The Space Race grew out of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet .
Union, the most powerful nations after World War II. For a half-century, the two superpowers .
competed in a global struggle pitting a democratic society against communism. Space was a .
crucial arena for this rivalry. Before a watchful world, each side sought to demonstrate its .
superiority through impressive feats in rocketry and spaceflight. Secret satellites kept an eye on .
the other. At the end of the Cold War, the United States and Russia agreed to build a space .
station and pursue other joint ventures in space. A contest that began in fear has become a .
partnership.
The USSR (Union of Soviet Socialists Republic) and the United States had been .
disagreeing on things since 1917. When World War II ended in 1945, the Cold War .
began. The Cold War was not actually a real war; it was mainly a big competition for military .
leadership. It was more of a political battle than anything else. One of the main disagreements .
between the two countries was on the other's type of government. (The USSR was communist, .
while the U.S. had a democratic government.) During the Cold War, both countries thought that .
the other was trying to expand their form of government in unjust ways. The Soviets would be .
tightly controlling the areas that they thought were important, while the U.S. was trying to .
convince all nations to be independent and democratic.
These disagreements, along with mistrust, rumors, and misunderstanding, started the .
Cold War. In the Cold War, both sides thought their view of everything was right, so each .
wanted to strengthen their military power. As a result of this, many more dangerous.
weapons then necessary were made. Another factor in the Cold War was that no satellites or .
highly advanced form of surveillance was in existence. The only information they could get was .
what the other country told them, and what their spies and spy planes found out.
