To What Extent Did The Space Race Exacerbate Political Tensions Between The USA and USSR during the Cold War?

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TO WHAT EXTENT DID THE SPACE RACE EXACERBATE TENSIONS BETWEEN THE USA AND USSR DURING THE COLD WAR?

To what extent did the Space Race exacerbate political tensions between the U.S.A. & U.S.S.R. during the Cold War 1945-1970?


Table of Contents

Abstract        

Main Body/Investigation        4-12

Conclusion        12

Bibliography        13


Abstract

The Cold War is a part of History that has affected the way we perceive a great deal of the world around us. The Cold War was a war like no other, beginning directly after the single most devastating event in the history of the world, The Second World War. The two superpowers, the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics stood as the symbolic representatives of pan-capitalism and pan-socialism respectively, whose ideas were strongly opposed.

        In this study, I focus on the political tensions between the two opposing powers from the beginning of the Cold War, to the end of the Space Race, and the changing political situations during this time. One source I found particularly useful was from the NASA History investigation into Soviet Space Programs that would challenge the United States’ Apollo space program, which offered insightful information about the Soviet regime and the opinions of politicians within the USSR regarding the importance of the Space Race, and attempt to conclude that the propaganda and political and military pressure from each superpower exacerbated the need to reach the moon.

My analysis of the sources includes political figures at the heads of each state in other situations that changed the political perspective of the world at the time, such as the Cuban Missile Crisis, and at the same time assess some internal domestic issues faced by each state, such as the R-16 Rocket Disaster which was covered up by the Soviet government until 1990. A great benefit to this study is the fact that now a great deal of information has become declassified allowing for more investigation. Overall, I feel that the Space Race’s propaganda and implications for Missile technology greatly increased tension between the Superpowers.

Main Body/Investigation

Word Count: 294

Origins of the Cold War

To consider how the space race raised tensions between the USA and USSR during the Cold War we need to first determine what the Cold War was and how it developed. In diplomatic terms there are 3 types of war.  Firstly, a ‘hot war’ is where all diplomatic efforts have failed and fighting is taking place.  Secondly, a ‘warm war’ is where forces are being prepared for fighting while talks are still ongoing but could break down at any time.  Finally, ‘cold war’ describes the relationship between the USA and USSR from 1945 to 1980.

It is hard to specify an actual point from which the Cold War began but a good point to start with would be the confirmation of the United States of America’s possession of nuclear weapons on July 24th 1945. The confirmation of the possession of more nuclear weaponry than was first expected was a shocking revelation that would prove to disturb Nikita Khrushchev throughout his time as Soviet Premier, from 1958 to 1964. The steps taken by the two superpowers to ensure the other would not attempt a nuclear attack meant that the following 50 years became synonymous with espionage, defectors, stealth, spies and treachery. The lengths gone to by both political superpowers to keep track of the other superpower, while at the same time resolving the fallout (in America’s case, quite literally) of a global war.

        Political tensions in terms of a sense of distrust and hostility towards the USSR became a public affair when news was released of a Soviet defector in the Soviet Embassy in Ottawa, Canada. On 5th September, 1945, Igor Gouzenko, who was a clerk at the embassy, gave evidence to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, warning them of a ring of spies working in secrecy within Canada and other countries in the West.[1] This greatly affected the USA’s perspective of the USSR, less as an ally, more of a threat. This was a prime example of the extent to which the USSR took its espionage, establishing a network of spies within Canadian territory, enabling them to exchange information with spies in other western countries, leading to a network of spies dispersing information between each other and at the same time giving the information to the core of the spy ring, stationed in Moscow or a more remote location somewhere deep within Russia.


NATO        

The development of NATO showed the international commitment to the halting of the USSR, and hinted at the hostility towards communist states that may arise as a result of the USSR’s position as a superpower with the capacity to threaten the United States. The formation of NATO may have marked an international willingness to stand against the USSR, but it did not make any guarantee against communist threats from within any of the participating states. A grave blow came to the US when on June 8th, 1949, numerous American celebrities were revealed to be sympathizers to the Communist party.[2] 

Within months of the embarrassment of a domestic communist issue, the US faced a major issue with the USSR. On August 29th 1949, The RDS-1 (First Lightning) Nuclear Weapon was tested at Semipalatinsk, Kazakh SSR.[3] The weapon was instantly criticized in America and became referred to as “Joe-1” after Joseph Stalin.

On October 1st 1949, Mao Zedong announced the formation of the People’s Republic of China, adding 25% of the world’s population to the side of Communism. Mao’s determined approach to Communism was a threat to the US, as was his lack of interest in the US’ threats:

“Mao also at this time dismissed the potential threat of American Military and nuclear power as a ‘paper tiger’ that could be overcome by a ‘people’s war’ drawing on the unstinting commitment of the whole population.”[4]

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Within months, the USSR and the People’s Republic signed a mutual defense pact, binding two of the most powerful states together in a pact that left America in a difficult position in terms of directly addressing the USSR or the People’s Republic. Any threats made would be returned by not one, but two enormous states. The potential for propaganda and the message this sent to the west would be devastating – Communism was spreading to millions of people. America would need to do something soon to redeem some sort of ‘bragging rights’.

Two separate cases of espionage made ...

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