Final answer:
Technology escalated Cold War tensions by fueling the arms race with nuclear developments and the space race after the Soviet Union's launch of Sputnik. It led to intense scientific competition, espionage, and an urgent push for technological advancement in the U.S.
Step-by-step explanation:
Technology played a pivotal role in escalating tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War. The race for technological supremacy, especially in the fields of arms development and the space race, was a key arena in which the ideological conflict between the two superpowers played out. After the Soviet Union launched Sputnik in 1957, becoming the first country to send a man-made satellite into space, the United States perceived a technological gap, particularly in the realm of intercontinental missile technology which had the potential for military application. This ignited a sense of urgency within the U.S. to promote scientific advancement, resulting in Congress passing the National Defense Education Act to bolster education in science and mathematics.
The arms race involved stockpiling nuclear warheads and developing intercontinental ballistic missiles, which could strike enemy territory with devastating power. Both nations also engaged in espionage with the intention of gaining embedded technology and intelligence insights. Furthermore, the U.S. focused on preventing the spread of communism, which permeated through both domestic policies and foreign strategies, including support of opposition forces in countries where the Soviet Union aided socialist or communist movements, such as in Vietnam and Afghanistan.