073 The Race to Space - One Minute History

Post-WWII, the US, UK, and Soviet Union sought to recruit German rocket scientists to gain technological advantages. The US hired Wernher von Braun, while the Soviets occupied Berlin's rocket center. In 1949, the Soviet Union developed nuclear capabilities, ending the US monopoly on atomic weapons. This led to a nuclear and conventional arms race, extending into space exploration. The US announced plans for an Earth-orbiting satellite, prompting the Soviets to declare their own satellite ambitions, marking the start of the space race.

Which German rocket scientist was recruited by the United States after World War II?

• Albert Einstein

• Wernher von Braun

• Sergei Kuroloff

• Niels Bohr

What significant event marked the Soviet Union's entry into the nuclear age?

• The launch of Sputnik

• The fall of the Berlin Wall

• The signing of the Non-Proliferation Treaty

• The detonation of their first atomic bomb

Which part of Berlin did the Soviets occupy after World War II?

• Western Berlin

• Northern Berlin

• Eastern Berlin

• Southern Berlin

What was the primary focus of the arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union?

• Economic development

• Space exploration

• Cultural exchange programs

• Conventional and nuclear weapons

What did the United States announce that escalated the space race?

• Plans to land on the Moon

• Plans to send a manned mission to Mars

• Plans to launch an Earth-orbiting satellite

• Plans to build a space station