The Space Race Soviets exploded atomic bomb in 1949 US entered into race for Hydrogen Bomb US explodes H-Bomb in 1952 Soviets exploded H-Bomb 1953 October 1957- S.U. launches Sputknik 1st artificial satellite U.S. achieves this in 1958

Race to the Moon April 12, 1961- Soviet Yuri Gagarin is the first human in space U.S. does this less than a month later U.S. Space Program takes off NASA- National Aeronautics & Space Administration Expansion of science, technology and consumer goods July 20,1969- U.S. Astronaut Neil Armstrong lands on the moon

U-2 Incident CIA made secret flights over USSR (U-2) Eisenhower and Krushchev plan to hold another summit on 5/15/1960 Dulles convinces Eisenhower to authorize one last flight. Soviets shoot down the plane (5/1/1960) Flown by Francis Gary Powers- sentenced to 10 years 18 months later traded for Soviet spy Renewed Confrontation Eisenhower at first denies the spying and then admits incident Krushchev demands apology Eisenhower says NO! – leads to more tension

The Stormy Sixties 1960-1969

John F. Kennedy Jan. 1961-Nov. 1963 Elected in 1960; Democrat from Mass.; 35th president First Catholic president VP: Lyndon B. Johnson Opponent: Nixon Won by a narrow margin (119,000 votes) “New Frontier” Theme during election U.S. needs to be challenged economically and educationally Worked against inflation Created the Peace Corps (volunteers to help developing nations Promoted space travel Married to Jackie Kennedy His administration was referred to as “Camelot” (a very romantic time)

Cuba Bay of Pigs (April 17, 1961) March of 1960 Pres. Eisenhower authorized the CIA to secretly train Cuban exiles for an invasion of Cuba Hoping to start a revolution and overthrow Fidel Castro Castro = Communist and a friend of the Soviets Kennedy inherited Eisenhower’s plan and approved it to move forward Huge failure and embarrassment to Kennedy and the U.S. Soviet aid increased in Cuba after this event

Berlin Wall Crisis What? August 1961 construction begins Cuts off West Berlin with the western world Authorized by Nikita Khrushchev (Soviet Leader) to stop the flow of refugees from East to West Berlin Why? Stop flow of refugees from East to West Berlin  JFK refused to give up U.S. access to West Berlin This ends the immediate crisis, however, it becomes a haunting symbol of Communist oppression

Cuban Missile Crisis Nikita Khrushchev (S.U.) promised to defend Cuba 1962- increase of weapons from S.U. to Cuba (nuclear) Kennedy- U.S. will not tolerate nuclear weapons in Cuba Missiles close enough to reach United States People feared nuclear war Air raid drills, bomb shelters prepared Brinkmanship-Willingness of U.S. to go to the edge of war. Khrushchev agreed to remove missiles if U.S. didn’t invade Cuba. Crisis over After a Crisis/confrontation at Sea

The Assassination of JFK November 22, 1963 Dallas, Texas JFK went there to improve his political standing in that state to prepare for the 1964 election While riding in an open car motorcade, Kennedy was shot Lee Harvey Oswald—assassin Former Marine and one time Soviet Union resident Eventually shot and killed by Jack Ruby on national television JFK was shot in the head and died within seconds Lyndon Banes Johnson would take over the presidency