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First Atomic Bomb Dropped
On the morning of August 6, 1945 a US B-29 bomber plane dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima in Japan. The dropping of the bomb was not only an effort to end the war against japan but to also prove the world military supremacy of the US. No other country had ever even come close to a weapon this powerful and destructive. This event ultimately started the nuclear arms race against the Soviet Union in the Cold War. -
Korean War
The Korean war was a conflict between communist North and anti-communist South Korea from June 25, 1950 to July 27, 1953. -
USA Creates the Hydrogen Bomb
The Nuclear Arms race ultimately began when the first atomic bomb was invented and detinated by the US in 1945, because the Soviets followed closely afterward in creating their own to be in equal power with the US. However, the world was greatly changed when the H-Bomb was successfully tested in 1952 by the US. It was smaller in size than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima but could cause 2500 times more damage. -
Soviet Union Creates Hydrogen Bomb
In close pursuit of the most advanced nuclear power, the Soviets created their own Hydrogen Bomb. Both the US and the Soviet Union raced to beat each other in nuclear weapon advances. Tension between the two powers grew and the sheer power of these weapons that both posessed and the fear that this evoked prevented the actual event of a nuclear war. -
The US Creates the B52
In Febuary of 1955, the B52 bomber plane was built. It could fly 6,000 miles and deliver a nuclear pay-load. This development required massive financial backing from the government - something that America could afford to do that Russia could not. Russia concentrated on building bigger bombs which was a far more cost effective procedure. -
US vs. Soviet advancements and investments
During the 1960's, the Soviet Union put their money into producing more and more missles, regardless of their quality. Meanwhile, America built fewer missles but of better quality. By 1961, there were enough bombs built by both powers to destroy the entire world. -
President Kennedy Meets with Soviet Leader Nikita K.
US president John F. Kennedy was elected on November 8, 1960. In June 1961, Kennedy met with Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev in Austria. Kennedy was surprised by Khrushchev's combative tone during the meeting and at one point, Khrushchev threatened to cut off Allied access to Berlin. Just two months later, Khrushchev ordered the construction of the Berlin Wall. As a result of these threatening developments, Kennedy ordered substantial increases in American intercontinental missle forces. -
The Cuban Missle Crisis
The Cuban Missle Crisis from October 25-28 was the most serious confrontation between the US and the Soviets during the Cold War. The U.S. discovered that the Soviets were in the process of positioning nuclear missiles in Communist Cuba. The US wasnted to stop missles being delivered to Cuba, and the Soviets were told to make the first strike of nuclear weapons on the US if Cuba was invaded. From the Cuban missile crisis both sides learned that risking nuclear war in pursuit of political objecti
