Arms Race and Election of Kennedy THE COLD WAR IN THE 1950’S
Arms Race and Election of Kennedy
THE COLD WAR IN THE 1950 ’S
Objectives Today
Define and describe the concept of the arms race
List some of the technological advancements of the Cold War arms race
Describe television’s role in the election of President Kennedy
Explain U.S. involvement in the Bay of Pigs invasion
Arms Race
What was the Arms Race
Arms Race - international contest between countries seeking a military advantage over each other
Cold War participants
Roughly the same technology, but concerned
Stockpiled weapons and developed new ways to deliver
U.S. in the Arms Race
Eisenhower tried to cut back on traditional forces
Reliance on nuclear weapons
Developing new delivery systems for nuclear weapons (H-Bomb)
B-52 Bomber
Could strike anywhere in the world
ICBM
Inter Continental Ballistic Missiles
Range of thousands of miles
Attach a Nuclear Warhead
Soviet ICBM
Nuclear Powered Submarines
Could travel for months at a time
High speeds underwater
Equipped with Nuclear Missiles
Missile from Submarine
Nuclear Power in 1950s
Soviet Union Arms Race
The Soviets lagged behind in the number of weapons
Their missiles could travel further and be just as destructive
Soviets launch Sputnik in 1957 – the first artificial satellite sent into orbit
Sputnik 2
Soviets in Space
The launch of Sputnik caused concern in the U.S.
Had Soviet science skill and knowledge surpassed the Americans?
What was wrong with American schools?Major education funding laws are passedU.S. launched satellite in 1958NASA created in 1958 – agency devoted to
space exploration
American Public
American public became more aware of potential for nuclear attack
Nuclear fallout – streams of radioactive particles produced by a nuclear explosion
Fallout causes burns and increases risk of health problems like cancers and birth defects
American Public
Truman creates FCDA – Federal Civil Defense Administration
To educate and prepare the public for nuclear attacks
Message to citizens: be ready to handle a crisis on your own
Air Raid Sirens in communitiesBomb Shelters in backyardsBooklets and filmsDuck and Cover with Bert the Turtle
John F. Kennedy
1960 Election
Kennedy vs. Nixon
1960 ElectionNixon and his relationship with Eisenhower
represented America’s pastKennedy represented the futureKennedy spoke of “New Frontiers” – mind,
will, spirit of manKennedy claimed U.S. had fallen behind
Soviets in nuclear weaponsKennedy claimed 1950’s prosperity was not
reaching the poor
Televised Debates
1960 Presidential debates represent the first time they had ever been televised.
Watch and see who looked betterDebates Kennedy’s looks gave him a slight advantage
in debatesKennedy wins election narrowly in popular
voteHe assembles a new, young, brilliant staff of
advisers
Bay of Pigs
Bay of Pigs
Fidel Castro had taken over Cuba in 1959, seized U.S. businesses there, and in 1960 signed a trade agreement with the Soviets
Before leaving office, Eisenhower had authorized the CIA to train 1,500 Cuban exiles in Central America
The goal was to invade and destroy the communist dictator’s regime
The decision fell to Kennedy and he ultimately ordered the invasion to protect Latin America Video
Bay of Pigs
1961 invasion was a horrific failureKennedy denied involvement publicly even as
U.S. bombers failed to destroy Cuban Air Force
The invasion in April of 1961 did not take Castro by surprise. His forces captured the invading force.
Instead of breaking communism so close to U.S., the Bay of Pigs actually solidified Castro to the Soviet Union.
Cuban Missile Crisis
Next time we meet, we will be having a policy discussion on the Cuban Missile Crisis
Your homework is to read the handouts that provide background for the crisis.
Homework
Read handouts on the Cuban Missile Crisis in preparation for policy discussions in the next time we meet.