Russian Life & People Digest
Question by T.J.: Sputnik?????????????????????????????????????????
I know sputnik is a space satellite sent by the Soviet Union?
But how did sputnik relate to the Cold War?????
Answers and Views:
Answer by William F
It sparked an arms race. Both sides aggressively built up their militarizes.
Read all the answers in the comments.
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gosam777 says
At the time, the USA and USSR were bitter enemies. Both sought to control the worlds governments. Not necessary through military invasion. More so by convincing them their form of government and ideology was superior.
The space race was basically a showcase of superior technology. Most advances in technology, especially military, comes from technological advances made in space exploration. The race to the moon, was proving technological superiority. And far more important than military might.
Sputnik put the USSR far ahead of the United States. The implications were so out reaching, it could mean the USSR would have a huge advantage in weapons development, missile/nuclear superiority, had the U.S. not been able to at least match it.
tham153 says
There were three satellites named Sputnik (means fellow traveler in Russian), #1 launched October 4, 1957; #2 launched November 3, 1957; #3 launched May 15, 1958.
#1 was the first satellite ever sent into space, and frightened much of the USA because the Soviets did it first, disrupted a lot of fools who thought space exploration was impossible, and showed the Soviets had missiles they could target at any point on the Earth's surface.
#2 carried a dog, the first living thing in space, suggesting they were ahead in sending manned spacecraft (as, in fact, Yuri Gagrin was to prove on April 12, 1961).
aleatoryyou says
It was the turning point of the Cold War…
The United States believed that it is the leader in space technology
When the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, many Americans were in disbelief.
That's when space race began….
Mo says
Both answers are correct.
(Just tested over this in Hist 150)
tick tock says
at that time, politicians in the US were telling their constituents that the Soviet Union was starving because of their "Five Year Plans" and the highest technology they possessed was indoor plumbing.
Then the Soviets launched Sputnik.
Sorta made all those Senators into liars… oh, well, no… i guess they were always liars, but it sure panicked the populace…. so much so that "if they can do it, so can we" and the US accelerated its space program.
You see…. a country that has nuclear weapons AND intercontinental missiles is sorta dangerous.
Conjoint One says
It not only sparked an arms race, but it helped actually begin our own space program and race to the moon, if my history serves me correctly. I, however, could be completely wrong regarding this, but that's what I remember to the best of my ability.