The Cold War and President JFK John F

The Cold War and President JFK

John F. Kennedy -In 1960, Eisenhower’s Vice President, Richard Nixon, ran for the Republican Party for the Presidency. He faced off against a young Democrat named John F. Kennedy. -They had the first televised Presidential debate. Television greatly helped JFK due to his youthful appearance and communication skills. -JFK was only 43 years old when he became President. He became the icon for change in the USA. He asserted in his inaugural address that, “The torch has been passed to a new generation. ”

The Nixon vs. JFK Debate on TV

Policies of JFK -JFK supported one of the chief issues of his day, the Civil Rights Movement. He wanted to see Jim Crow Segregation end and for African Americans to possess the rights they deserved. -As the Cold War continued, JFK was afraid impoverished countries would embrace Communism. He encouraged aid to be given to these nations and for Americans to volunteer to work in groups like the Peace Corps to assist these countries. -Instead of Brinkmanship, JFK wanted the USA to be able to fight ground wars as well, not just threaten the USSR with nuclear annihilation. This strategy was called the “Flexible Response. ”

In this picture, JFK met with young Americans who volunteered to serve in the Peace Corps.

When World War II was finished, the USA, Britain, and France grew concerned. They wanted the nations of the world to accept Democracy. Yet, it was clear that Stalin wanted Eastern Europe to be dominated by Communism.

Truman’s goal of “Containment” was simply to keep Communism from spreading any further into the world.

Communism expanded out of the USSR. Containment failed. Many feared when Communism also spread to Cuba.

Fidel Castro led the Communist Revolution in Cuba.

The Bay of Pigs -Fidel Castro made Cuba Communist, with the help of the USSR. In 1960, Eisenhower let the CIA train Cuban exiles to invade and try to gain control over Cuba. -In April of 1961, JFK allowed the group to invade Cuba. However, the Soviet Union gave aid to Cuba and the exiles were crushed by Castro. -This was a massive failure and embarrassment for the USA. Cuba remained under Communist control.

The USA tried to train Cuban Exiles to invade the Bay of Pigs and assume control of Cuba. Yet, it was a massive failure.

The Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 -The USSR and Cuba began working together to secure the Communist government of Cuba. -The USSR wanted to be Cuba’s ally because it would give the Soviet Union a close area to keep nuclear weapons pointed at the USA. -Nikita Khrushchev of the USSR sent missiles to be planted in Cuba and pointed at the USA.

If the USSR had missiles in Cuba, it would mean that they had closer access to launch a nuclear attack on the USA. .

The End of the Cuban Missile Crisis -JFK sent a blockade around Cuba. Many feared that nuclear was about to erupt between the USA and the USSR. -Khrushchev and JFK reached an agreement to remove the missiles, if the USA decided not to invade Cuba. It was learned later in history that the USA also secretly removed missiles in Turkey to appease the USSR too. -Cuba remained an independent, Communist government. It is still a Communist government today.

The Berlin Wall -After the USSR was not able to maintain a nuclear presence in Cuba, they began to be more aggressive with their control of Eastern Europe. -Khrushchev began to take actions to try and control the border of West Berlin. He was angry that many were fleeing to West Berlin to escape Communism. -He built the Berlin Wall to try to ensure that people could not flee to the West to pursue freedom and Democracy.

Stalin had secured the Soviet control of Eastern Europe after WW II.

Even though Berlin was in the Eastern Communist area, half the city remained in control of West Germany and was a Democracy. This agreement was reached after WW II.

The Berlin Airlift was an attempt to help the Western Half of Berlin stay Democratic.

Khrushchev built a literal wall around the Western Half of Berlin. Communist Eastern Europeans were forbidden from coming into the Western Half of the City.

Eastern Germans building the Berlin Wall

By the 1980 s, the Berlin Wall had multiple sections and guards watching from towers. If anyone tried to cross it, they could be shot and killed.

The Space Race -The USSR was the first nation to launch a Satellite, Sputnik, into space in 1957. -Also, the USSR was the first nation on Earth to put a man in space. Soviet Cosmonaut, Yuri Gagarin, made it to space in 1961. -The USA felt that the Soviets were gaining an edge in space technology. JFK promised that the USA would be the first to the moon. His promise was fulfilled in 1969 as Neil Armstrong became the first human ever to walk on the moon.

Yuri Gagarin, a Soviet Cosmonaut, was the first man in space.

JFK’s “promise” of landing on the Moon was achieved in 1969, when Neil Armstrong landed on the moon.

A Tragedy Strikes the Nation

The Loss of a President -On November 22, 1963, while on a trip to Dallas, JFK was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald. -Oswald’s motives were not well known. However, he was a former Marine who had traveled to the USSR and supported their ideology. -A man named Jack Ruby killed Lee Harvey Oswald while he was under arrest.

Jack Ruby killed Lee Harvey Oswald as news cameras were reporting live.

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