<Tr> <Td> <Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> <P> The nuclear arms race was a competition for supremacy in nuclear warfare between the United States, the Soviet Union, and their respective allies during the Cold War . During this period, in addition to the American and Soviet nuclear stockpiles, other countries developed nuclear weapons, though none engaged in warhead production on nearly the same scale as the two superpowers . </P> <P> The first nuclear weapon was created by the U.S. during the Second World War and was developed to be used against the Axis powers . Scientists of the Soviet Union were aware of the potential of nuclear weapons and had also been conducting research on the field . </P>

When did the nuclear arms race begin and end