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The Space Race: the most significant event of the Cold War

Claire Maloney

St. Petersburg College

AMH 2010: United States History I

Jack Packer

Word Count: 1904

11/18/21
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Introduction

For many years following the end of the Second World War, the United States, and the

Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) engaged in the Cold War. There can be no debate

against the Cold War being a significant event in history, but what aspect is the most significant?

There were no battles and no physical engagements, only political hostility, and threat. The

threats posed to national security shaped the political climate and daily life of nearly every living

human at the time. However, the Space Race has defined the United States far beyond the

chronological walls of 1945 through 1991. The Cold War posed many conflicts, including the

missile crisis, the Arms Race, the Space Race, political hostility, and global fear. However, the

Space Race has indefinitely shaped America into the country it is today. Without this legendary

race to the moon, there would be far less discovery of the galactic frontier, less technological

advancement, and less patriotism among United States citizens; without the shadow of a doubt,

the Space Race is the most significant event of the cold war.

The Cold War

As stated above, the Cold War began in 1945 after the Second World War had ended.

The United States was in the better economic condition than any other country at the time and

was booming. Even though the US endured many successes during WWII, the nation remained

wary about remaining allies with the USSR. The underlying fear of their expansive tendencies

caused room for concern among the people. Containment of the USSR’s expansion of

communist ideals (History.com Editors, 2009) and limiting Stalin’s tyrannical rule became the

forefront of national security. Additionally, tensions between the US and USSR rose due to the

former having never told the latter their plan to drop an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan.
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Though the American Military did tell the Soviets of their atomic weaponry, their plans for its

use were never disclosed, leaving the USSR shell-shocked. A sense of betrayal from their

wartime allies rocked the Republic. Thus, the Cold War began. The term ‘Cold War’ was coined

due to the lack of physical engagement; however, this war still sponsored and supported many

conflicts between the nations. During this time, there were many espionage missions and

counter-espionage missions. A notable mention would be the CIA ‘borrowing’ the USSR lunar

vessel, called Luna or Lunik, overnight to gain intel on the Russian space program’s progression.

Furthermore, the Cold War presented many treaties between the two nations, including

the SALT I and II acts aimed to limit ballistic arsenals and weaponry and the Seabed Arms

Control treaty, a multinational treaty banning weapons of mass destruction being placed on the

ocean floor beyond a twelve-mile coastal zone. However, the effects of the Cold War stemmed

far beyond government and military conflict. It became a part of everyday life for all people of

the world; fear, patriotism, hate, and hope were some of the many standards instilled in the

minds of civilians. Of the many different events that came out of the lengthy Cold War, the Arms

Race and Space race are the most recounted and remembered. When the Soviet Union eventually

collapsed in 1991, the end of the Cold War came with it.

The Arms Race

As stated by History.com editors, "An arms race occurs when two or more countries

increase the size and quality of military resources to gain military and political superiority over

one another." (2009). Simply put, this means both nations were fighting for military supremacy;

both nations wanted to have the most advanced arsenal of weaponry to demonstrate their global

power. After Hiroshima's devastation, the USSR felt a threat to their national security, the need
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to create competing military weaponry was pertinent, and projects began to test their version of

an atomic bomb. In response, President Truman announced the US military objective of creating

an even more powerful bomb, coined the superbomb. The USSR, led by Joseph Stalin, followed

suit, and the Arms Race had officially begun. Over many years, both nations created and tested

many different forms of nuclear warfare. The US first discovered the superbomb could destroy

half of Manhattan when tested in the Marshall Islands. For twelve years, nuclear testing in the

Marshall Islands consisted of sixty-seven different nuclear bomb detonations. The US and USSR

spent many years creating and testing nuclear weapons, a thought that terrified the American

people. The very idea that the Soviet Union owned weaponry of that caliber instilled mass panic.

Soon people began building bomb shelters in their backyards. Bomb drills occurred in many

schools and public places; even movies depicted horrid mutants and nuclear decimation. Nuclear

warfare posed a considerable threat to national security, but its effects were not long-lasting.

At the time, the Arms Race was almost everything politicians discussed. 'Missile Gap'

was a hot topic among political candidates. Missile Gap referred to the fear that the Soviets had

better technology than the US; it held every American in a chokehold that the Soviets could

release a weapon of mass destruction on national soil any given day. However, this theory was

eventually disproven by the CIA. Neither country had plans to unleash the weaponry; it was

merely a muscle contest of who could develop the most advanced technology. Referring to figure

one, a political comic drawn by D. Horsey, the US and USSR are depicted as having a verbal

argument over whose weapons were "bigger" and "better." As time progressed, civilians began to

realize it was not as large a threat as previously imagined, rather a fight for who could be better,

an idea paralleled by Horsey’s comic. The Arms Race ended peacefully, as more acts and treaties

were signed, the fear of nuclear warfare dissipated, and Americans began to go back to life prior
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to the threat. Even though the Arms Race played a huge role in American life during the Cold

War, its long-lasting impact is relatively minimal. Apart from advancing nuclear weaponry and

then limiting use over said weaponry, it has made quite a small impact on how Americans live

today. On the other hand, the effects of the Space Race will be felt forever.

