The History Book

IN CONTEXT

Focus

Nuclear arms race

Before

1942–45 The US sets up the Manhattan Project to develop the first nuclear weapon.

1945 The US drops atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, ending World War II.

1952–53 Both the US and USSR develop the H-bomb, 1,000 times stronger than the atomic bomb.

After

1963 The USA and Russia agree to a nuclear test-ban treaty, and tensions lessen.

1969–72 Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT I) yields a superpower agreement on missile deployment.

1991 Strategic Arms Reductions Treaty I (START I) reduces the numbers of US and Soviet long-range missiles.

For 13 days, from October 15 to October 28, 1962, ...