1. Summarize the basic argument for and the basic argument against nuclear weapons.
The basic argument for nuclear weapons is the they actually make the world safer, because countries are less willing to risk the use of force. The basic argument against nuclear weapons is that because imperfect human beings are involved, deterrence is not a fool-proof system.
2. What is the difference between a strategic and a tactical nuclear weapon?
The difference between a strategic and tactical nuclear weapons is there size and distance they can hit. Strategic weapons are a lot bigger and can hit targets up to six thousand miles away in thirty minutes or less. Tactical nuclear weapons can be concealed in something as small as a briefcase or a backpack and are used to hit targets near them.
3. What is nuclear proliferation?
Nuclear proliferation is the spread of nuclear weapons.
4. What role has the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty played in preventing the spread of nuclear weapons?
The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty has played a big role in preventing the spread of nuclear weapons. Only four countries have not signed this Treaty. People say that if the treaty wasn't made President Kenndey's worry of 25 more countries having nuclear weapons by the 1970s would have come true.
5. Explain Secretary of State Rice's high level of concern about the Russian nuclear arsenal. (See her quote on page 16 of your reading.)
Secretary of State Rice's high level of concern about the Russian nuclear arsenal is all about them being secured. She is worried that if they aren't protected the can just be walked in by a thief and the nuclear weapons just be stolen. For this reason she want's their nuclear weapons to be dismantled so no one will ever have to worry about them being stolen.
6. How as the threat of terrorism changed thinking about nuclear weapons?
Terrorism has drastically changed the thinking about nuclear weapons. People are so scared of a terroist group getting a hold of a nuclear weapon, some think they already do. No one knows what they would do if they had one so that is what makes everyone so scared about it. What if they come after us if they have one? is a big question. People want to get rid of them because of this factor, if they got them who knows what they would do with it.
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Nuclear Arms Race Since 1945
1. Explain how Dragonfire's report on October 11, 2001 highlighted a new threat from nuclear weapons.
Dragonfires report on October 11, 2001 highlighted a new threat from nuclear weapons because no one had ever used a nuclear bomb since the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, let alone use one against the United States. It also highlighted that no one had every brought a nuclear bomb into a country unknowingly especially into a major city like the heart of New York City.
2. Why is proliferation such a strong concern for the United States?
Proliferation is such a strong concern for the United States because it is linked to the United States' most complex and challenging foreign policy problems. It is also a strong concern for the United States because we don't want them getting into the wrong hand, like our enemies.
3. What is deterrence?
Deterrence is the idea that if you trick someone into thinking you would retaliate big time if the did something to you. In this case if one side were to attack the other with nuclear Weapons, the other side would launch a nuclear response that would devastate the original attacker, knowing that they faced certain both sides would be deterred from attacking.
4. Explain the importance of the Cuban Missile Crisis.
The importance of the Cuban Missile Crisis is the Soviets and their nuclear weapons were getting extremely close to us, on 90 miles off our shores in Cuba. They were so close if we fired a missile at them they would hit us first from Cuba. It also got the two leaders of the countries to realize what this could do to their countries/ the world. They decided to back down from Cuba if the US removed their artillery from Turkey.
5. President John F. Kennedy worried that twenty-five nations would have nuclear weapons by the 1970s. Why do you think his worry did not come to pass?
I think that his worry did not come to pass because the other nations in the world could see what it did to countries and what it could do it the nuclear war had actually begun. They saw what it was instilling in the US/USSR and they probably didn't want that. Lastly they probably knew that if they gained the nuclear weapons they would join in this "battle".
6. What was the Cold War? How long did it last?
The Cold War was a period of hostility and tension between, mostly, the US and the USSR from 1946 to 1991. The two countries were making an enormous amount of nuclear weapons incase there actually was a nuclear war. It was basically all talk. It lasted about 45 years.
Dragonfires report on October 11, 2001 highlighted a new threat from nuclear weapons because no one had ever used a nuclear bomb since the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, let alone use one against the United States. It also highlighted that no one had every brought a nuclear bomb into a country unknowingly especially into a major city like the heart of New York City.
2. Why is proliferation such a strong concern for the United States?
Proliferation is such a strong concern for the United States because it is linked to the United States' most complex and challenging foreign policy problems. It is also a strong concern for the United States because we don't want them getting into the wrong hand, like our enemies.
