Thus, both countries competed and raced to create a higher quality of arms to create larger superiority.

Fear and the belief of the missile gap lead to such large quantities of weapons, causing an everlasting cycle of fear and development between the two countries.
However, competition may have been perceived as 'forced' on both sides. The idea of the missile gap and fright among citizens (such as the "Red Scare") brought both countries to compete to ensure their safety if the other had acted. Both competed, not just out of political superiority or influence, but to also protect their own countries and populations.]]> 2022-04-06 13:29:39 UTC https://padlet.com/25sihombingj/yxol5kv1r1gy982y/wish/2132627381 8.) What 3 comparisons could be made in technology/events in the present to the impact made by nuclear weapons? 25sihombingj https://padlet.com/25sihombingj/yxol5kv1r1gy982y/wish/2132661473 The 2017-2018 North Korea Missile Crisis
The 2017-2018 missile crisis of North Korea was an impact and could be compared to the advancements of the ICBM and how missiles could now be shot from a longer range and distance. The fear and the development of handling the situation also came from the 'deja vu' of the Cold War. The United States knew they must act for peace to a hostile country like North Korea, and not act and militarize like they did with the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

TPNW (Treaty on Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons)
On January 22nd, 2021, nuclear weapons were officially banned as 50 countries have signed and ratified the treaty (TPNW). (Although it was ratified 90 days prior, this period was needed to make it legal). This was a result of the cold war missile crisis and the fear and destruction that nuclear weaponry had in these countries.

America's Newest Nuclear Bomb: B-12
The nuclear advancement, however, has not stopped as America has the newest nuclear bomb: B61-12 into mass production in December 2021. However, without the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the overall development of the hydrogen bomb and nuclear weaponry, the B61-12 would not be in the advanced stage it is today. Still, however, this advancement is not in military use.]]> 2022-04-06 13:47:03 UTC https://padlet.com/25sihombingj/yxol5kv1r1gy982y/wish/2132661473