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

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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

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

9. Bay of Pigs Invasion
*Fidel Castro – 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

10. Cuban Missile Crisis
Most tense period of the Cold war – Oct – 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

12. 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