18.4- Two Nations Live on the Edge

Race for the H-Bomb The Soviet Union’s successful explosion of an atomic bomb took away the U.S.’s nuclear advantage. The Soviet Union’s successful explosion of an atomic bomb took away the U.S.’s nuclear advantage. November 1, 1952, the United States exploded the first thermonuclear device; delivering a force equal to 10.4 million tons of TNT. August 1953, the Soviets detonated their own thermonuclear weapon.

The Policy of Brinkmanship President: Dwight D. Eisenhower Secretary of State: John Foster Dulles Kept the peace by promising to use all its force, including nuclear weapons against any aggressor nation. The U.S. trimmed its army and navy but beefed up its air force and produced massive numbers of nuclear weapons. Fear of nuclear war became a constant in American life for 30 years.

Covert Actions Iran’s Prime Minister, Mohammed Mossadegh, placed the oil industry under the government’s control. In 1953, the CIA persuaded the shah, the monarch of Iran, to replace Mossadegh with someone more favorable to the West. Eisenhower believed that Guatemala’s government headed by Jacobo Arbenz Guzmán, had communist sympathies. CIA trained an army, which invaded Guatemala and captured Arbenz Guzmán and his forces.

Warsaw Pact Soviet Union’s response to NATO Blue: NATO members Blue: NATO members Red: Warsaw Pact countries Red: Warsaw Pact countries Yellow: Nonaligned nations Yellow: Nonaligned nations

Soviet Aggression in Hungary In February 1956 Nikita Khrushchev is the head of the Soviet communist Party. In February 1956 Nikita Khrushchev is the head of the Soviet communist Party. Hungarians demanded other liberties, including the right to leave the Warsaw Pact. Hungarians demanded other liberties, including the right to leave the Warsaw Pact. November 1956, Soviet tanks rolled into Hungary and killed about 30,000 Hungarian protesters. November 1956, Soviet tanks rolled into Hungary and killed about 30,000 Hungarian protesters.

Eisenhower Doctrine U.S. would defend the Middle East against attack by any Communist country. U.S. would defend the Middle East against attack by any Communist country. Gave the president the authority to use American forces at his discretion, against armed aggression in the Middle East.

Sputnik Launches the Space Race The first unmanned artificial satellite. The first unmanned artificial satellite. Made many Americans feel inferior to the Soviets and vulnerable to nuclear attack. U.S. made changes in its education system. U.S. made changes in its education system. ◦ schools sought to improve their science, mathematics and foreign- language courses. January 31, 1958, the U.S. successfully launched its first satellite.

A U-2 is Shot Down The CIA began making secret high-altitude flights over Soviet territory. The U-2 was designed to fly higher than Soviet fighter planes. The Soviets had been aware of the flights since Flight took place on May1, 1960 and the pilot was Francis Gary Powers. A soviet pilot, Igor Mentyukov shot down Power’s plane. Led to American embarrassment