Subjects:
The Cold War between the superpowers of the United States and the Soviet Union was a clash of distant ideologies in a changing world. Friction developed between the two on many occasions as either side tried to expand their spheres of influence in politics, geographical surroundings, and even space. Continued clashes between the US and Soviet Union began to tense their relations during this era as it became evident to all that the cord of discontent could snap at any given moment.
Throughout the Cold War, both the United States and the Soviet Union attempted to acquire more and more territories into their spheres of influence. It was on one such occasion that Egypt became their center of attention as they both attempted to gain its favor. The Americans initially offered the Egyptian leader Nasser money in December of 1955 for the development of a dam at Aswan in order to harness the Nile for both irrigation and hydroelectric power. This attempt to befriend him altered when the US became known of Nasser's arms deal with the communist satellite country of Czechoslovakia; therefore, they immedi
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The US had intended to strengthen their positions in East Germany before the wall was built. Kennedy's reaction was that of minor protest; as a result, he was accused of being soft on communism because he didn't send any troops in to tear down the wall. Krushchev also wanted to develop an anti-missile space system in order to out-perform the Americans.
Nuclear Weapons Development
Following Krushchev's decision on the Berlin Wall, he received much criticism from the Russian people.
The Berlin Wall
The Soviet Union erected the Berlin Wall on August 13, 1961; therefore, separating both Berlin and Germany. The two powers and the UK signed a Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty as they invited other counties to sign for the control of nuclear weapons. The Soviet Union considered the possibility that they could ultimately establish a communist government in Egypt; this action helped lead to the Suez conflict. President Kennedy was faced with three possible options for the dilemma: a nuclear strike on the missile sites in Cuba, an air attack with conventional bombs, or a naval blockade to prevent the Russians from transporting more missiles to Cuba.
The Space Race
The Space Race was a competition in which the United States and the Soviet Union tried to display their superiority over the other through advancements in space technology and exploration.
The American public felt disappointed at the Russian advancements in space and as a result, President Kennedy responded by promising that the US would land the first man on the moon before 1970, and before the Russians. Krushchev planned to extend Soviet influence into the Western country of Cuba; while at the same time demonstrating their particular situation with Turkey by placing similar devices in Cuba to make the Americans understand how they felt. Gorbachev argued that Russia would inevitable just create their own space system; however, Reagan was strongly opposed. There was still, however, apprehension on either side as they still suspected a surprise attack from the other.
Conclusion
The Cold War was a rivalry that held the two great superpowers of the world at each other's throats for the greater part of the century. This respect led to the Geneva Summit in November 1985; President Reagan met with Gorbachev in order to discuss the control of nuclear weapons, as either side was willing to make huge cuts to their nuclear arsenal.
Essay's Topics
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