Nuclear Arms Race, Nuclear Proliferation, And the Space Race

Kai Wang, Kristin Hamilton and Kara Mitchell

Nuclear Arms Race

Introduction• The arms race between the Eastern and Western powers (namely the USSR and the USA) began in earnest towards the end of 1949, after the Russians also produced the atomic bomb thus breaking the American monopoly on nuclear weaponry.

• Although the Americans were well ahead in # of types of bombs, Russians determined to catch up even though it put an enormous strain on her Economy

• When Americans created powerful hydrogen bomb in 1952, Russians did same following year. While the Americans were still ahead in the number of bombs, the Russians took the lead in 1957 when they developed the ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile), which was a warhead that could reach the USA when fired inside Russia; the Americans soon developed their own version and produced more than the Russians. Additionally, Americans began build nuclear missiles with shorter range that could reach the USSR from launch sites within Europe and Turkey.

• During the Cuban missiles crisis of 1962, which was an important step in the development of the Arms race, after Castro seized power in Cuba, the Americans threatened to attack Cuba (to overthrow Castro), invasion exercised were carries out, installations sabotaged, and economic aid reduced- the Soviets sent aid and set up missile launchers in Cuba aimed at the US, thereby putting under threat many central cities such as Chicago, New York and Washington.

• Some views and justifications for the Russians actions were that since they had lost the lead in the number of ICBMs, this was a way of seizing initiative back from the Americans, and would consequently place the US under the same threat the Russians were also under from the missiles bases in Turkey.

• Kennedy responded by alerting the American troops, began a blockade of Cuba (to keep the Russians ships that were bringing in missiles at bay), and demanded a dismantling of the missile sites as well as the removal of missiles in Cuba.

• At this point, the situation on both sides was extremely tense; the secretary-general of the UN, U Thant, appealed to both sides for restraint

Cuban Missile Crisis

• Eventually a compromised was reached: Khrushchev moved first and order the return of the Russian ships, and promised the removal of the missiles and bases in Cuba, while Kennedy promised that the USA would not invade Cuba and that it would disarm the Jupiter missiles in Turkey.

• The crisis brought both sides to their senses and they realized the extent of the potential damage, and also resulted in a relaxation of tension; a telephone link (known as the ‘hot line’) was introduced between Moscow and Washington for swift consultation between the two nations.

• Although in public the Russians claimed a victory in the outcome of the missiles crisis, in private they admitted to failure to their main aim- to establish missiles near the US; even with the removal of the Thor and Jupiter missiles from Turkey, they were still under threat from the Americans’ SLBMs, which were ballistic missiles that could reach the USSR via launch sites on submarines in the East Mediterranean

Does the Battle Conclude? • Russians decided to catch up with the Americans in

the number of ICBMs and SLBMs through their new weapon, the AMB (antiballistic missile) which could destroy incoming enemy missiles before they reached their target). The Americans however had developed the MIRV (missiles with 14 separate warheads each to a different target), which soon the Russians developed their own version of.

• So the nuclear arms race between the two superpowers went; soon both sides had amassed enough weaponry to destroy the world many times over, ultimately neither side gaining much advantage over the other because of the sure Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) that would follow any potential nuclear war break out.

Nuclear Proliferation

Introduction

The increasing availability of nuclear weapons, knowledge and materials around the world.

Nuclear technology first developed by the American Manhattan Project in July 1945

Many attempts made to prevent extensive Nuclear Proliferation: i.e: The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

New Players on the Field

United Kingdom October 3, 1952, detonated an atomic bomb in Australia Operation Hurricane

France February 13, 1960, detonated an atomic bomb in Algeria Gerboise Bleue

China October 16, 1964, detonated a uranium-235 bomb 596

Everybody, Chill!

1970’s, fear of nuclear warfare led to multiple arms control agreements DÉTENTE› SALT I and SALT II (1969-1970) limited the size of states

arsenals› Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (1970) disarmament,

non-proliferation, right to use nuclear technology peacefully

› Partial Test Ban Treaty (1963) bans on nuclear testing, anti-ballistic missile systems, and space-weapons

Unfortunately, only partially successful. Development continued, both sides ‘found ways’ around the treaties to the point where there was still enough nuclear arms to destroy the world many times over.

The Space Race

Summary article, The Space Race, from http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/concepts_spacerace.html, posted on

January 12, 2001, by P. Antill

"On the 3rd October 1942, German scientists launched an A-4 rocket, which travelled 118 miles and rose to an altitude of over 50 miles. The A-4 was to become the V2 rocket, armed with a ton of explosive and used against London and Antwerp. After the Second World War, both the USA and Soviet Union began their own space programmes using the scientists and equipment they had captured from the Germans at Peenemünde.

The American space programme got off to quite a leisurely start, with number of research projects being carried out almost in competition with each other. However, the first shock came with the launch of Sputnik 1 by the Soviets on the 4th October 1957 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, and weighed 83 kg. It orbited the Earth for three weeks sending out a weak signal, and was far heavier than the 9-kg package the US Navy was going to send up on the Vanguard rocket.

