\ Chapter III \ THE ATOMIC BOME AND SOVIET-AINERICAN RELATIONS By Arnold Wolfers ~ As the Second World War drew to a close andthe et™ipse of German and Japanese power became certain, two new and harassing problems began to throw their shadow over the international scene: one, the future relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union; the other, the atomic bomb, Together they aroused in a war weary world the horrifying thought that failure to cope with them properly might lead to a third world war, anc an atomic war at that, Yihether there exists today any direct connection between the difficulties besetting American-Soviet understanding and the American possession of atomic power may be doubted. If the Soviet leaders are disturbed by the increase of American military strength caused by the bomb or if they have been rendered more suspicious of American intentions because Russia has been excludedfrom the secrets surrounding atomic production, they have, in public utterances at least, given little expression to their feelings, The troubles which beset the states- men and diplomats of the two countries in the matter of settling disputes antedate the atomic bomb; if they have increased in recent times, the termination of hostilities against the common enemy offers sufficient explanation. Even so, the possession--now by one, later in all probability by both of these two giant powers--of a weapon with the destructive power of the atomic bomb cannot but profoundly affect their relations. Modern technological advances in the field of aviation: and of rocket weapons have drawn the United States and the Soviet Union into military propinquity; they are now in a position to strike at each other from their home bases. What such proximity can do to the relations between nations the history of Europe over the past, centuries only too clearly -90-~