JFK and the Cold War

SECTION 1: KENNEDY AND THE COLD WAR The Democratic nominee for president in 1960 was a young Massachusetts senator named John Kennedy He promised to “get America moving again” Kennedy had a well-organized campaign and was handsome and charismatic Senator Kennedy, 1958

FOCUS ON THE COLD WAR From the beginning of his term in early 1961, JFK focused on the Cold War (Soviet relations) JFK tripled our nuclear capability, increased troops, ships and artillery, and created the Green Berets (Special Forces)

CRISIS OVER CUBA Just 90 miles off the coast of Florida, Cuba presented the first big test of JFK’s foreign policy Openly Communist, Cuba was led by revolutionary leader Fidel Castro who welcomed aid from the USSR Relations between the U.S. and Cuba were deteriorating

Quote from U.S. Commentator BAY OF PIGS In March 1960, Eisenhower gave the CIA permission to secretly train Cuban exiles for an invasion of Cuba Kennedy learned of the plan only nine days into his presidency JFK approved the mission Results: invaders killed or jailed Kennedy embarrassed a public relations triumph for Castro ransom paid for release of invader “We looked like fools to our friends, rascals to our enemies and incompetents to the rest” Quote from U.S. Commentator

THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS Castro had a powerful ally in Moscow Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev promised to defend Cuba with Soviet weapons During the summer of 1962 the flow of Soviet weapons into Cuba – including nuclear – increased greatly

KENNEDY RESPONDS American president John F Kennedy making his dramatic television broadcast to announce the Cuba blockade during the Cuban Missile Crisis  Kennedy made it clear the U.S. would not tolerate nuclear weapons in Cuba When surveillance photos revealed nukes ready to launch in Cuba, JFK said the U.S. would respond to any attack from Cuba with an all-out nuclear retaliation against the Soviets

13 DAYS Results: Khrushchev’s prestige damaged For 13 days in October, 1962 the world stood still as the threat of nuclear war gripped the planet When more Soviet ships headed for the U.S. with weapons, JFK ordered a blockade The first break in the crisis occurred when the Soviets ships turned back Finally, Khrushchev agreed to remove the nuclear weapons from Cuba in exchange for a U.S. promise NOT to invade Cuba Results: Khrushchev’s prestige damaged Kennedy criticized Cuban exiles switched allegiance from the Democratic party to the G.O.P. Castro banned flights between Cuba and Miami

CRISIS OVER BERLIN In 1961, Berlin, Germany was a city in great turmoil In the 11 years since the Berlin Airlift, almost 3 million East Germans (Soviet side) had fled into West Berlin (U.S. controlled) to flee communist rule

SOVIETS SEEK TO STOP EXODUS The Soviets did not like the fact that East Berliners were fleeing their city for the democratic west Their departure hurt the economy and the prestige of the USSR Just after midnight on August 13, 1961 the Soviets began construction of a 90-mile wall separating East and West Berlin East Germany begins construction on the Berlin Wall, which becomes a primary symbol of the Cold War and Soviet oppression

EASING TENSIONS Both Khrushchev and Kennedy began searching for ways to ease the enormous tension between the two superpowers In 1963 they established a hot line between the White House and the Kremlin Later that year, the superpowers signed a Limited Test Ban Treaty that served to ban nuclear testing in the atmosphere