Syllabus Edition
First teaching 2024
First exams 2026
The Arms Race (Edexcel GCSE History)
Revision Note
Written by: Zoe Wade
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
Why did an Arms Race Occur After 1945? - Timeline & Summary
The USA dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945. This marked the start of what historians call 'The Arms Race'. This was a period of time when the USA and the Soviet Union competed against each other to create and stockpile the most advanced weapons. World leaders believed that nuclear technology would prevent either country from becoming too powerful. From 1950-58, nuclear technology vastly developed with the creation of hydrogen bombs and Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs). The Arms Race later developed into an ambition for space supremacy in the Space Race of the 1960s. The Arms Race intensified Cold War tensions between the USA and the Soviet Union. By 1958, both sides possessed and perfected weaponry that could destroy the world. This increased the mutual distrust between the two countries. The Cuban Missile Crisis showed how distrust over nuclear weapons can cause conflict. New weaponry was considered a way to ensure peace between the USA and the Soviet Union. Many countries still possess nuclear weapons today as they believe they are a deterrent to large-scale war. |
The Arms Race in the Cold War
Truman authorised the use of atomic bombs to end the war with Japan in August 1945
At the time, the USA and the Soviet Union were allies under the Grand Alliance
Their relationship had worsened after the defeat of Nazi Germany in May 1945 and the subsequent peace conferences
Historians believe that the USA's intentions behind the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were as a warning to Stalin
At the Potsdam Conference, Truman informed Stalin that the USA had developed:
a new weapon of unusual destructive force
The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki showed that the USA was the strongest superpower. This aimed to stop the Soviet Union's growing international dominance
After the bombings, Stalin instructed Soviet scientists to begin developing their own atomic bomb
He did not want the USA to retain a nuclear monopoly for too much longer
Stalin understood that, to defend against US aggression, the Soviet Union needed the same weaponry that the USA had
By 1949, the Soviet Union successfully developed their first atomic bomb
The USA felt the need to develop more powerful technology to defend against the growing threat of the Soviet Union
This marked the beginning of the Arms Race between the USA and the Soviet Union
The USA and the Hydrogen Bomb
Some of the US scientists behind the Manhattan Project created the hydrogen bomb
Edward Teller developed the idea of the hydrogen bomb during the Manhattan Project
After the Second World War, Teller petitioned the US government on multiple occasions to give him funding to research and create the hydrogen bomb. The government denied each of his requests
The uncovering of a spy within the USA's nuclear team triggered the development of the hydrogen bomb
Klaus Fuchs was a scientist who had worked on the Manhattan Project
In 1950, the US government had evidence of Fuchs' espionage. From 1942 onwards, he passed on information about American nuclear technology to the Soviet Union
The US government argued that Fuchs' information sped up the Soviet Union's creation of the atomic bomb by one year
Truman gave permission to Teller to begin the creation of the hydrogen bomb
Teller and his colleague Stanislaw Ulam created the first hydrogen bomb in 1952
'Ivy Mike' was the first hydrogen bomb tested
In 1953, Russia developed the technology to create a hydrogen bomb
How was the Hydrogen Bomb Different to the Atomic Bomb?
A hydrogen bomb is much more powerful than an atomic bomb
Comparison between Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs
| Atomic bomb | Hydrogen bomb |
|---|---|---|
Detonation | Nuclear fission. The bomb explodes when radioactive atoms like uranium break apart | Nuclear fusion. The bomb explodes when two radioactive atoms come together to form a third atom |
Power | Approximately 1,000 kilotons | Approximately 10,000 kilotons |
Destructive ability | The atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki killed 20,000 people instantly. They had a blast radius of roughly 5 square miles | In tests, hydrogen bombs had a blast radius of roughly 44 square miles. The radiation of the bomb could reach up to 18 miles away from detonation |
A hydrogen bomb is 1,000 times more powerful than an atomic bomb
This shows how quickly nuclear technology developed in the 1950s
By the 1960s, the hydrogen bomb had become an incredibly dangerous weapon
The Soviet Union tested 'Tsar Bomba' in 1961. It was the largest man-made explosion recorded in history, at 50,000 kilotons (or 50 megatons)
The original version of Tsar Bomba was twice as powerful as the one tested in 1961. Soviet scientists believed that it was too dangerous to test
Examiner Tips and Tricks
The Superpower Relations paper examines your narrative skills. A question could ask you to write a narrative account of the development of nuclear weapons between 1945 and 1961. A narrative account answer should follow CHRONOLINK:
Put the sequence of events in chronological order
Link each section of the narrative to the next event that occurred. You should use linkage terms such as: 'as a consequence', 'this led to' or 'because'
The first section of your narrative should state the American development and use of the atomic bomb in Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Your link should include process words such as 'affected' and 'worsened' to explain Stalin's demands for Soviet scientists to create an atomic bomb.
Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles, 1957
While hydrogen bombs became the most powerful weapon, they had limitations if used in warfare
An aeroplane needed to drop the bomb over its intended target
Aeroplanes in the 1950s had a limited flying capacity before they needed refuelling. This restricted how far away a target was from the USA or its allies
As bombs became more powerful, the danger involved in dropping bombs in this way increased. Pilots may be unable to fly away to safety in time. Mushroom clouds contained a high level of radiation that could cause death by radiation poisoning
The USA wanted to develop nuclear technology that could hit targets from a further distance away
In 1957, the USA created the Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM)
The technology behind Nazi Germany's V-2 rockets inspired the creation of ICBMs
ICBMs carried nuclear warheads - missiles that exploded using nuclear fission or nuclear fusion
ICBMs could hit targets over 2,700 miles away
Just a few months after the USA created ICBMs, the Soviet Union had developed the same technology
Examiner Tips and Tricks
You may have noticed a few patterns in the development of the Arms Race. From 1945 to 1958, the USA developed the nuclear technology before the Soviet Union. Some historians may argue that this shows how advanced American science was in this period. This is partially true. What further aided the USA was its capture of former Nazi scientists at the end of the Second World War. The example of ICBMs shows the direct influence of Nazi weaponry on American nuclear technology. Another pattern you may have noticed is the significant development the Soviet Union made in its nuclear capabilities. It took the Soviet Union four years to create its first atomic bomb in 1949. By 1957, the Soviet Union possessed the ability to make ICBMs just a few months after the USA developed them.
The Impact of the Arms Race on US-Soviet Relations
The Arms Race impacted US-Soviet relations
It caused more fear and tension between the USA and the Soviet Union
Both countries had the capability to destroy the other
They felt the need to develop new technology that increased their military threat
It increased both countries' spending on their military departments
During the 1950s, the USA invested more than 13% of its GDP in military spending
By the 1960s, the Soviet Union spent more than 20% of its GDP on its defence budget
The major leaders of both countries felt the Arms Race was necessary
By staying ahead of their rivals, it made each country 'feel' safer
Both countries recognised that nuclear technology could destroy the world. They believed that the existence of nuclear weapons would deter warfare
In the 1960s, this developed into the policy of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD)
Causes and consequences of the Arms Race
Worked Example
Explain one consequence of the arms race from 1950-58
4 marks
Answer:
One consequence of the arms race was an increased fear between the USA and the Soviet Union. The USA's development of the hydrogen bomb in 1952 meant that the country possessed bombs that were 1,000 times more powerful than the atomic bomb. It caused fear in the Soviet Union that the USA could use this technology to attack key cities like Moscow. The Soviet Union felt that they needed to keep up with American nuclear technology to protect themselves. By 1958, both countries had the right to be afraid of each other. Technology allowed both countries to recognise the destructive power they held. Both countries did not trust that their enemies would not use weapons such as hydrogen bombs and ICBMs against them.
Examiner Tips and Tricks
This question has previously asked you to explain two consequences. In the Superpower Relations exam paper for 2025, this question will ask you to explain one consequence. However, there will be two different "Explain one consequence of" questions, each worth four marks.
To gain four marks, the consequence should include:
An identified consequence of the event that is stated in the question
Specific own knowledge linked to the event that shows in-depth knowledge of the period
Using the own knowledge to explain the consequence of the chosen event
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