The Cold War
1945-1989
Part II
JFK
John F. Kennedy is electedpresident in 1960
–Senator from Massachusetts
Youngest and glamorous
Wife was Jackie, childrenCaroline and John-John
–Jackie set fashions for thetime
Popularity ratings as high as77%
Strong supporter of CivilRights Movement, SpaceProgram, Youth Programs(Peace Corps)
Cuba
Fidel Castro, a communist revolutionary,comes to power in 1959 and nationalizes Cuba
Castro’s government is embraced by theUSSR and put under a trade embargo by theUnited States
Several CIA campaigns are launched to try tooverthrow Castro’s government – none aresuccessful
Bay of Pigs
CIA agents secretly trained exiled Cubans to invadeCuba and overthrow Castro
American bombers led the way disguised as Cuban airforce
Plans were discovered and Kennedy abandoned theplan for further attack
Exiled Cuban forces were left to fend for themselvesand were soon captured and executed
Cuban Missile Crisis - 1962
USSR built missile silos in Cuba and began stockingthem with nuclear warheads
–Enabled surprise Soviet attack less than 100 miles from thecoast of the US
Silos discovered by US reconnaissance planes
US navy attempted to stop and search all shipsheaded for Cuba to prevent further build-up
Kennedy announced the plans on television
–Wave of panic swept through the United States
Krushchev (Soviet leader) agreed to turn back theships and disarm Cuba if the US promised to neverinvade the island
Space Race
Both the US and the USSR developed nuclearweapons
People built bomb shelters as both nations worriedabout nuclear war
October 4, 1957: Soviets launch Sputnik, the world’sfirst satellite
In 1961, the Soviets were first to launch a man in tospace
On July 20, 1969, the US would finally pull ahead inthe space race by being the first to land on the moon(Neil Armstrong)
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Kennedy Assassination
Kennedy went to Dallas,TX to rally support for the DemocraticParty
Had concerns about anti-Kennedy citizens in TX, but did not takeall security precautions
Shot while riding in a motorcade parade, Nov. 22, 1963
Kennedy Assassination, con’t
Shot by a lone assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, who hadcommunist sympathies
Lee Harvey Oswald murdered two days later outsidepolice headquarters by Jack Ruby (Who owned aDallas nightclub with mafia connections)
Assassination investigated by a Congressionalcommittee who produced the Warren Report,concluding that Oswald had acted alone
Nation mourned with a massive state funeral thatcopied the one held for Lincoln
Dealey Plaza, Dallas TX
Lyndon B. Johnson Sworn in asPresident on Air Force One inDallas
Questions
1.Explain the statement “Ask not what your country can do for you, askwhat you can do for your country.” How does this statement inspire youngpeople in the early 1960s?
2.Who is Fidel Castro? What form of government did he bring to Cuba?What country was his main ally?
3.Explain the events of the Bay of Pigs. Why is this event significant?
4.Explain the events of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Why is this eventsignificant?
5.List three programs supported by President Kennedy.
6.What is the Space Race? Who won the race? When?
7.Explain the events surrounding the Kennedy assassination. Whathappened? Where did it happen? Who was involved?
8.What is the Warren Report? What did it conclude?