starter activity

Watch this famous US public information film about the perils of a nuclear attack on America. What does it tell us about the way the government responded to the threat of nuclear war in the 1950s and 60s? Extension. How would this film differ today?

Extension task

Read Raymond Briggs’ story or watch the film

adaptation of ‘When the wind blows’ and note down what it tells us about the

state of readiness of the UK for an all-out

nuclear war.

Why did an arms Why did an arms race develop?race develop?To identify the causes of the To identify the causes of the

arms racearms raceTo compile a timeline of the To compile a timeline of the

development of nuclear development of nuclear weaponsweapons

Aims

Your taskYour task Read p.99-101 of Phillips and list the Read p.99-101 of Phillips and list the

reasons why an arms race developed reasons why an arms race developed between the super powers.between the super powers.

Causes of arms raceCauses of arms race Growth of international tensions Growth of international tensions – keeping – keeping

ahead in the technology race helped ahead in the technology race helped safeguard the interests of the nationsafeguard the interests of the nation

National pride National pride – way of measuring the – way of measuring the achievements of East or Westachievements of East or West

Political insecurities of leaders Political insecurities of leaders – e.g. – e.g. Eisenhower & Kennedy increased defence Eisenhower & Kennedy increased defence spending in reaction to public demandsspending in reaction to public demands

Insurance policyInsurance policy– use of nuclear weapons was – use of nuclear weapons was so unimaginable war could be avoidedso unimaginable war could be avoided

Military-industrial complexMilitary-industrial complex – arms race – arms race provided jobsprovided jobs

New technology New technology – hydrogen, lithium, ICBM – hydrogen, lithium, ICBM etc.etc.

Role playRole play Divide the class in two. Appoint Divide the class in two. Appoint

someone to be the US president. One someone to be the US president. One half of the class has to argue a case half of the class has to argue a case for continuing the arms race. The for continuing the arms race. The other half must explain why the arms other half must explain why the arms race is so futile and needlessly race is so futile and needlessly expensive. The US president will expensive. The US president will decide who wins the argument on the decide who wins the argument on the basis of the evidence put forward.basis of the evidence put forward.

Your taskYour task Read p.102-104 carefully. Close your Read p.102-104 carefully. Close your

books. See if you can sequence the books. See if you can sequence the events on the cards chronologically.events on the cards chronologically.

On a sheet of flip chart paper draw a line On a sheet of flip chart paper draw a line from across the centre and label it 1945-from across the centre and label it 1945-1965. On the line in a red pen chart the 1965. On the line in a red pen chart the achievements of the Soviets and the US achievements of the Soviets and the US in blue. Plot major achievements higher in blue. Plot major achievements higher above the line. Who appears to have won above the line. Who appears to have won the arms race?the arms race?

“I am become death – the destroyer of worlds” (Robert Oppenheimer)

Eniwetok, 1st hydrogen bomb, 1952

Secret image of testing of lithium bomb, Semipalatinsk

B52 Stratofortess bomber

TU20 ‘Bear’

Konstantin Tsiolkovsky (1857-1935)

Sputnik

Laika, 1957

Yuri Gagarin, 1961

Polaris, 1960

This house believes that nuclear weapons made war less likely during the Cold War?

ExtensionExtension Read and supplement your timeline Read and supplement your timeline

with notes from Isaacs, p. 161-83.with notes from Isaacs, p. 161-83. Explore the IWM website ‘What lies Explore the IWM website ‘What lies

beneath’ and note down the beneath’ and note down the reactions of the British government reactions of the British government and civilians to the arms race as well and civilians to the arms race as well as the threat of nuclear war.as the threat of nuclear war.

PlenaryPlenary Key stages in the arms race?Key stages in the arms race? Who won the arms race?Who won the arms race? Discuss the following idea: “By the Discuss the following idea: “By the

beginning of 1962 the arms race had beginning of 1962 the arms race had made nuclear war unlikely”made nuclear war unlikely”