2. Chapter 15-2 JFK and the Cold War
I.                 Kennedy Confronts Global Challenges.
A.After Eisenhower completes his term, Kennedy becomes President 1961.
1.      A More Flexible Response:
A. Kennedy felt that Eisenhower had relied too heavily on nuclear weapons, which could only be used in extreme situations. Kennedy pushed for a more flexible response to assist nations that needed help against Communist movements, it was a buildup of conventional weapons and troops. He supported the Special Forces to wage guerrilla warfare in limited conflicts. “Green Beret”.

3. 1. Aid to other countries 1. To improve relations between the U. S
1.      Aid to other countries 1.      To improve relations between the U.S. and Latin American countries, Kennedy proposed an Alliance for Progress, cooperative aid projects with Latin American governments. It was designed to create a free and prosperous Latin America, less likely to support Communist revolutions.  

4. 1.      The U.S. gave 20 billion, in some countries it helped in other countries the governing rulers used the money to keep themselves in power.
2.      Pres. Kennedy set up the Peace Corps. It sent young Americans to less developed nations to perform humanitarian services.
3.      Cold War and Space: a soviet was first person to orbit the earth. In 1962 John Glenn first American to orbit the earth. Neal Armstrong walks on moon July 16, America had won the space race and demonstrated its technological superiority over the Soviet Union.

5. I.                 Crises of the Cold War.
A.Bay of Pigs.
1.      Occurred in Cuba
2.      Fidel Castro had overthrown the corrupt Cuban dictator Batista in 1959.
3.      Castro established ties with the Soviets.
4.      Seized foreign owned businesses, some American’s.
5.      American’s are worried, now the Soviets are as close as Cuba.
6.      Eisenhower had allowed the CIA to secretly train and arm Cuban exiles, to invade the Island. The invasion was intended to ignite a popular uprising against Castro.

6. 1.      When Kennedy entered office he went along with the plan.
2.      Cuban exiles, armed land at the Bay of Pigs on the so. Coast of Cuba.
3.      The invasion was a disaster. The uprising never happened.
4.      Almost all the exiles were killed or captured by Castro’s forces.
5.      *****This action exposed an American plot to overthrow a neighbor’s government and made the U.S. look weak and disorganized.

8. A.The Berlin Wall Goes up.
1.      Kennedy meets with Khrushchev in Vienna, 1961
2.      Khrushchev wants to stop Germans from leaving E. Germany to go to W. Berlin. He wanted the Allies to leave the city of Berlin, because it was in E. Germany.
3.      Kennedy refuses to leave Berlin.
4.      Khrushchev builds a wall through Berlin sealing off the Soviet sector.
5.      Guards shot anyone trying to leave.
6.      Wall stood for almost 30 years.

10. A.The Cuban Missile Crisis
1.      The most terrifying crisis of the Kennedy era.
2.      CIA learns the Soviets have technicians and equipment in Cuba.
3.      Kennedy announced on T.V. that the Soviets had long-range missiles in Cuba.
4.      Kennedy ordered a Naval blockade to stop the Soviets from delivering more missiles to Cuba and demanded that the Soviets dismantle existing missile sites.
Soviet ships headed toward the blockade and Americans braced themselves for war.

11. 1. A deal was made after secret negotiations
1.      A deal was made after secret negotiations. The Soviets would remove the missiles if the U.S. promised not to invade Cuba and remove missiles from Turkey. Kennedy publicly agreed to not invade Cuba and privately agreed to remove the missiles from Turkey. The Cuban missile Crisis was over.