The Arms Race

1. Read Source 12. What methods do you think Dulles had in mind to 'liberate captive peoples' without a war?

Dulles had methods that would keep the Communists from spreading, freeing the people of the nations under Soviet rule, and do it all without starting a third world war. Dulles definitely believed that containment was not working, and that if the United States did nothing they would be "driven back" by the Soviets. Also, he believed that there was a way to free the people of the countries under Soviet rule without war, that it was possible to free them peacefully.

2. Look at Source 13. Would you agree that the Communist world was encircled? Explain your answer.

I would agree to a certain extent. I can see how the Communist world may feel encircled, but I don't think that they really were. There were countries, smaller countries than the United States, that had joined SEATO, CENTO, and NATO and were all around USSR. However, these countries were parsimonious compared to the USSR, and I don't think that they should have felt threatened or "encircled" by them. Also, the largest country in these groups was the United States, which is pretty much on the other side of the globe. Lastly, the countries in these groups were around the Soviet Union and in a 'circular' form, but still they shouldn't have been afraid of these much smaller-in-size countries.

3. Carefully examine the verticle timeline on page 343. Then look back at Source 12. Do you think the development of nuclear weapons was what Dulles might have had in mind?

I do believe that the development of nuclear weapons was what Dulles might have had in mind. I believe this because in Source 12 he says "Liberation can be achieved by a process short of war," which indicates that Dulles thought he could avoid war by a nuclear war. He probably looked back to how quick Japan had surrendered after the two atomic bombs, and believed that the same thing could happen with the USSR. Dulles might have been thinking that the USSR would surrender if the United States sent nuclear bombs over the country and therefore would liberate the other countries from their war. This would be how Dulles would avoid an all out war.

4. Look at Source 16. What is the Soviet cartoon saying about the U-2 plane?

The Soviet cartoon is saying that the U-2 plane was spying on the USSR. This is shown by how President Truman is looking with one eye (as you do in a telescope) through the U-2 plane. At the end or the tip of the U-2 plane there is glass, which is trying to make it look like a spy glass. The U-2 plane is over the USSR showing that President Eisenhower is spying over the Soviet Union.

5. Read the Factfile on page 344. Explain why the USSR was so angry about the US spy flights.

The USSR was so angry about the US spy flights because the violated Soviet air space, the US denied spying on them, and President Eisenhower refused to stop and apologize for spying on them. America was flying over Soviet air space and that made the Soviets angry. Also, the United States denied that they were even spying on them, which made the USSR angry because they had evidence to prove that they were indeed spying on them. However, the United States did end up telling the Soviets that they were spying on them, but President Eisenhower refused to stop the flights and to apologize. This move made USSR angry because the US would still send flights over USSR and didn't apologize for their actions. In-turn this increased the tension between the United States and the Soviet Union.

6. How would the USA justify this violation of Soviet territory?

The USA justified this violation of Soviet territory by denying it at first. President Eisenhower and the United States were asked by the Soviet Union if they were spying on the territory, but the US denied. However, America didn't know that the USSR had proof of them spying form Gary Power's U-2 plane. In the end, President Eisenhower did admit to spying over Soviet territory but he did not stop the U-2 planes from flying over and would not apologize for his actions.

7. If the USSR had had U-2 planes, do you think it would have used them? Why?

If the USSR had had U-2 planes I don't think that they would have used them. I believe that the USSR wouldn't have use them because they could get more information on the ground. Their spies were more effective I think because they got more information, like how to build an atomic bomb. If they used a U-2 plane to see how to build an atomic bomb they wouldn't be able to figure it out, it would be nearly impossible. It would be much more useful to have spies in the country on the ground than for planes flying over taking pictures and then having to figure out what those pictures mean.

8. Look at Source 17. Why do you think the USA had missiles based in Europe?

I think that the USA had missiles based in Europe to be able to bomb the Soviet Union more quickly. Source 17 says "Short-range missiles could reach USSR in minutes. Long-range missiles could reach USSR in 30 minutes," which indicates that the USA would rather use the missiles that could reach in minutes because it could hit USSR more quickly than the long-range missiles. Also, the USA could send the short-range missiles and then the long-range missiles that could destroy the Soviet Union and could possibly make them surrender more quickly.

9. Define the term 'nuclear deterrent' in not more than 20 words.

Nuclear Deterrent is when more than one country has nuclear weapons and if they were to send the nuclear weapon on another country who had them also they would kill themselves as well as the other country. Before the bomb would land the other country would be able to send their bombs too, so both countries would die. Basically sending an atomic bomb to the Soviet Union from the United States and vice-versa was suicidal.