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Thermonuclear Weapon
President Truman authorized work on a thermonuclear weapon because he was determined to develop a more deadly weapon before the Soviets did. -
Federal Civil Defense Administration
The Federal Civil Defense Administration was established which was organized by President Truman which distributed posters, programs, and information about communism and the threat of communist attacks. -
US Tests First H-Bomb
On November 1st, the United States tested the first H-bomb which was 1,000 times more powerful than normal nuclear bombs. This gave the US a quick advantage over the Soviets in the nuclear arms race. -
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight. D Eisenhower became president and he appointed anti-Communist John Foster Dulles as his secretary of state. If the Soviet Union attacked the US interests, the US would retaliate instantly by the idea of Brinkmanship, which was the willingness to go to the brink, or edge, of war. -
Worlds First Nuclear Submarine
The United States launches the world’s first nuclear submarine, the USS Nautilus. It would later become the ultimate nuclear deterrent. -
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Pact is formed by the USSR, after feeling threatened by the formation of NATO. The pact included the lands of the Soviet Union, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Albania. -
Khrushchev's Campaign for De-stalinization Begins
Khrushchev launches a campaign for the de-stalinization of the Soviet Union when he delivers a secret speech. The speech denounced the image of Stalin, who was greatly admired by the country of Russia. As a result, many Russians, who favored Stalin, found his speech to be controversial. -
Soviets Launch Sputnik
Soviet scientists develop a rocket capable of traveling great distances, known as an intercontinental ballistic missile—or ICBM. The Soviets use these rockets to push Sputnik, the first unmanned satellite, into Earth’s orbit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvPzUAeWZZY -
Americans Enter the Space Race
Americans launch their own satellite into space, known as the ExplorerⅠ. This was a result of the Soviets advancements in science, and the feeling that the U.S. was falling behind. -
Fidel Castro Becomes Dictator of Cuba
A Cuban revolution led by Fidel Castro led Fidel to overthrow Fulgencio Batista. Following this, Fidel Castro took place as the new dictator of Cuba.
