Erich+Schick

Erich Schick IB History; Period 5 April 25, 2012 = = =A.) Plan of Investigation= //The question in my historical investigation is how did the Soviet Union contribute to the development of the nuclear arms race?//

The plan of investigation is to research the historical background of the Soviet Union Nuclear arms program. Its origins, policies,and technology will all be expressed in detail. How the technology changed the game of nuclear war and how it led to its eventual demise. Examining the policies by the Soviet Union that led to the Nuclear arms race, the technology that fueled it, and the leaders who fought for it. Various books and primary sources will be analyzed through-out the investigation, Such as the IB history textbook //" The Cold War "//, and various books describing the soviet arms build-up period in detail. = =
 * B.) Summary of Evidence **
 * __ History of Soviet Nuclear Program __**


 * The Soviet Union detonated their first nuclear weapon on August 29, 1949.[i]
 * The weapon was named “ First Lightning” or RDS-1.
 * The Soviet bomb was almost an exact copy of America's Little Boy nuclear weapon. Using plans stolen from Los Alamos.
 * On October 30th, 1961 the largest nuclear weapon ever detonated, Tsar Bomba was dropped in the Novaya Zemlya province of Northern Russia.[ii]
 * The Nuclear Arms race was a race between the U.S.A and the U.S.S.R for nuclear weapon supremacy.
 * Gorbachev and Reagan both had large parts to play in later cold war peace talks such as the SALT talks among others.


 * __ Policies of Soviet Nuclear Program __**


 * The Soviets used proxy countries in the cold war and stationed nuclear weapons in each.
 * Khrushchev signed numerous nuclear agreements with U.S.
 * The Soviet arsenal was over 15,000 at the height of the Cold War. The U.S had just under 10,000.[iii]
 * Nuclear //Typhoon// class submarines are introduced to maintain second strike capability.[iv]
 * " Group think" thinking led to generalizations by the West that the Soviets were over-aggressive villains.
 * Perestroika and Glasnost instituted by Gorbachev


 * __ Soviet Nuclear Technology __**

=C.) Evaluation of Sources=
 * Soviet Nuclear technology was at some times, experimental, such as the Deadhand device in the 1980's.[v]
 * The U.S.S.R had large facilities to produce ICBM's( Intercontinental Ballistic Missile)
 * The Soviets also employed various chemical weapons, such as the VX nerve agent.[vi]
 * Soviets develop first R-7 ICBM in 1957.[vii]
 * First Hydrogen Bomb tested by Soviets in 1953.
 * Soviets tried and failed to even conceive a counter device to Regan's SDI system ( Star Wars)

The IB history Textbook is a valuable research tool in this investigation to be used as it has an entire chapter devoted to the impact of the arms race on the Cold War. The book was printed in London, England by Pearson Education Limited. This source is devoted specifically to the IB Diploma and its curriculum, so it is very crucial for this investigation. Various weapons and technology of the era are described in the source along with pictures and graphs. A timeline of the development of the arms race between the USA and the USSR is showed.
 * Rogers, Keely, and Jo Thomas. //History, 20th Century World, The Cold War//. London: Pearson Education Limited, 2008. Print.**


 * Trueman, Chris. "The Nuclear Arms Race." //History learning site//. Online College and University Degree Guide, 21 Oct. 2011. Web. 6 Mar. 2012. [].** The website is devoted to providing information on the development of the cold war and the Nuclear Arms Race in Particular. The Website is from the Online College and University Guide. This is a valuable source for me because it provides statistics on the numbers of forces of the Warsaw Pact and NATO. It is a somewhat limited source however, because it lacks on detail on how the weapons described in the passage were deployed or used. This source also helps see the Cold war from both sides of the superpowers, from their ideological differences to their differences in leadership.

=D.) Analysis=

The Soviet impact on the development of the Cold War was one deeply shrouded in controversy and misunderstanding on the Soviet way of life. First, the Americans had a very skewed view on the Soviet way of thinking. The Americans viewed the Soviets as war mongering communists who had no regard for Capitalism or Western Democracy. On the contrary, they viewed the Americans as Neocolonialist Capitalists who wanted to hurl missiles at them. Becuase of these viewpoints the massive arms build up of Nuclear Weapons during the 1950's was achieved. Once again the game changed, The development of soviet Nuclear ICBM technology completely changed the Nuclear reality in the late 1960's. Now nuclear war between the U.S.S.R and U.S.A was thought to be inevitable by citizens and government leaders of both countries. Also various ground-to-air anti-missile systems were developed in the mid 1970's, Sub launched missiles also followed in the 80's.

