The Cold War and Space Race 1960s – JFK The Cold War and Space Race

John F. Kennedy – 1961-1963 Wealthy, Catholic, Young, Democrat, Popular Beat Eisenhower’s VP – Nixon in the 1960 Election 1st televised debate Assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald

Domestic Policies “New Frontier” Medical care for elderly Rebuild urban areas Education – focus on math and science Increase international aid Expand space program Lack of congressional support Small democratic majority Most legislation doesn’t pass

Space Race 1957 – Soviets launch Sputnik 1961 – Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin – 1st man to orbit Earth May 1961 – Alan Shepard – 1st American launched into space 1961 – JFK promised to be the 1st to the moon Construction of space centers in FL and TX 1962 – John Glenn becomes 1st American to orbit Earth July 20, 1969 – Apollo 11 1st successful moon landing Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin

Foreign Policies “Flexible response” – built up military instead of focusing on nuclear weapons – Special Forces, challenged Ike’s “massive retaliation” Alliances for Progress – aid program in Latin American - $20billion to build schools, housing, hospitals – lots of corruption Peace Corps – help less developed nations fight poverty 2 years Specialize in – agriculture, irrigation, sewage treatment, healthcare Promote democracy and American influence Remains one of the most lasting legacies of JFK’s presidency

Limited Test Ban Treaty - 1963 Signed by Khrushchev and JFK End to all nuclear tests in the atmosphere, outer space and under water All tests of nuclear weapons conducted underground 800 m underground = 875 yards 600m wide crater = 656 yards

Cold War Crises 1. Bay of Pigs Invasion 2. Cuban Missile Crisis 3. Berlin Wall

Bay of Pigs Invasion *Fidel Castro – 1959 - overthrows gov’t and replaces it with communist gov’t *Backed by the USSR, mass public trials and executions, US owned ½ the sugar plantations in Cuba April 1961 – US supported 1200 trained Cuban exiles to attack southern Cuba – Bay of Pigs All forces killed or captured by Castro’s military US looks weak and disorganized Castro stays in power

Cuban Missile Crisis Most tense period of the Cold war – Oct 16-28 1962 – 13 days Spy planes took photos of Soviet missiles in Cuba – could reach US in 3 minutes = HUGE threat JFK – If attacked – all out nuclear retaliation against the Soviets Seized any ships going in/out of Cuba Agreement reached after series of conversations between JFK & Khrushchev Soviets disarm and take home missiles US would remove missiles from Turkey & never invade Cuba 90 miles from US Closest we ever came to war with USSR

The Berlin Wall 3 million East Germans(USSR) had fled into West Berlin(US) to escape communist rule since the 1948 Berlin Airlift *August 13, 1961 – Soviets began construction of a 90 mile wall separating E and W Berlin *Symbol of the division of democracy and communism as well as Soviet oppression Death strip