Notes for World History
NUCLEAR ARMS RACE AND THE CUBAN MISSILES CRISIS
The arms race begins to accelerate:
- Americans already had atomic bombs. The arms race between East and West began towards the end of 1949 after the Russians had produced their own atomic bomb.
- When the Americans made the much powerful hydrogen bomb , the Russians did the same the following year.
- The Russians took the lead when they produced Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) which was later produced by Americans as well.
The Cuban missiles crisis (1962):
- Cuba became involved in the Cold War in 1959 when Fiedel Castro seized power from the American-backed dictator Batista.
- As Cuba’s relations with the USA worsened, those with the USSR improved.
- US started campaign to destroy Castro which made him appeal to USSR for help.
- USSR installed nuclear missile launchers in Cuba aimed at the USA.
- The situation became tense and the world was on the verge of nuclear war.
- However, with the efforts of UN, compromise was reached between US and USSR.
- Significance:
- Both sides realised how easily a nuclear war could have started, and hence relaxation of tension was produced.
- A hotline was introduced between Moscow and Washington to allow swift consultations.
- A Nuclear Test Ban Treaty was signed between USA, USSR, and Britain agreeing to carry out nuclear tests only underground.
- Even after the lessons learnt from the Cuban Missile Crisis, the arms race between US and USSR continued into the 1970s.
