International relations - especially those between the United States and Russia - have been affected by the development of nuclear weapons, as countries around the world established new nuclear policies and created organizations to enforce them.
Sub-Topics Covered Here:
- Soviet/Russian - American relations 1917 - present day (mostly 1945 to the present)
- Global changes resulted from the development of nuclear weapons and the new international nuclear era
- Relations among other countries, concerning nuclear weapon issues (policies, problems, events)
Nuclear weapons are a very real thing and were used before by the USA. They are so powerful that when used they can destroy entire continents.
The development of nuclear weapons has had a giant impact on the world. Countries both nuclear and not were and continue to be affected by nuclear weapons, both directly and indirectly. Nuclear weapons have played an especially large role in the relations between the United States and the Soviet Union (Russia).
Although Russia and America both play their particular role in the world's nuclear politics almost every country has in some way been drawn into the global nuclear mess. All states were highly concerned about nuclear weapons and were involved in problems resulting from their creation. Because of this the world has set up new nuclear policies and has created new organizations to enforce them.
Russia (the USSR) and America have always been the leaders in nuclear arms development; today the USA is slightly ahead technologically. Some other countries have also succeeded in the production of the atomic bombs or devices and long-range missiles capable of delivering those nuclear devices and warheads.
Relations between Russia and America have always been difficult, and nuclear weapons brought on a very important argument into political discussions between two countries.
In 1917 Bolsheviks came to power in Russia and America became enemies with the Soviet Union and broke diplomatic relations with the new Soviet government. This lack of alliance continued all the way until 1941 although the diplomatic relations were restored in 1934.
In 1941 America and the Soviet Union were brought together by the war against Germany. This war was over in 1945. With this came the end of the alliance which formally ended on March 5, 1946, with the famous Winston Churchill's speech made at Fulton, Missouri, during Churchill's visit of the USA.
In 1946 the WWII alliance was torn apart because the Soviet Union occupied Eastern Europe and established communist regimes in those occupied countries. This period of ideological disagreements and arm races, mixed with some regional conflicts which were taking place from time to time became known as the Cold War period. It is precisely during this period that nuclear weapons were created and developed in great quantities by both the USSR and the USA. The Cold War lasted forty-five years and ended in 1991 with the collapse of the Soviet Union. The Cold War was a period, caused by lack of trust, when everyone was afraid of each other and each other's nuclear ICBM's (Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles). Ironically, nobody started a war because of the fear of being destroyed. For this reason the Cold War ended up being the longest period of peace in Europe.
Two major alliances were created after the Second World War. One became known as NATO. The second one is known as Warsaw Treaty.
Both political camps took part in the Cold War. With the creation of NATO and the Warsaw pact all those countries became involved in the Cold War. On one hand they had to stick politically, militarily and economically towards the main country of the political block (the USSR or the USA). On the other hand, as a reward they received the same kind of security the USSR and the USA had: cold war instead of real war.
Those countries which were not part of NATO or Warsaw treaty block started to think about the necessity to create its own nuclear weapons. Some, like France or China, succeeded. The majority of countries did not follow France's or China's steps. One country, Great Britain, created its own nuclear weapons, being a member of NATO. By 1968 it was generally recognized that five countries are considered to be nuclear powers: USSR, USA, China, France and Britain.
Out of them America and Russia were and are the strongest. They had ideological disagreements; and this sometimes made relations between them very unstable. Nuclear weapons issues made those relations even more difficult but at the same time kept those countries from fighting against each other. A direct military confrontation never took place.
Under the rules of the “game” first you would create many powerful nuclear weapons and missiles capable of flying as far away as necessary. Then when you have enough power to destroy the world several times over, you allow yourself to be involved in constant process of negotiations with your enemy, concerning the reduction of those weapons.
