After the Second World War, the United States and the Soviet Union emerged as superpowers and subsequently a period of tension and hostility arose, known as the Cold War. During this time, a new possibility of complete nuclear destruction that would claim the lives of many emerged, therefore “the easing or relaxing of tensions” on both sides was needed, this period would be known as detente. Both countries had been guaranteed mutually assured destruction as they had both managed to stay ahead in the development of nuclear arsenals. By the late 1960s the Soviets had surpassed the United States in intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) by 1,300 to 1,054. Although the U.S was still ahead in various categories, it no longer enjoyed the immense nuclear advantage as before. However, neither side was prepared for the risk of a full scale war. Apart from the possibility of a disastrous nuclear war, factors in both the U.S and the Soviet Union also motivated the need for a relaxation of tensions.Both countries were in severe economic crisis due to the arms race and needed to diverge the funds to rebuild the economy. In the United States public opinion in America indicated that the Cold War was 'unjustifiable both economically and morally' due to the ongoing war in Vietnam. All these factors would eventually lead to the establishment of detente.…
With the Soviets increasing their power with more nuclear weapons, U.S. leaders now had to face the risk- if they dropped nuclear bombs, they would face an “all out nuclear counterattack”…
After World War two almost immediately the United States and Russia started the Cold War. However some people might say that the cold war started on August 6, 1945 when the first atomic bomb was dropped. This makes President Truman’s decision to not only end the war with Japan and save American lives but also to try and scare Russia. “The view that it was purely coincidental that the first bomb was dropped two days before the Soviet offensive was due to start” (ideas in conflict 160). So because Russia had started their own Nuclear program it could cause problems for America in the future.…
With increased US involvement in foreign affairs and the containment of communism, the US gained a new identity as a world power. Early in the cold war, Americans and President Truman were confident that they could win the cold war and stop communism (Document 3). America developed a new fear of communism which led to a second Red Scare and a new fear of nuclear warfare because of new technological…
When analyzing the ways in which the Cold War manifested itself in the American psyche throughout the post-war period, the need to maintain order at stability at home are central. Beginning after WWII, Americans looked for a “return to normalcy” to cope with the losses of wartime; the results were magnificent—large economic boom following a short recession, massive consumer revolution, and advances in science, health, and technology. Together, this created an overall wave of optimism that provided safety and insulation from the undercurrents of domestic and foreign issues during the era. Early civil rights issues like segregation became known due to the 1954 Brown v. Board decision as well as the Montgomery Bus Boycotts; clandestine, CIA-led…
In the mid 1900’s the term Cold War would be used to describe the relationship between the United States and the USSR. With the United States possessing a powerful weapon known as the atomic bomb; the USSR would not be long behind them after World War II with their own atomic bomb. During this time period the USSR and the United States relationship would dissolve because of the United States holding back information at the Yalta Conference. The Cold War would greatly affect the civil liberties and the election politics in the United States. Although neither side ever fought the other if one side attacked the other it would lead to World War III.…
Fears of radioactive fallout and potential health problems we're also increasing as it was being learned that radioactive substances were being found in soil and food. The general unease and fear was capitalized on by Hollywood. A number of motion pictures were produced as well that played to the public concern and fears of the atomic age. 1959 saw the most poignant film of the decade produced depicting the human race after nuclear war. On the beach painted an apocalyptic and frightening picture of America post-nuclear war. Another threat that created a threat a great amount of fear was that of communism moving into the Western Hemisphere. Within 90 miles of the coast of Florida on the small island of Cuba Fidel Castro led a successful Insurrection against the American supported dictatorship of Batista. After the United States threatened cut off economic aid to Castro he declared his support for communism and align himself with the Soviets as well as confiscating about 1 billion dollars worth of United States…
Although it ended the war against Japan it sparked a new war with USSR. Which we now call the Cold War. Herken, the author of The WInning Weapon The Atomic Bomb In The Cold War 1945-1950, examines the United States on how they could have a nuclear war on their hands and what was done to avoid it. This title came from the early times after the war that the U.S has developed a winning weapon to give them the edge they needed.…
American Society was changed significantly due to the Cold War. New ways of life developed and many fears from the Cold War changed daily life. One way American society was changed socially was people were in constant fear of a nuclear war. They afraid of a nuclear war with Russia so they went out of there way to take precautions for it like with building bomb shelters in the back yards or basements as told in document 5. Precautions also went on in schools such as the practice of bomb drills where kids would get under there desks when the alarm went off. Bomb shelters were also built into schools in case of such an emergency as well. This all changed the former ways because it interrupted daily life from the normal.…
According to various online historical articles written by the history.com staff the U.S has been associated with over 230 wars since the beggining of the thirteen colonies. As the definition of “again” has inflicted, in order to make America great again we would have to return to a word of war.. With America’s past history of 239 war, another myriad of wars can be added to this list. The infamous politician, Donald J. Trump has threatened various countries as well as groups of people. He has been noted to have had said, “The United States should not try so hard to stop nuclear proliferation.” (the washington post.com) Trump had declared, “proliferation is going to happen anyway… If Japan had that nuclear war threat, I’m not sure that would be a bad thing for us. Nor would it be so bad, if South Korea and Saudi Arabia had nuclear weapons too.” The stress on anti- proliferation movements is a pathway carved for nuclear war. We would not only be returning to a world of war, but one of nuclear…
During the late 1950s, many Americans built bomb shelters. These structures, also known as fallout shelters, were constructed to protect Americans in the case of a nuclear attack and the fallout that occurs afterwards. Fallout is the radioactive debris that follows a nuclear explosion. If a nuclear attack were to occur, the fallout could reach distances miles away from the center of the explosion. At this time, the United States and the Soviet Union were engaged in the Cold War. The Cold War did not actually involve fighting but was a race of obtaining nuclear weapons and intimidating the opponent. Both sides knew that they could destroy each other in a matter of minutes. For this reason, Americans lived in constant fear of the Soviets bombing the United States.…
There weren’t any bomb shelters from the threat of nuclear war in the Cold War but I did see a bomb shelter from World War II. My friend’s family had one and I played in it with him. They were pretty small. I guess there wasn’t any new bomb shelters since there were still some left over from World War II.…
After the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the world saw the immense power which the United States now held and the amount of destruction the weapon was able to cause; this led to many countries becoming fearful of the United States and started to develop their own weapons. The country formerly known as the Soviet Union and now Russia and China are a prime example of becoming fearful that they would lose to the United…
“In the event of an attack, the lives of those families which are not hit in a nuclear blast and fire can still be saved if they can be warned to take shelter and if that shelter is available” (John F. Kennedy). In the midst of the Cold War, the 1950s and 1960s were often a time of great fear, a fear of a nuclear attack from the Soviet Union upon the USA. JFK notes that families can be saved if the seek refuge in a shelter in the event of a nuclear attack, and in fact, that is what most families began to do.…
The Cold War may have officially ended, but, as Visson shows, the battle lives on in the culturally dysfunctional marriages made by Russians and Americans. Throughout the 20th century, and often against serious odds, Russians and Americans have been falling in love and marrying. Visson, an interpreter and writer, herself married to a Russian, has interviewed some 100 of these cross-cultural couples and researched the lives of couples in the earlier part of this century in an effort to understand the strange mutual attraction between people whose countries were usually antagonists. While rational explanations can only partly answer questions about romance (though at different times Russians and Americans have decidedly held romantic notions…