The Policies of the Soviet Union during the Cold War fueled hatred, resentment, and resistance to the American ( Or Capitalist) way of life. The Soviets fueled communist uprisings in many countries such as Poland, and all other eastern block countries of Europe. They interceded in Afghani and Cuban politics and put medium range Nuclear Missile that were pointed at the southern part of the U.S. They fought the rebel Muhjahadeen in Afghanistan to keep the soviet puppet regime intact. The Soviets used intervention, fear, and intimidation to the upmost advantage when dealing with it satelite nations.

This investigation sought to uncover more information on the U.S.S.R's role in the nuclear arms race, its origins, its history and its future. The Soviet Union had a large role to play in the events of the nuclear arms race from 1945-1989. There was huge competion on both sides to have the best weapons possible. Both sides drove eachother to develope even more elaborate technology and devices so one side could gain the upperhand. The Soviets also put so much of their money and man-power into having more missles than the United States that their internal infurstrucre suffered greatly. This was another reason that the U.S.S.R fell apart, its economy could not suppourt such a large military or large nuclear arsenal. The person who finally broke this mold was Mikhail Gorbachev, General Secretary of the Soviet Union from 1985 to 1991. His reform policies

=E.) Conclusion= The Soviet Union had a large impact on the development of the nuclear arms race and subsequently, The Cold War. Soviet nuclear technology advancements chugged the arms buildup along at a furious rate. However, towards the end of the Cold War the U.S.S.R also played a large part in the decrease of nuclear arms during the Gorbachev era of Soviet Russia. He used the government polices of Perestroika and Glasnost to reduce the arsenal of weapons that the soviets held, Reagan and the U.S.A soon followed suit. Arms on both sides were reduced and treaties were signed to prevent another Cold War from happening again. So it is indeed safe to say that the Soviet Union played a large role in the rise and fall of the Nuclear Arms race.

=F.) List of Sources= Dudley, William. //The Cold War, Opposing Viewpoints//. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, Inc., 1992. Print.
 * Origin**: Normandale Community College
 * Purpose**: To illsutrate opposing viewpoints between U.S.S.R and U.S.A during the Cold War.
 * Value**: It shows the other side to every event i have researched thus far in my research
 * Limitations**: Its boring and hard to understand at same points.

Landau, Elaine. //The New Nuclear Reality//. Brookfield, Connecticut: Twenty-First Century Books, 2000. Print. This book is helpful because it allows in-depth look at the origin of Nuclear weapons and where the programs are going. It explains the decline of the Soviet Nuclear program and how they exhausted most of their funds keeping up with the United States. The book was fairly easy to read and chapters were divided neatly and effectively.
 * Origin**: Brookfield, Conneticut. A compilation of information about nuclear weapons.
 * Purpose**: To show where the future of nuclear weapons is going and how they will continue to shape government policies.
 * Value**: First source I have read that gives me an in-depth looking ahead at the future of nuclear weapons //afte//r the Cold War.
 * Limitations**: Doesn't offer much soviet input on the subject.

Maddox, Robert James. //Weapons for Victory//. Columbia and London: University of Missouri Press, 1995. Print.
 * Origin:** A group of professors at the University of Missouri.
 * Purpose**: To inform on how nuclear weapons are used to promote peace, instead of for war.
 * Value**: Its a interesting, thought-provoking book that presents the information in an accurate and in-depth way.
 * Limitations**: Its too long to read all the information presented and it looses some value.

Trueman, Chris. "The Nuclear Arms Race." //History learning site//. Online College and University Degree Guide, 21 Oct. 2011. Web. 6 Mar. 2012. .
 * Origin**: Online College and University Degree Guide
 * Purpose**: To Inform readers about various aspects of the cold war.
 * Value**: Gives me even more information about the statisitcs behind the Nuclear arms race on both sides.
 * Limitations**: The article is not well organized.

Rogers, Keely, and Jo Thomas. //History, 20th Century World, The Cold War//. London: Pearson Education Limited, 2008. Print.
 * Origin:** London, England. Made specifically for IB Diploma Program on the Cold War.
 * Purpose:** To allow IB students an in-depth look at The Cold War and its origins and its legacy.
 * Value:** The source is a textbook so it allows me to easy acess to the infromation needed, in a chapter and chronological order.
 * Limitations:** There is so much information it is hard to locate at times.

__**Endnotes**__

[i] Trueman, Chris. "The Nuclear Arms Race." //History learning site//. Online College and University Degree Guide, 21 Oct. 2011. Web. 6 Mar. 2012. .

[ii] Dudley, William. //The Cold War, Opposing Viewpoints//. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, Inc., 1992. Print.

[iii] Trueman, Chris

[iv] Landau, Elaine. //The New Nuclear Reality//. Brookfield, Connecticut: Twenty-First Century Books, 2000. Print.

[v] Maddox, Robert James. //Weapons for Victory//. Columbia and London: University of Missouri Press, 1995. Print.

[vi] Landau, Elaine

[vii] Maddox, Robert