Final answer:
Brinkmanship during the Cold War pushed the US and Soviet Union to the edge of nuclear war in scenarios such as the Cuban Missile Crisis, prompting both to amass vast, deadly arsenals under the policy of deterrence to maintain strategic advantage, leading to an ongoing arms race.
Step-by-step explanation:
Brinkmanship was a policy adopted during the Cold War that involved pushing a dangerous situation to the brink of disaster (to the threshold of nuclear war) to achieve the most advantageous outcome. It led directly to an arms race between the US and the Soviet Union as each side sought to maintain or gain a strategic advantage. During the Cuban Missile Crisis, for example, the world witnessed brinkmanship in action. Both countries had nuclear weapons ready and were approaching the point of no return. However, the successful resolution of this crisis led to increased communication and treaties such as the Limited Test Ban Treaty.
The policy of deterrence was also a product of brinkmanship, with both nations amassing such a vast and deadly arsenal of weapons that neither dared to attack the other for fear of mutually assured destruction (MAD). By constantly increasing their nuclear capabilities, the US and Soviet Union propelled the arms race forward. The introduction of intercontinental ballistic missiles and nuclear submarines further escalated the tension.
The arms race continued even after confrontations like the Cuban Missile Crisis, with both nations focusing on growing their arsenal of weapons to secure political and strategic dominance. This persistent one-upmanship drove the exponential increase of nuclear armament during the Cold War.