What was the major motivator of the arms race during the Cold War?

A. Both the Soviet Union and the United States worried that the other

would build up a larger nuclear arsenal.

O

B. The Cuban Missile Crisis demonstrated the importance of nuclear

missiles to all countries' military strategies.

O

C. International proxy wars became so frequent that nearly all

countries built up massive military forces.

O

D. The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan forced the United States to

defend the Middle East as well as Asia and Africa.

The right answer here is:

A. Both the Soviet Union and the United States worried that the other

would build up a larger nuclear arsenal.

Explanation:

During the two-superpower world competition that was the Cold War, each side always worried that the other side would enjoy military superiority, especially nuclear superiority. In a zero-sum world system, this was considered a serious, dangerous disadvantage, and in this situation, the country that had the edge could be tempted to use the nuclear weapons first. The arms race followed a strategic reasoning called MAD, or Mutual Assured Destruction. Actually, the posession of nuclear missiles and bombs were rather intented as a tool of deterrence.