Kennedy & The Cold War Chapter 24 Section 2

Containing Communism The Cold War was the major issue during JFK’s presidency. Under his watch there were a number of new weapons programs, Space programs, and plans in place to give aid to Latin American countries so they wouldn't fall into communism. Nationalism was a major movement in developing world and the Soviets supported “wars of national liberation.” Kennedy also believed that his predecessors focused too much on building the nuclear arsenal. Kennedy instead focused on conventional weapons, and growing the military. He also expanded the special forces.

Containing Communism American involvement with Latin American dictators led to leftist movements that saw many of the people trying to overthrow the government connect with communist ideals. Alliance for progress was a program to give money to Latin American countries. the U.S. thought that by having healthy economies in Latin America that communism would lose its appeal. $20 Billion in Aid was given to Latin American countries in a 10 year span. The results were mixed.

Cold War in Space Yuri Gagarin, a Russian became the 1 st man to orbit Earth in 1961 and in 1957 the Russians launched the first satellite, Sputnik, into orbit. Kennedy fearing that U.S. influence was waning due to soviet advances in space called for the U.S. to put a man on the moon by the end of the decade. In 1962 John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth. In 1969 the United States achieved Kennedy’s mission as Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the moon.

Crises of the Cold War The Cuban revolution of 1959 saw the first successful attempt by a leftist group in the western hemisphere to overthrow a capitalist government. Led by Fidel Castro, a communist government was established within months of the coup. The Bay of Pigs conflict involved Anti-Castro Cubans trying to overthrow Castro’s communist government. The United States aided the Anti-Castro Cubans in secret, they wanted it to seem like an organic war amongst Cubans without any American influence. The invasion was successful and the U.S. could no longer hide its involvement as a few U.S. planes were shot down.

Bay Of Pigs

Cold War in Europe The issue of Germany again was at the forefront of American- Soviet Tension. A mass exodus from communist East Berlin to Capitalist West Berlin forced The Soviets to erect the Berlin wall. Khrushchev, the Soviet Premier asked the Western Allies to abandon Berlin, when the west refused the Soviets reacted by actively seeking to aid any communist countries in need.

Berlin Wall

Cuban Missile Crisis In 1962, the Soviet Union responded to the Americans having Nuclear weapons in Turkey by placing Nuclear weapons in Cuba. Since Cuba had already been invaded to pro-American forces, the Soviets saw it as their duty to protect communism in Cuba. The United States responded by placing a naval blockade of Soviet ships heading to Cuba with missiles, the United states warned that if attacked all out nuclear war with Russia would begin. Neither country wanted a nuclear war, after intense negotiations the U.S. agreed not to invade Cuba, and secretly agreed to remove the missiles from Turkey if the Soviets removed their missiles in Cuba.

Kennedy Assassination On November 22,1963 JFK was assassinated in Dallas, Texas by Lee Harvey Oswald who was said to be a Soviet sympathizer. Oswald claimed he was being set up, and he was subsequently assassinated 2 days later. A report known as the Warren Commission came to the conclusion that Oswald acted alone even though there was evidence pointing to others involved. This has lead to many conspiracy theories over the years, as to who really killed JFK.