1. Cold War Events
of the 1960's

2. Kennedy and the
Cold War
Key events include:
Bay of Pigs
Building of the Berlin Wall
Cuban Missile Crisis

3. Fidel Castro – above , Cover of Life Magazine.
Cuba's New Leader-Fidel Castro
In 1956, Castro led a guerrilla force against Batista. Batista fled the country, and Castro became the new leader of Cuba.
Cuba was now communist.
Fidel Castro – above , Cover of Life Magazine.

4. Castro and Kruschev

5. The Invasion of the Bay of Pigs
Cuban exiles had been recruited and trained to invade Cuba and overthrow Castro. Kennedy ordered the attack on the Bay of Pigs. (Cuba)
It was a failure and a disaster for the President.

6. Building the Berlin Wall
People were rushing from the communist side of Berlin, to the “free side” in the west. This was very embarrassing to the Soviets.
The Soviets moved to control the entire city.
Khrushchev said if the US interfered, there would be war.
Kennedy said, “Then there will be war.”
Berlin

7. Khrushchev and the Wall
Again, a stand-off occurred, but no shots were fired.
In 1961, construction on the wall that would divide Berlin, began.

8. The Wall divided East and West Berlin, Germany.
The Berlin Wall
The Wall divided East and West Berlin, Germany.

9. The Berlin Wall
To the West, the Wall symbolized totalitarian rule, and the lack of rights and freedoms.
Many U.S. Presidents called on the Soviets to tear down the wall.

10. The Berlin Wall
Clip 1367 – 2:54

11. Cuban Missile Crisis October 1962
13 Days in October when the world held its breath over the possibility of a nuclear war.
The inner circle represents the range and time a nuclear weapon could be launched from Cuba – killing everything within the perimeter of the circle within 5 minutes. The second larger circle represents LRBMs that can kill within minutes.

12. U-2
Images taken over Cuba from a U-2 Surveillance plane.
A U-2 spy plane left.
U-2 Spy planes uncovered the presence of ICBM’s, SAM’s, LRBM’s, and launch sites for nuclear weapons.

13. Missile sites and launch pads are displayed on this photo taken by a U-2 spy plane.

14. Cuban Missile Crisis

15. Our scientists are there in Cuba.
The Soviets
When asked about the Soviet build-up of troops on the island of Cuba, (20,000-42,000), the Soviets told the US the following:
Our scientists are there in Cuba.

16. We’ve sent advisors to Cuba.
The Soviets
We’ve sent advisors to Cuba.
Ok…we sent troops to protect Cuba against an American invasion!

17. Kennedy's Options
Invade Cuba – suffer heavy casualties/Soviets may use nuclear weapons.
Air assaults – won’t eliminate nuclear launch sites.

18. Kennedy's Options
3. Quarantine/Naval blockade – someone may fire, starting WWIII.
Kennedy chose a naval blockade that would prevent the Soviets from delivering nuclear weapons to Cuba.

19. Soviets "Blink" or backdown
Clip 1370 – 2:05

20. Cuban Missile Crisis
Many black and white photos were taken of Jack and Bobby Kennedy during this crisis.

21. Soviets "Blink" or backdown
The US set up a blockade.
Khrushchev ordered the ships to turn around and go home.
The US had won the stand-off, and averted nuclear war.
Remember, this is the closest we ever got to a nuclear war.

22. Cuban Missile Crisis

23. Soviets "Blink" or backdown
The US promised not to invade Cuba.
Khrushchev had the missiles removed from Cuba.
6 months later, the US removed missiles in Turkey aimed at the USSR.
Remember, this is the closest we ever got to a nuclear war.
JFK said in 1961: 'Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.'

24. Cuban Missile Crisis
Who are the 2 World Leaders arm wrestling in this cartoon?
What are they sitting on?

25. Soviets "Blink" or backdown
Remember, this is the closest we ever got to a nuclear war.

26. Effects of the Cuban Missile Crisis
Red telephone or “Hot line” between the Kremlin and Washington DC.
Kennedy signed the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in 1963.

27. Kennedy's Assassination
Clip 1378 – 4:29

28. Kennedy's Assassination
On November 22, 1963 in Dallas, Texas, John F. Kennedy was assassinated by Lone Gunman Lee Harvey Oswald.
Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as President of the United States.
Johnson sworn in aboard Airforce One with Jackie Kennedy and Lady Bird at his side.

29. The Vietnam War
U.S. involvement in Vietnam began in 1955, when President Eisenhower sent in troops to evacuate French forces.

30. The Vietnam War North Vietnam was led by communists.
The U.S. believed that we needed to keep South Vietnam free from communism.
The US was involved in Vietnam from

31. The Vietnam War Johnson, or “LBJ”, escalated the war in Vietnam.
It became a very unpopular war, and Johnson did not seek a second term in office.
U.S. voters elected Richard Nixon as their next President.

32. Race for Space
July 16, Astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins lifted off aboard the Apollo II.
July 20, Armstrong and Aldrin landed “The Eagle” on the moon with less than 5 seconds of fuel left.

33. "The Eagle has landed."

34. “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”
Neil Armstrong
“One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”