“The Evil Empire” — this is how, at the height of the arms race, American President Ronald Reagan called the Soviet Union (Rudolph 1). Not surprisingly, the Soviet Union was also unhappy with the United States. It is this anger that fueled the arms race. During the Cold War, out of fear of nuclear attack, the United States and the Soviet Union designed and deployed thousands of nuclear warheads, each hoping to deter the other from launching a nuclear weapon by threatening a counterattack ( O'Neal 1). This massive buildup of weapons, however, had many negative effects on the United States. To recognize the impact that the arms race continues to have today, it is crucial to understand not only its causes, but also its immediate impacts on the economy, society, foreign policy, environment and technological development of the United States, as well as its long-term consequences. long-term impact on U.S. international security, politics, power and arms sales. To understand the impact of the arms race today, it is important to start by understanding the causes of the arms race. The Cold War began shortly after World War II, and lasted from 1945 to 1991 (Rudolph 1). It began when the wartime alliance between the United States and the Soviet Union collapsed due to the lack of mutual dependence which created the need for cooperation (Snead 1). One of the main objectives or policies of the Cold War required that the United States do everything possible to "contain" the spread of communism. (Rodolph 1). The United States wanted to contain communism due to fears over the Soviet Union, and as a result, communism in general was becoming powerful enough to challenge democracy and even overthrow it. The policy of containment began with the Truman Doctrine in 1947. At this point, the world was divided, with most countries siding with the Soviet Union or the United States (Snead... middle of paper ......America. Ed. Singleton Carl. 3 vols. Salem Press, 1999. Salem History Web, March 14, 2014. Cooper, Mary H. “Arms Sales Researcher.” effects of nuclear tests.": CTBTO Preparatory Commission, nd Web, March 11, 2014. O'neal, Michael J. "Russian nuclear materials, security issues." Ed. K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner. Vol. 3 . Detroit: Gale, 2004. 31-33. Gale Virtual Library, March 14, 2014. Rudolph, Joseph R. “The Cold War.” Ed. Salem History Web. 2014. Snead, David L. “Dictionary of American History” Stanley I. Kutler 2.New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2003. 266-270 Internet.. 2014.