Cold War Naval Operations and the Titanic

In the early 1980s, Cold War tensions were high, and President Reagan prioritized military challenges against the Soviets. Robert Ballard proposed using his video technology, initially developed to find the Titanic, to gather intelligence on the ocean floor. The Navy, interested in this technology, tasked Ballard with investigating two sunken nuclear submarines from the 1960s, the Thresher and the Scorpion. These missions were to be kept secret to prevent Soviet discovery. In return for his work, Ballard was allowed to use any remaining time to search for the Titanic. This collaboration led to Ballard becoming an undercover agent for the Navy, focusing on ocean floor exploration.

What was President Ronald Reagan's primary military challenge during the early 1980s?

• To focus on domestic issues

• To reduce military spending

• To challenge the Soviets everywhere

• To improve relations with the Soviet Union

What was the initial purpose of Ballard's video technology?

• To map the ocean floor

• To find the Titanic

• To explore marine life

• To improve sonar technology

What was the Navy's main interest in Ballard's technology?

• To improve fishing techniques

• To study ocean currents

• To enhance underwater communication

• To search, find, and recover lost objects

Why was the Navy interested in Ballard's video technology?

• It was faster than existing technology

• It was cheaper than sonar

• It could gather intelligence on the ocean floor

• It could help in marine biology research

What limitation did traditional sonar technology have?

• It was not reliable in deep waters

• It was too expensive

• It was too slow

• It couldn't distinguish between rocks and metal

What were the names of the two sunken nuclear submarines Ballard was tasked to investigate?

• Los Angeles and Ohio

• Enterprise and Columbia

• Thresher and Scorpion

• Nautilus and Seawolf

Why did the Navy want to keep Ballard's expedition secret?

• To protect marine life

• To test new technology

• To prevent the Soviet Union from finding the submarines

• To avoid public panic

What condition did Ballard set for agreeing to the Navy's mission?

• He wanted to choose his own team

• He wanted a public acknowledgment

• He wanted to search for the Titanic if time allowed

• He wanted more funding

What role did Ballard assume after agreeing to the Navy's mission?

• A sonar technician

• A civilian contractor

• A marine biologist

• An undercover agent

What was the outcome of Ballard's agreement with the Navy?

• He was able to search for the Titanic after completing the Navy's mission

• He was only allowed to work on the Navy's mission

• He received no funding

• He was given a public award