A second blow followed this when the Soviets launched Sputnik 2 on the 3rd November 1957; carrying a dog called Laika, and weighed in at 508 kg. These successes led to a dramatic expansion and consolidation of the American space program, but it didn't start well with the Vanguard rocket blowing up. The US Army finally got the American effort off to the start they wanted, with the launch of Explorer 1 on the 30th January 1958. It was less than a metre long and only weighed 4.8 kg, but discovered the Van Allen radiation belts.

The first satellite to be described as a military communications satellite was launched by the Americans on the 18th December 1958, carrying a satellite called SCORE, which carried a taped Christmas message by President Eisenhower. This was followed by the launch of Discover 1 on the 28th February 1959 from Vandenberg Air Force Base on the West Coast of the United States. By the early 1960s the US had achieved some notable successes including the first weather, navigation, reconnaissance, early warning and communications satellites. But the Soviet Union had put the first man into orbit, cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, launched aboard Vostok 1 on the 12th April 1961. The USA didn't follow this until the 20th February 1962, with John Glenn aboard the Mercury capsule, Friendship 7.

Summary (cont.)

As the 1960s got underway, the Space Race intensified, with the Soviets catching the American lead in satellite technology. Of more concern to the West was their lead in manned spaceflight and the heavy lift capability that implied. In October 1960, while campaigning for the Presidency, John F Kennedy stated that "we are in a strategic space race with the Russians and we have been losing .... Control of space will be decided in the next decade. If the Soviets control space, they can control Earth, as in the past centuries the nations that controlled the seas dominated the continents." The Soviet lead called into question American technological superiority and self-esteem. Consequently, President Kennedy declared that the US would launch a manned mission to the moon before the end of the decade.

The US continued with its Mercury missions until May 1963, and the Soviets their Vostok missions until the following month, when Valentina Tereslikova became the first woman in space, in Vostok 6. Both countries moved onto new systems after a pause, with the US moving to the Gemini capsules and the Soviet Union resuming with Voshkod 1. Alexei Leonov became the first man to 'walk' in space, from Voshkod 2, while the USA conducted docking manoeuvres with its Gemini and Agena vehicles. The Soviets began launching the Soyuz flights in April 1967, which unfortunately started with the tragic death of Vladimir Kornarov when the re-entry capsule became entangled in its parachute.

Summary (again)

This followed the deaths of Virgil Grisson, Edward White and Roger Chaffee who were killed by a fire in their Apollo capsule while practising launch procedures. While Soyuz missions concentrated on refining docking procedures, the Apollo programme tested the techniques of sending men to the moon and bringing them back to Earth. This was finally accomplished on the 21st July 1969 when Apollo 11, with Neil Armstrong and Edwin 'Buzz' Aldrin landed on the moon, while Michael Collins stayed in orbit.

During the 1970s, both sides continued to increase their satellite launches but also work on anti-satellite and antiballistic missile systems, with the Americans developing the Nike-Zeus Anti-Satellite system (ASAT), Sprint and Spartan Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) systems, and the Soviets their own versions. The Americans launched Skylab, and after some technical difficulties and damage was repaired, it became operational in June 1973. It provided a wealth of scientific and military data. The Soviets undertook their own manned space station programme - that of Salyut, which continued into the 1980's, and was eventually succeeded by the Mir station.

Both sides also sent a series of probe missions out to the other planets in our solar system. Finally, the launch of the American space shuttle on the 12th April 1981 heralded the beginning of a programme that would result in an unprecedented access to space, for the space shuttle was a fully reusable launch and recovery platform, launching like a conventional rocket, but landing like an aircraft. The next big developments are likely to be the international space station, Liberty, and a manned mission to Mars."

Importance of Events

The US and USSR were quite obviously competing for dominance in space, but there was no really direct conflict ( the closest they came was probably installing missile systems against each others’ satellites), or war (like the Korean War, the Vietnam War, etc.)

“If the Soviets control space, they can control Earth, as in the past centuries the nations that controlled the seas dominated the continents.” – John F. Kennedy, obviously about the Russians, but could apply to the US as well.

With the space race, the Cold war spread beyond Earth, as the Americans and Soviets competed to go furthest in the field of space travel

The Space Race was part of the arms race The advances of the Russians “called into question American technological

superiority and self-esteem (Antill, The Space Race) Both countries sent up satellites (some of which were for (military

communication) and built anti-satellite and antiballistic missile systems to defend against each others’ satellites)

On Dec. 18th, 1958, the Americans launched the satellite SCORE, carrying a taped Christmas message from President Eisenhower. In 1960, Kennedy declared that the US would launch a manned mission to the moon before the end of the decade.

CONCLUSIONS??

Overall, these events brought about an increase of tensions, as well as a détente.

When M.A.D. became a threat, diplomacy began in order to prevent such a thing from destroying the world.

Nuclear Proliferation was able to spread world-wide

Kennedy encouraged Space Race, Khrushchev encouraged Diplomacy

Sino-Soviet Relations declined during this period