By Grishma Tiwari - Nepal
The race for superiority between the USA and USSR after the end of World War II is often termed the Cold War: a proxy war waged on political, economic, and propagandist fronts that had limited recourse to weapons (Britannica). These global superpowers aimed at establishing themselves as superior, which in turn contributed to the spread and embrace of their respective propaganda of capitalism or communism in the international arena. As war winners, they realised the crucial contribution that science and technology made in their victory - this caused them to invest in scientific initiatives that would benefit them in winning the race for power.
Although the two great powers never engaged in direct combat, they pushed the world to the brink of nuclear war on several occasions (The Cold War 3). After the USA dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, nations realised the importance of nuclear weapons. Each country began to manufacture and test its own weapons, with nuclear testing being conducted at an uncontrollable rate during the 1950s and 1960s. Due to each superpower being hyper-cautious of the other striking first, an increasing amount of priority was given to developing weapons. The most significant force driving the development of nuclear arms after World War II was the Cold War, which pitted the United States and its allies against the Soviet Union and its satellite states (Britannica). Mankind was almost at its devastating end, with the imminent possibility of nuclear war breaking out at any moment. However, the Cold War also contributed significantly to the development of alternative energy: nuclear power plants developed during that period of time still provide us with alternative energy sources today. As of 2023, Russia and the USA were the biggest weapon suppliers in the world, which can also be attributed to the Cold War.
The race for dominance between the USA and the USSR inspired countless revolutionary inventions and achievements in the fields of astronomy and astrophysics. Space exploration was another dramatic arena for the Cold War competition (History). The USSR successfully launched "Sputnik," the first artificial satellite in history, into orbit in 1957, and just months later, the USA's space program NASA followed. There were many firsts for the USSR. In 1961, they achieved the otherwise unimaginable feat of sending the first man into space: Yuri Gagarin. The USA, however, achieved a much anticipated feat, advancing humanity further than it had ever been: Apollo 8 completed the first lunar orbit in 1968, and nearly a year later, Neil Armstrong was the first human to set foot on the moon in the history of mankind. This yearning for dominance and superiority in space technology caused mankind to rise above the boundaries of the Earth's atmosphere; we achieved what was thought to be impossible.
Among the many effects of the Cold War was a profound reconfiguration of the disciplines, institutions, and practices used to understand the Earth (Dennis 809). Government support had already been directed towards cartography, weather forecasting, and geological surveys. The Cold War added geophysics, oceanography, seismology, and similar fields to the world’s arsenal of understanding. Seismology helped keep track of underground nuclear testing, and also served the purpose of detecting natural calamities like earthquakes. In addition, meteorology was heavily utilised, since it served the purpose of defence as well as detection. As warfare expanded globally, earth sciences became essential for shaping national strategies and uncovering the hidden potential of technological advancements.
This decade-long struggle for power and dominance between two superpowers that emerged from a globally-involved war contributed to massive revolutions and inventions in science and technology. However, this occurred at the cost of humanity itself; the blind quest for supremacy resulted in the mass destruction of certain populations. The effects of such destruction remain pervasive today, as some sites of nuclear testing still aren't free of radiation, rendering some parts of Earth uninhabitable. Millions of people were displaced out of their homes as a result of the failures of these "fruitful" experiments. Both sides defended themselves to protect “their” people and ideologies, but how does one decide which side is of greater importance? How does one brashly conclude that some lives matter more than others? Both sides disregarded the general public's opinions and decisions, and both were equally blinded by the power that came with supremacy.
The Cold War was the driving force for both these governments, and the inventions of this era form the backbone of our modern world. Unfathomable amounts of technological developments that seemed otherwise unfathomable for mankind were successfully completed and executed in this time period. However, in our dynamic and innovative world, was this war really needed as the catalyst for technological advancement? Did people have to lose their lives? Did this 'development' truly justify our lost sense of humanity?
Bibliography
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Cold War". Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 Oct. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/event/Cold-War.
Dennis, Michael Aaron. “Postscript: Earthly Matters: On the Cold War and the Earth Sciences.” Social Studies of Science, vol. 33, no. 5, 2003, pp. 809–19. JSTOR,
History.com Editors. “Cold War: Summary, Combatants, Start & End.” History.Com, A&E Television Networks, 27 Oct. 2009, www.history.com/topics/cold-war/cold-war-history.
“The Cold War (1945–1989) - Full Text.” CVCE.EU by UNI.LU, Oct. 2011, www.cvce.eu/obj/the_cold_war_1945_1989_full_text-en-6dfe06ed-4790-48a4-8968-855e90593185.html.
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