Cold War Timeline. From 1945 to 1991, the Cold War dominated international affairs. The global competition between the United States and the Soviet Union took many forms. But overshading all was the threat of nuclear war. Submarine & Cold War History


Submarines have a long history before the Cold War began in the 1940s. The first American example was built during the Revolution, and the first successful sinking of a surface vessel by a submarine dates to the Civil War. However, the development of the nuclear-powered submarine in the 1950s by the United States and its incorporation into the strategic triad of defensive weapons altered global politics significantly, and its presence in the world's waters remains a powerful deterrent to nuclear warfare today.

Copyright © 2000, The National Museum of American History
Submarines Before Nuclear Power. American attempts to develop underwater boats achieved some success during the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. Unfortunately such boats usually proved more dangerous to their crews than their targets.
Submarines have a long history before the Cold War began in the 1940s. The first American example was built during the Revolution, and the first successful sinking of a surface vessel by a submarine dates to the Civil War. However, the development of the nuclear-powered submarine in the 1950s by the United States and its incorporation into the strategic triad of defensive weapons altered global politics significantly, and its presence in the world's waters remains a powerful deterrent to nuclear warfare today.