Kennedy and the Cold War Mr. Williams 10 th Grade U.S. History

What was Truman’s Cold War strategy? Example? What was Eisenhower’s Cold War Strategy? Example? What effect did Eisenhower’s strategy have on Americans at home?

“Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans—born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace…Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival of liberty.”

Flexible Response Strengthening conventional American forces so the nation would have other options than nuclear weapons in time of crisis This can be seen as a combination of Eisenhower’s military buildup and Truman’s containment

Peace Corps-Trains and sends volunteers to Africa, Asia, and Latin America to serve for two years as educators, health care workers, and agricultural advisers Alliance for Progress-Offered billions of dollars in aid to build schools, hospitals, roads, low-cost housing, and power plants in Latin America

1961 Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin becomes the first person to orbit the Earth. Alan Shepard, Jr. becomes the first American astronaut in space John Glenn Jr. (from Ohio) becomes the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth The first woman in space is Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova Fire kills astronauts Roger Chafee, Virgil Grissom, and Edward White The United States launches Apollo 8, the first manned space mission to orbit the moon 1969 U.S. astronauts of Apollo 11, Neil Armstrong (from Ohio), Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, and Michael Collins make it to the moon. Armstrong is the first man to walk on the moon, followed by Aldrin.

Origins of Vietnam War After France signed a treaty with Vietnam the country was split into two halves: North-Communist, South-Democratic 1956 was supposed to be a free election in the south BUT Eisenhower felt this was dangerous

“You have a row of dominoes set up, you knock over the first one, and what will happen to the last one is the certainty that it will go over very quickly….the possible consequences of the loss are just incalculable to the free world.” -Eisenhower April 7, 1954

Fidel Castro and Cuban Revolution Castro took power in Cuba in 1959 Gained power by promising to restore people’s rights and freedom Government seized businesses, he began making anti-American speeches: Eisenhower responded with an economic and diplomatic embargo against the Cuba

Bay of Pigs Incident Kennedy considered Castro’s communism a threat to all of Latin America even attacking Eisenhower for not being tougher on Castro during campaign Since the 1950s CIA had secretly been training 1,500 Cuban exiles in order to invade Cuba

April 15, 1961 an air strike failed to destroy Cuban’s air force Land invasion on April 17 Castro’s troops, warned by air attacks, rushed to the scene and after 3 days of fighting nearly 1,200 survivors were captured and put in prison Kennedy paid $52 million in food and medical aid to Cuba in exchange

Nikita Khrushchev Stalin died in March of 1953 and Khrushchev became successor Freed many political prisoners but continued rivalry with U.S. ALSO: crushed rebellions in satellite states of Poland and Hungary

Cause for Concern? “We will bury capitalism…Your grandchildren will live under communism.” - Khrushchev in 1957 after the launch of Sputnik 1960: American U-2 spy plane shot down over the U.S.S.R.

Berlin Crisis June 1961, Kennedy and Khrushchev meet in Vienna Khrushchev demanded that U.S. withdraw from West Berlin 200,000 East Germans in this year alone escaped to West

Berlin Wall April 13, ,000 East German soldiers put in place to close crossing points between East and West Berlin This became a high concrete wall with barbed wire, soldiers, dogs, etc. on either side spanning 100 miles around West Berlin

“There are many people in the world who really don’t understand…the great issue between the free world and the communist world. Let them come to Berlin. There are some who say that communism is the wave of the future. Let them come to Berlin. And there are some who say in Europe and elsewhere we can work with the communists. Let them come to Berlin.” –Kennedy June 26,1963

Cuban Missile Crisis October 1962 Spy planes find long-range missiles placed in Cuban by the U.S.S.R. Kennedy orders Naval Blockade For 13 Days the whole world is afraid that Nuclear War may happen

“Only lunatics…who themselves want to perish and before they die destroy the world, could do this.” -Nikita Krushchev *Agreement reached: U.S.- Pledge to never invade Cuba and remove missiles from Turkey U.S.S.R.-Pull missiles out of Cuba