Lesson 8: Importance of the arms race

• What was the main divide in Europe by the 1950s?

  East Germany and West Germany
• What event led to the split of Germany?

  The Berlin Blockade and Berlin Airlift
• Who was the USA's president in 1953?

  President Eisenhower
• Who became the Soviet leader in 1956?

  Nikita Khrushchev
• What was the cost of the arms race?

  Development of nuclear weapons
• What does Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) imply?

  Both countries could destroy the world
• Why was the risk of starting a war considered extreme?

  Due to powerful nuclear weapons available
• How did nuclear weapons serve as a deterrent?

  Prevented countries from using their weapons
• What was the competition in the 1950s focused on?

  Developing bigger nuclear weapons
• What did Khrushchev believe about the USA and the Soviet Union?

  They could live with each other
• What ended the war in Korea?

  The conflict between North and South Korea
• Why did both countries want to end the arms race?

  They were spending too much money
• What happened at the meeting in Austria in 1955?

  It went peacefully with cooperation
• Who was the first to create an atomic bomb?

  America
• When did the Soviet Union develop a hydrogen bomb?

  In 1953
• How powerful were the American hydrogen bombs developed in 1952?

  1,000 times more powerful than atomic bombs
• What did the Soviet Union develop by June 1957?

  ICBM Intercontinental ballistic missiles
• What was the range of the ICBM developed by the USA?

  4,500 km
• What was the reaction of the Soviet Union to West Germany joining NATO?

  It made the Soviet Union angry
• What happened to the potential peace between the two sides?

  It was lost after NATO expansion
• What was achieved by the Soviet Union by the end of 1955?

  Development of powerful nuclear weapons
• How did the arms race impact global relations?

  Increased tensions and competition
• What was the significance of the atomic bomb used in Japan?

  It ended the Second World War in 1945
• What was the impact of the bomb on world politics?

  It dominated world politics in the 1950s
• What was the overall goal of the arms race during the 1950s?

  To establish military superiority
• How did the arms race influence the concept of deterrence?

  It shifted focus to preventing conflict
• What was the role of status and pride in the arms race?

  It fueled competition for bigger weapons
• What was the significance of the term "MY ROCKET IS BIGGER"?

  It reflected the competition in arms development
• What did the arms race signify for the future of international relations?

  It indicated ongoing tensions and competition
• How did the arms race affect the perception of nuclear weapons?

  They were seen as both powerful and dangerous
• What was the impact of the arms race on civilian populations?

  Increased fear of nuclear war
• What was the outcome of the arms race by the end of the 1950s?

  Continued development of nuclear arsenals
• How did the arms race influence military strategies?

  It prioritized nuclear capabilities over conventional forces
• What were the long-term implications of the arms race for global security?

  Increased risk of nuclear conflict