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The United States tests the first Hydrogen Bomb
The Soviet Union tested their first nuclear weapon in Sept. 1949 starting a nuclear arms race with the United States. The United States tested the first Hydrogen bomb on Nov. 1, 1952 on Eniwetok atoll. The Hydrogen bomb was 1,000 times more powerful than a conventional nuclear weapon. The development of the Hydrogen Bomb gave the U.S. a temporary lead in their arms race with the U.S.S.R.
Image:
https://www.army.mil/article/47341/the_island_is_missing -
The Soviet Union launches Sputnik 2
The events of the Cold War took on a greater meaning as an a battle between the forces of Communism and Capitalism.This battle played out in the Space Race, a competition between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. to be the first to explore space.The Soviets took an early lead with the launching of Sputnik I, followed by Sputnik II on Nov. 3, 1957. Sputnik II carried Laika the dog, proving that it was possible for a living creature to be launched into orbit.
Image:https://www.space.com/laika-space-dog -
Berlin Wall is built
The city of Berlin was divided in half with the West being capitalist and the East being communist. Berlin is located deep within Soviet controlled East Germany. West Berlin had became a popular way to defect for those wishing to escape communism. This was embarrassing to the Soviets so on Aug.13, 1961 they started construction on a wall to separate the city. The original barbed wire wall was soon replaced with concrete.
Image:https://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/berlin-wall -
Gulf of Tonkin
On Aug. 4 1964 U.S. warships in the Gulf of Tonkin off of Vietnam claimed to be under attack by North Vietnamese forces. The ships took evasive maneuvers and returned fire. As a result, the U.S. congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution which dramatically increased U.S. involvement in Vietnam. Evidence has since come to light that the incident was faked.
Image:https://www.legion.org/magazine/213998/mysteries-tonkin-gulf -
Strategic Arms Limitation Talks Treaty I
Nixon and Brezhnev met in May 1972 for the Strategic Arms Limitations talks. During the meetings between the leaders, a breakthrough was achieved. The SALT agreements addressed two major issues. They limited the number of anti ballistic missile sites each country could have and the number of intercontinental ballistic missiles and submarine-launched ballistic missiles was frozen at existing levels.
Image: https://govbooktalk.gpo.gov/2012/05/18/four-decades-since-detente-and-salt/