At the end of WWII, the development of the atomic bomb changed the political landscape. During the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union went into an arms race, which changed the way the United States engaged in diplomacy with foreign countries which possessed nuclear weapons. While the Cold War and the arms race ended at the beginning of the modern age, Americans still face nuclear threats from other countries including Iran, Russian Federation, and North Korea. Through an examination of the history of changes to politics and international relations during the atomic age, one could learn more about the effects nuclear weapons brought to the United States and the world.