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.