JFK and the Cold War

Flexible Response Global instability Soviet Union supported “wars of national liberation” Kennedy felt Eisenhower relied too heavily on nuclear weapons Flexible Response- aid to nations resisting communism Build-up of troops Build-up of conventional weapons JFK expanded Special Forces, elite army unit to wage guerilla warfare in limited conflicts

Alliance for Progress Latin Americans unfriendly towards US US too involved in Latin Governments US corporations seen as imperialists Alliance for Progress- cooperative aid projects with Latin American governments to improve relations Create a “free and prosperous Latin America” More stability Less likely to support Communist revolutions US pledged $20 billion to help LA countries Establish schools Better housing Health care Land distribution Worked in Chile, Columbia, Venezuela, Central American Republics Other rulers used money to keep themselves in power (funded weapons, dictatorships, etc.)

Peace Corps Started at University of Michigan in Ann Arbor Peace Corps- Organization sent Americans to provide humanitarian services in less-developed nations Training Two years in countries that requested assistance Laid out sewage systems Trained medical technicians Taught English Built roads Still active today- one of Kennedy’s most enduring legacies

Space Race Yuri Gagarin, 1961 (USSR astronaut)- first person to orbit Earth USSR beat US in Space Race again (Sputnik 1957) US can’t allow world to think Communism is better than Capitalism JFK sets goal to land on the moon by end of the decade Increased space technology development John Glenn, 1962- first American to orbit Earth 1965, Apollo Missions begin 1969, Neil Armstrong, Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, and Michael Collins headed to the moon Armstrong- first man to walk on the moon “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind Demonstrated US technological superiority over the Soviet Union

Bay of Pigs Fidel Castro overthrows Cuban dictator, 1959 Establishes ties with Soviet Union- Khruschev wants to strengthen Cuba’s military Land reforms Seized foreign-owned businesses (many American-owned) Eisenhower ordered CIA to train Cuban exiles to invade Cuba JFK approved invasion  April 1961 armed Cuban exiles invaded the Bay of Pigs (southern Cuba) Disaster Boats ran aground Kennedy cancelled air support to keep invasion a secret Castro’s forces killed or captured the invaders Exposed US plan to overthrow neighboring government Made US look weak and disorganized

Berlin Wall, June 1961 Nikita Khruschev (USSR leader) wanted to stop East Germans (Soviet Zone) from leaving to go to West Berlin (US/French/British Zone) Khruschev demanded Allies withdraw from Berlin because it was entirely in the Soviet Zone Kennedy refused and reaffirmed West’s commitment to West Berlin Khruschev built Berlin Wall through Berlin, blocked movement between East and West Berlin Guards stationed along the wall, shot people trying to escape Symbol of Cold War divisions

Cuban Missile Crisis, 1962 USSR place long-range missiles in Cuba Cuba only 90 miles from Florida  dangerous threat JFK orders: Naval blockade to stop delivery of missiles Existing missile sites dismantled Warned against Soviet attack on US soil  full-scale response Soviets didn’t meet Kennedy’s demands  fear of nuclear war Secret negotiations between US and USSR US secretly agreed to remove missiles from Turkey US publicly promised not to invade Cuba USSR removed missiles from Cuba Forced US and USSR to consider consequences of nuclear war 1963 Treaty between US and USSR banning nuclear testing USSR seen as weak  Khruschev falls from power  dramatic military build-up in USSR to regain might