NUKES, BRINKMANSHIP, CUBAN MISSILE CRISES

By: Kevin G.

Manhattan Project
started July 13, 1942, in the midst of World War II - By December 2, a Manhattan Project team produced the first artificial fission reaction - after the Manhattan project started it took 3 years to create the first atomic bomb. on July 16, 1945, the United States conducted the worlds first nuclear test explosion at Alamogordo within New Mexico. This created the nuclear age, a product of the fear, violence, and suffering of World War II.

Within a month, nuclear weapons were used to destroy the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

 That then caused U.S., United Kingdom, U.S.S.R., and France created an International military tribunal at Nuremberg to try Axis leaders for war crimes. Japan signed a surrender agreement on September 2, ending the war in the Pacific.

TIME LINE OF NUKES

BRINKMANSHIP.
Brinkmanship is the practice of pushing dangerous events to the verge of disaster in order to achieve the most advantageous outcome. It occurs in international politics, foreign policy, labour relations, and (in contemporary settings) military strategy involving the threatened use of nuclear weapons. Examples: During the Cold War, the threat of nuclear force was often used as such an escalating measure. Adolf Hitler also utilized brinkmanship conspicuously during his rise to power.

the Cuban Missile Crisis (October, 15, 1962 October, 26 1962)

CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS

October, 15, 1962 October, 26 1962

13-day conflict between the USA, USSR and Cuba the USA and the USSR, each armed with nuclear weapons
The crisis was caused by the placement of Soviet nuclear weapons in Cuba which were within lunching distance of the USA US responded by creating a blockade on the Cuban boarder

DETERRENCE
deterrence is the maintenance of military power for the purpose of discouraging attack.

a nation that is (or appears to be) so powerful that victory is not possible, or at least practical, is deterring acts of aggression against it
A prime example of this is the use of nuclear weapons and inflated defense spending by the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS?
Why did people think that brinkmanship would help them be triumphant?

Is having nuclear weapon worth the risk of the damage and destruction they can cause?
Why is the act of deterrence so effective How do you think the constant threat of nuclear war affected peoples everyday lives? Ex: Nuclear Weapon drills, the constant threat of them, People where afraid.

REFERENCES
TEXT BOOK INFORMATION WEBSITES WITHIN LEARNING COMMONS ALONG WITH :http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/coldwar.htm http://meme.essortment.com/effectswhatcau_mmy.htm http://www.teacheroz.com/toc.htm http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJe7fY-yowk