3. What is deterrence?
Deterrence is the idea that if you trick someone into thinking you would retaliate big time if the did something to you. In this case if one side were to attack the other with nuclear Weapons, the other side would launch a nuclear response that would devastate the original attacker, knowing that they faced certain both sides would be deterred from attacking.
4. Explain the importance of the Cuban Missile Crisis.
The importance of the Cuban Missile Crisis is the Soviets and their nuclear weapons were getting extremely close to us, on 90 miles off our shores in Cuba. They were so close if we fired a missile at them they would hit us first from Cuba. It also got the two leaders of the countries to realize what this could do to their countries/ the world. They decided to back down from Cuba if the US removed their artillery from Turkey.
5. President John F. Kennedy worried that twenty-five nations would have nuclear weapons by the 1970s. Why do you think his worry did not come to pass?
I think that his worry did not come to pass because the other nations in the world could see what it did to countries and what it could do it the nuclear war had actually begun. They saw what it was instilling in the US/USSR and they probably didn't want that. Lastly they probably knew that if they gained the nuclear weapons they would join in this "battle".
6. What was the Cold War? How long did it last?
The Cold War was a period of hostility and tension between, mostly, the US and the USSR from 1946 to 1991. The two countries were making an enormous amount of nuclear weapons incase there actually was a nuclear war. It was basically all talk. It lasted about 45 years.
Friday, December 7, 2012
Works Cited
Ambrose, Stephen E. D-Day June 6, 1944: The Climactic Battle of World War II. New York:
Touchstone, 1994.
Ricks, Thomas E. Fiasco:
The American Military Adventure in Iraq. London: The Penguin Press, 2006.
Seager, Robin Pompey:
A Political Biography. Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1979.
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Mobilizing for Defense
1. How did the American response to the Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor differ from Japanese expectations? The Japanese did not believe that the Americans were racially pure enough to withstand their attack. They truly believed that the Americans would
just give up and let them take over the Pacific.
2. What difficulties did women and minorities face in the wartime work force?
The difficulties that women and minorities faced in the wartime work force was a lowered pay. They were not getting the same amount of pay a white man was doing for the same amount of work. They were normally getting only 60% of what the white male was getting.
3. Why did President Roosevelt create the OSRD, and what did it do?
President Roosevelt created the OSRD to bring scientists into the war effort. The OSRD improved sonar and radar, the use of pesticides to fight insects, and pushed the development of "miracle drugs" such as penicillin. The OSRD also came up with the Atomic Bomb
4. What basic problems were the OPA and WPB created to solve?
The OPA was created to solve the problem with the inflation of needed goods. The WPB was created to make sure the companies making war necessities got what they needed fast.
5. What type of items were rationed and why were they limited?
Materials that the men fighting in the war overseas was rationed like meat, shoes, sugar, coffee, and gasoline. They were limited because most of the items were sent overseas to the men fighting so they would have enough of the necessities.
6. What is the message of the World War II poster on this assignment's blog posting? Why was this message important?
The message of the World War II poster is that when you dont carpool, you drive alone, that you are helping Hitler out, you are wasting gasoline. The message was important because it got Americans to stop wasting gas so it gave our soldiers overseas more gas to use.
2. What difficulties did women and minorities face in the wartime work force?
The difficulties that women and minorities faced in the wartime work force was a lowered pay. They were not getting the same amount of pay a white man was doing for the same amount of work. They were normally getting only 60% of what the white male was getting.
3. Why did President Roosevelt create the OSRD, and what did it do?
President Roosevelt created the OSRD to bring scientists into the war effort. The OSRD improved sonar and radar, the use of pesticides to fight insects, and pushed the development of "miracle drugs" such as penicillin. The OSRD also came up with the Atomic Bomb
4. What basic problems were the OPA and WPB created to solve?
The OPA was created to solve the problem with the inflation of needed goods. The WPB was created to make sure the companies making war necessities got what they needed fast.
5. What type of items were rationed and why were they limited?
Materials that the men fighting in the war overseas was rationed like meat, shoes, sugar, coffee, and gasoline. They were limited because most of the items were sent overseas to the men fighting so they would have enough of the necessities.
6. What is the message of the World War II poster on this assignment's blog posting? Why was this message important?
The message of the World War II poster is that when you dont carpool, you drive alone, that you are helping Hitler out, you are wasting gasoline. The message was important because it got Americans to stop wasting gas so it gave our soldiers overseas more gas to use.
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