Advances in Military Technology

Atomic and Nuclear Weapons

• Manhattan Project to Develop atomic bomb

• 2 bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during WWII

• US later developed hydrogen fusion bomb

• 1952 tested 1st hydrogen bomb in Pacific

Nuclear attack

• Nuclear bombs could be dropped by planes (B29 Superfortress designed with this in mind)

• Nuclear missiles could also be launched from underground ‘silos’

• Nuclear missiles or torpedoes could also be launched from submarines

• Nuclear shells to be fired from cannon were also developed

Rockets

• Werner Von Braun had worked on V1 and V2 Rockets in Germany during World War II

• After war Von Braun brought to US to help work on rockets and missiles

• Medium range: Snark, Corporal, Pershing Missiles

Later developments in rocket technology

• Minuteman rocket developed in 1962

• Minuteman used computer guidance system to reach its target

• Polaris and Poseidon missiles developed in 1960s

ICBMs

• Inter Continental Ballistic Missiles were also developed

• Some to be launched from underground silos

• Later also could be launched from submarines

• Atlas, Titan rockets developed in in 1950s

Multiple Warheads

• USA developed missiles with multiple warheads

• Peacekeeper missile had range of over 5,000 miles

Cruise Missiles

• Cruise missiles had computer guidance system to help them reach their targets

• Flew at low altitudes in order to avoid the radar

• Could carry conventional or nuclear warheads

Nuclear submarines

• Nuclear submarines used nuclear reactors for their power but could also launch nuclear missiles

• Polaris developed in 1960s

• Poseidon later developed

• Trident in 1980s

Early Warning Systems

• Both USA and USSR wanted to know as soon as possible of a nuclear attack in the event that it happened

• US and Canada developed Distant Early Warning System (DEWS) (line of radar stations)

• Also the Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS)

Satellites• Sattellites developed for

military as well as civilian use• 1960 Satellite and Missile

Observation Satellite (SAMOS) launched by US

• Satellites could be used as part of early warning system

• Satellites could also be used for spying

• Satellites also use for global position systems which has lots of mililtary applications

• In 1980s Reagan launched Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) or ‘Star Wars’ to develop a defence from space

Planes

• Planes could be used for bombing, attack, reconaissance, spying, carrying troops, supplies and so on

• Fighters, bombers, transport, reconaissance aircraft all developed by USA

Advances in Aircraft technology

• Jet engines developed at the end of WWII

• F86 Sabre in 1950s• Supersonic jets

developed in 1950s• U2 spy plane used to

photograph launch sites in Cuba leading to Cuban Missile Crisis

Helicopters

• Helicopters could be used to carry troops and equipment, observation, rescue

• Attack helicopters with machine guns or missiles also developed

• Huey• Blackhawk

• Tomahawk

Conventional Weapons

• Tanks• Battleships• Aircraft carriers• Submarines• Aircraft• Helicopters• Drones• Supersonic air to air

missiles • (e.g. Sidewinder,

Phoenix, Falcon)

Military Spending

• Huge amounts of money are spent by US government on military technology and weaponry

• In 1950 $12 billion of $40 billion government spending was on military

• Many employed in industries connected to military technology and weaponry

Big corporations and military contracts

• Big corporations could get very lucrative contracts providing technology and weaponry to the military

• IBM provided computers• General Electric, Boeing,

Lockheed Martin all involved in providing missiles

• Other companies involved in tanks, planes, ships, weapons etc…

Military Industrial Complex

• Eisenhower referred to ‘military-industrial complex’ in 1961 to describe this connection between military spending and industry

• He was worried about the relationship between some in the military and industry

Concern about the Military-Industrial Complex

• Both the military and the industries that supplied them had an interest in increased military spending

• Politicians from areas where industries supplying the military were based also favoured increased spending as it provided jobs for their voters

• Together they formed a powerful lobby that politicians would find hard to resist

• Eisenhower was concerned that they would fuel the cold war and fear of attack in order to encourage military spending