Short Term Effects Of The Cold War

The Cold War was a time of great competition between the United States and the Soviet Union; one of the competitions being the Space Race. Due to advancements in technology throughout the world pressured by the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union were able to push their way into space, each trying to outdo the other, eventually resulting in the United States putting the first man on the moon on July 20, 1969 during the Apollo 11 mission. The United States beating the Soviet Union to put a man on the moon was a tremendous Cold War victory for the United States. However, with this success came world-wide concerns in light of the significance of the Cold War. Access to space in this way brought the possibility that space did not
Furthermore, this equipment made it theoretically possible for the United States to take control of other country’s satellites and other objects orbiting the Earth. However, before the equipment could be used, United States intelligence officers consulted the National Security Agency regarding the new technology and the plans for use; the National Security Agency quickly shut down all plans for the equipment. Having and using this technology would make the United States set a precedent for all countries to manipulate each other’s satellites. In doing so, satellites from all countries would be left useless. For these reasons, the equipment was totally disabled so it could never be used by anyone, including the United States. The United States’ next attempt at space exploration was called Project Horizon. The United States planned to build a military outpost on the moon. This would give the United States the ability to have military surveillance of the Earth and space, beam electronic relays from the Earth to the moon and back for communication, and other advanced military operations from the lunar vantage point. Above all, however, Project Horizon would land the United States on the moon; some believed in doing this, the United States would be able to claim the moon as a national possession. Unfortunately, this plan included seventy-four missions to space by the end of
In October of 1960, the Soviets launched two rockets into space. Although this was a failed attempt to get to Mars – and later to Venus – the rockets were still the heaviest objects sent into space from Earth, giving the Soviets a victory in the Space Race. These satellites used the Earth’s orbit to propel them into space. This process became and remains incredibly useful for space exploration. On April 12, 1961, the Soviets continued to surpass the United States by sending the first human into space to orbit the Earth. One month later, the United States attempted to do the same with the Mercury Project but was unable to make a full orbit. This left the Soviet Union to look more technologically advanced than the United States and gain more headway toward victory in the Space Race. President John F. Kennedy and Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson consulted German-born rocket scientist Weinher von Braun on what would be the United States’ best plan of action for beating the Soviet Union in the Space Race. Overall, there was less of a concern with how to actually occupy space and more of a concern with how to beat the Soviets. From said consultation, the United States determined that their greatest chance at success would be to put the first man on the