Research:

Investigate the key military events of the Cold War during the period of the late 1950's. What military developments sparked tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union at that time? Concentrate on the arms race and the space race. What were the U.S. and Soviet Union doing with their armed forces (both manpower and weaponry)? View these events against the backdrop of both superpowers establishing far-reaching espionage networks and spy systems at the same time. (Why would they do that?) Were the American people were kept informed of these events?

Write:

Prepare a 1-2 page summary of military events during this period. Use broad brush strokes to paint a picture of the cold war scene. Steer away from writing about political developments of the time; focus on tensions between the superpowers expressed in military ways, through development and deployment of new weapons and exploration of space.