The Space Race

The Space Race between the USSR and US began in 1955 when the Soviet Union

announced its plans to launch a satellite into orbit called Sputnik. The race ultimately ended

when the United States put the first man on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission. Amid the

Arms Race and Cold War, both nations wanted to display their technological superiority. Space

presented a new frontier to demonstrate power and advancement for a nation. With the

popularization of television, it became easier for civilians to follow along; the Space Race

sparked global interest and was more accessible than ever. The Russian’s started strong in the

race with their first mission: Sputnik; it was the first artificial satellite to orbit Earth, launched in

1957, followed by Sputnik 2. Aboard the craft was Laika the dog, the first living animal to orbit

Earth. It was not until 1958 that the US finally had success by launching Explorer 1. Explorer 1

became the first successfully launched satellite by the US. In 1962, President John F. Kennedy

announced his mission to put a man on the moon by the end of the decade. For the following

nine years after his famous speech, aeronautic advancement would be needed to help complete

this mission. Regardless of America's ambitious ideas respecting space travel, the USSR was

'winning' a large portion of the Space Race. As stated by A. Mann, "Still, for much of the first

half of the space race, the Soviet Union was considered to be ahead. Its engineers accomplished

many firsts, including the first mission to leave Earth orbit, Luna 1; the first probe to reach the
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moon, Luna 2; and the first spacecraft to head toward Venus, Venera, which stopped responding

a week after its launch." (2019). To paraphrase, the USSR had many successful space missions;

many believed there was no way the US would catch up. On July 20, 1969, the United States put

the first man on the moon, and the famous words "One small step for man, one giant leap for

mankind." were uttered. The moon landing is still considered one of the most significant turning

points in history by many. Though the Space Race had ended, space exploration was only

beginning; the US and USSR even led a joint Appolo-Suyez mission in 1975. Because of the

Space Race, the National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA) was created, an

organization that had revolutionized flight travel, both in and out of Earth's atmosphere.

The Most Significant Race

A comparison of the two most significant ‘battles’ of the Cold War, the Space and Arms

races, would be clear which was more significant. The Arms Race had a far more significant

impact during the Cold War, but its legacy did not live on much longer than that. The Arms Race

changed weaponry forever; that much is undeniable, but once more treaties were set in place, the

fear of nuclear war was a distant memory. It crossed a line in the sand of reasonable military

power and created international legislation to prevent its usage and possession. Apart from that,

the advancements made during this race do not compare to those made during the Space Race.

As stated by M. Jha, “The technological superiority required for the dominance of space was

deemed a necessity for national security” (2017). This statement complements the idea that both

nations were willing to do whatever it took to gain technological supremacy; both the US and

USSR fought tooth and nail to create technology to push them ahead of the competition. Without

the Space Race, space exploration and research would not be where it is today.
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Additionally, the Space Race played a far more extensive role in American life beyond space

travel. NASA has created over 2,000 different spinoff technologies that have been developed for

commercial use. (S. Krishna, 2020). JFK referred to this period as “A time for great American

enterprise.” And he was undoubtedly right. NASA spinoff technology includes the Global

Positioning System (GPS), safety grooving on tires, anti-icing used on roads, infrared ear

thermometers, and so much more. However, the most significant impact of the Space Race has

been unification. The Cold War was a tough time for many Americans and global civilians, but a

sense of peace was bestowed upon everyone on looking space exploration endeavors. The US

and USSR were able to work together on the Apollo-Soyuz mission, and the Indian Space

Program even helped both nations develop their technology. Countries began sharing their

technology, strengthening space programs, conducting joint training of scientists and technicians,

and opening facilities to visitors. The world witnessed unification and could breathe a tiny bit

easier and even got some convenient electronics in the process.

Conclusion

When recounting the events of the Cold War, it is essential to consider what was

significant at the time, the Arms Race, and what is still significant now, the Space Race. A rise in

patriotism, intellectual enlightenment, and endless possibilities have made the Space Race the

most significant event of the Cold War. In addition, the numerous technological achievements,

invigorating possibilities, and progression of civilization brought on by the Space Race make it

deserving of the title ‘The Space Race: the most significant event of the Cold War.’
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Appendix

(Figure 1)

Horsey, D. (1983). Preliminary disarmament talks... History Teaching Institute. Retrieved

October 26, 2021, from

https://hti.osu.edu/opper/lesson-plans/nuclear-weapons/images/preliminary-disarmament-

talks
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References

Davis, M., Eisenhower, P. D. D., Kennedy, P. J. F., Johnson, P. L. B., & Nixon, P. R. M. (2021,

January 28). The space race. Miller Center. Retrieved October 28, 2021, from

https://millercenter.org/the-presidency/educational-resources/space-race.

History.com Editors. (2009, October 14). Arms race. History.com. Retrieved November 1, 2021,

from https://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/arms-race.

History.com Editors. (2009, October 27). Cold War history. History.com. Retrieved November

1, 2021, from https://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/cold-war-history.

History.com Editors. (2010, February 22). The space race. History.com. Retrieved October 26,

2021, from https://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/space-race.

Jha, M. (2017, July 27). This is how the space race changed the Great Power Rivalry Forever.

The National Interest. Retrieved October 26, 2021, from

https://nationalinterest.org/feature/how-the-space-race-changed-the-great-power-rivalry-

forever-21690.

Krishna, S., McSweeney, K., Bonderud, D., & Robinson, R. (2020, April 9). The intersection of

technology, Innovation & Creativity. Now. Powered by Northrop Grumman. Retrieved

October 28, 2021, from https://now.northropgrumman.com/how-technology-from-the-

space-race-changed-the-world/.

Mann, A. (2019, August 7). What was the space race? Space.com. Retrieved November 2, 2021,

from https://www.space.com/space-race.html.
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Royal Musems Greenwich, h. (2021). Space race timeline. Royal Museums Greenwich.

Retrieved October 26, 2021, from https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/space-race-

timeline.