The War in Vietnam — Unit test

Question 1 • MCPSS AL-Grade 6 United States Studies: The Industrial Revolution to the Present - Summer School 2026

What was the “missile gap” identified in the 1950s?

Answer

The USSR, according to a report, was ahead in ICBM technology.

The Soviets had a lot fewer ICBMs than the United States.

The distance ICBMs flew between continents was referred to as a “gap.”

The “gap” referred to the distance between deployed missiles on the ground.

Explanation

The “missile gap” was the belief in the 1950s that the Soviet Union had moved ahead of the United States in intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capability. Reports and political claims raised fears that the USSR had more or better long-range missiles, though later evidence showed the feared gap was exaggerated. So the best answer is that the USSR was reported to be ahead in ICBM technology.

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