1. With reference to the arms challenge by USSR, US responded by developing new military weapons and building more armaments.
• After the Second World War, Stalin was determined to make his country into a super power with nuclear capacity to compete with US. In 1949, the USSR exploded her first atomic bomb and became a nuclear power. In 1957, the USSR developed Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM) which could be fired from thousands miles away.
• In response to the arms challenges by USSR, US responded by developing more advanced weapons than USSR and building a huge amount of them e.g. after USSR exploded the atomic bomb, US made the first hydrogen bomb. Also, after the USSR developed (ICBM) in 1957, US developed more ICBMS and warheads during 1958 -61.
• To conclude, it was USSR started the arm race and this made US response by building more armaments.
2. With reference to the spread of communism in the Eastern Europe by USSR, US responded by adopting the policy of containment.
• A civil war between the Greek government and the communist rebels broke out in Greece in 1946. The Soviet Satellites soon came to the aid of the rebels. Also, when Britain withdrew her troop from Greece, it left a power vacuum in the eastern Mediterranean and made Stalin turn his eye to Turkey. He even demanded a base in Dardanelles.
• In response to the spread of communism the eastern Europe, the US government gave up her traditional isolation policy and made a firm stand to check communism in the Truman Doctrine in 1947. She would also help countries threatened by communism in the form of economic and military aid e.g. US carried out the Marshall Plan in 1947 and offered massive economic aid to Europe.
3. With reference to the Berlin Blockade by USSR, US responded by forming a long-term military alliance to check USSR.
• In 1948, the Soviet Union cut all the land