A Level History chapter 7: A Level: The nuclear arms race, 1945-1991 (exams to Nov 2026) MCQs with answers
By Team Megalecture · Updated 4 Nov 2026
28 exam-style questions on A Level: The nuclear arms race, 1945-1991 (exams to Nov 2026), each with the answer and a short explanation. Ten of them are below to try. The chapter test draws ten fresh questions each time and is marked the moment you finish, with your score by topic.
The development of the nuclear arms race9 questions
The impact of the arms race on US-Soviet relations9 questions
Attempts to control nuclear weapons10 questions
Ten A Level: The nuclear arms race, 1945-1991 (exams to Nov 2026) questions with answers
Try each one, then open the answer. These ten stay the same; the test draws new ones every time.
1. What did the Partial Test Ban Treaty of 1963 ban?
A
all nuclear tests, including those carried out underground
B
nuclear tests in the atmosphere, in outer space and underwater
C
the building of new missiles
D
the spread of nuclear weapons to states that did not have them
Show answer
Answer: B. Underground tests were still allowed, and France and China did not sign. Non-proliferation was the aim of the 1968 NPT.
2. How did espionage contribute to the Soviet atomic bomb?
A
the USSR bought the design from British scientists after the war
B
the USA shared its designs after Potsdam
C
spies such as Klaus Fuchs passed on Manhattan Project secrets
D
German scientists built the Soviet bomb alone
Show answer
Answer: C. Intelligence from Fuchs and others helped speed up the Soviet programme, although Soviet scientists did the main work.
3. Why did the launch of Sputnik in October 1957 alarm the USA?
A
it carried a nuclear weapon into orbit above the USA
B
it spied on US missile sites
C
it was launched from Cuba
D
it showed the USSR had rockets able to reach the USA
Show answer
Answer: D. Sputnik followed the first Soviet ICBM test. The USA feared it had fallen behind, which fed the 'missile gap' debate.
4. What happened to the SALT II treaty signed in June 1979?
A
it was ratified by both sides and fully enforced until Reagan left office
B
it was replaced by a new START treaty in 1980
C
the Senate never ratified it, and Carter withdrew it after Afghanistan
D
it was rejected by the Soviet Politburo under Andropov
Show answer
Answer: C. Carter asked the Senate to delay ratification in January 1980. Both sides broadly observed its limits for some years anyway.
5. In which year did the USSR test its first atomic bomb, ending the US monopoly?
A
1945
B
1949
C
1952
D
1957
Show answer
Answer: B. The Soviet test of August 1949 shocked the USA and led Truman to approve work on the hydrogen bomb.
6. What does Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) mean?
A
each side could destroy the other even after being attacked first
B
each side agreed to destroy part of its weapons each year
C
only the USA could destroy the USSR, because of its bases in Europe
D
both sides planned to strike first to win a nuclear war
Show answer
Answer: A. MAD rested on a secure second-strike capability. It gave both sides a strong reason to avoid nuclear war.
7. What was the main difference between the hydrogen bomb and the atomic bomb?
A
the H-bomb used nuclear fusion and could be far more powerful
B
the H-bomb could only be delivered by submarine or long-range missile
C
the H-bomb was smaller and less powerful
D
the H-bomb did not produce fallout
Show answer
Answer: A. Fission bombs destroyed cities; thermonuclear fusion weapons could be hundreds of times stronger. The USA tested one in 1952 and the USSR soon followed.
8. Why were submarine-launched missiles such as Polaris (1960) important for deterrence?
A
they were cheaper to build and run than long-range bombers
B
they could not carry nuclear warheads, so they were not provocative
C
they were hard to find and destroy, so a second strike was assured
D
they could be launched only in wartime
Show answer
Answer: C. A hidden submarine force meant an enemy first strike could not destroy all retaliatory weapons, which strengthened mutual deterrence.
9. How did the USSR respond to its strategic weakness revealed in 1962?
A
it withdrew from the arms race to focus on the economy
B
it signed a new military alliance with China against the USA and NATO
C
it built up its missiles and reached rough parity by about 1970
D
it moved its missiles from Cuba to East Germany
Show answer
Answer: C. The large Soviet build-up of the 1960s produced approximate parity, which made arms control talks such as SALT possible.
10. What was NATO's 'dual-track' decision of December 1979?
A
to keep nuclear weapons only in the USA and withdraw from Europe
B
to deploy new missiles in Europe unless an arms deal was reached
C
to join the Warsaw Pact in talks on conventional forces only
D
to divide Europe into two nuclear zones
Show answer
Answer: B. The plan was to deploy Pershing II and cruise missiles from 1983 while negotiating limits, which provoked large protests in Western Europe.
A Level: The nuclear arms race, 1945-1991 (exams to Nov 2026): questions students ask
How many A Level: The nuclear arms race, 1945-1991 (exams to Nov 2026) MCQs are there?
28, each with the answer and a short explanation, across 3 topics: The development of the nuclear arms race, The impact of the arms race on US-Soviet relations, Attempts to control nuclear weapons. Every chapter test draws ten of them, so you can take it many times.
Is the A Level History chapter 7 test free?
Yes. The test, the answers and the explanations are free and need no sign-up. Sign in only if you want your scores kept across devices.
How is the chapter test marked?
The moment you press Finish: your score, the right answer and an explanation for every question, and the ones you got wrong saved in My mistakes to retry.
