<aside> <img src="/icons/light-bulb_gray.svg" alt="/icons/light-bulb_gray.svg" width="40px" /> In this lesson, we will…
Big Question: How and why did the US and USSR compete for technological supremacy during the Cold War?
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At the end of World War II, an intense scramble ensued between the Soviet Union and the United States. The goal of this scramble was to capture Germany’s wealth of scientific talent and advanced research, both of which played a pivotal role in its notable wartime technological advancements.
This ambitious endeavor resulted in Operation Paperclip, a covert program that successfully brought 1,500 former Nazi scientists and engineers to the United States. They were seen as invaluable assets in the post-war era, given their expertise and knowledge.
Among these acquired talents, Wernher von Braun was perhaps one of the most significant figures. Von Braun was the mastermind behind the Nazi rocket program, a position that made him a key player in the field of space technology and exploration.
Despite his controversial past, Von Braun was relocated to the United States where his association with the Nazi party was deliberately concealed. He ascended to the position of NASA’s Chief Engineer. In this role, he was instrumental in designing the Saturn V, a rocket that would later play a crucial part in lunar missions.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiKQjezOKXc
The Soviets, not to be left behind in the nuclear arms race, had their own parallel initiative, which was known as Operation Osoaviakhim.
Within a relatively short span of just four years following the inception of the Manhattan Project, the Soviet Union managed to develop and successfully denotate its first atomic weapon in the year 1949.
This development carried profound geopolitical implications. In theory, the mere existence of a functioning atomic bomb within the Soviet arsenal was perceived to introduce a significant element of hesitation within the United States' strategic calculations. The United States, despite possessing their own nuclear weapons, would have to think twice before deploying them, given the potential for devastating retaliatory strikes. This strategic reasoning, which continues to inform the doctrines of nuclear-armed powers to this day, is widely known as the principle of deterrence.
<aside> <img src="/icons/pencil_gray.svg" alt="/icons/pencil_gray.svg" width="40px" /> deterrence: the action of discouraging an action or event through instilling doubt or fear of the consequences.
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Both the US and the Soviet Union developed increasingly powerful weapons.
Thermonuclear weapons were soon developed, with several times the power of the fission bombs used in World War II.
The United States, 1954
Castle Bravo was 1000 times (15,000 kt) more powerful than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima.
Soviet Union, 1961
Tsar Bomba was three times more powerful (50,000 kt) than Castle Bravo.
In the midst of their arms development, both factions focused on creating not only powerful weapons, but also increasingly efficient methods of delivering these lethal payloads.
In the early stages of the conflict, strategic bombers were the primary means of delivering a nuclear strike. However, these bombers had their limitations - they required several hours to reach their targets, and there was always the significant risk that they could be intercepted and shot down by enemy forces.
Then in 1957, a major game-changer arrived when the Soviet Union successfully tested the world's first Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM). This development marked a significant escalation in the arms race, introducing a new level of threat that was faster and harder to intercept.