The Cold War

1945-1989

Part II

JFK

John F. Kennedy is elected president in 1960– Senator from Massachusetts

Youngest and glamorous Wife was Jackie, children

Caroline and John-John– Jackie set fashions for the

time Popularity ratings as high as

77% Strong supporter of Civil

Rights Movement, Space Program, Youth Programs (Peace Corps)

John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address

Cuba

Fidel Castro, a communist revolutionary, comes to power in 1959 and nationalizes Cuba

Castro’s government is embraced by the USSR and put under a trade embargo by the United States

Several CIA campaigns are launched to try to overthrow Castro’s government – none are successful

Bay of Pigs

CIA agents secretly trained exiled Cubans to invade Cuba and overthrow Castro

American bombers led the way disguised as Cuban air force

Plans were discovered and Kennedy abandoned the plan for further attack

Exiled Cuban forces were left to fend for themselves and were soon captured and executed

Cuban Missile Crisis - 1962

USSR built missile silos in Cuba and began stocking them with nuclear warheads– Enabled surprise Soviet attack less than 100 miles from the

coast of the US Silos discovered by US reconnaissance planes US navy attempted to stop and search all ships headed

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 the

ships and disarm Cuba if the US promised to never invade the island

Space Race

Both the US and the USSR developed nuclear weapons

People built bomb shelters as both nations worried about nuclear war

October 4, 1957: Soviets launch Sputnik, the world’s first satellite

In 1961, the Soviets were first to launch a man in to space

On July 20, 1969, the US would finally pull ahead in the space race by being the first to land on the moon (Neil Armstrong)

Apollo 11: United States lands on the moon

Moonwalk Broadcast

Kennedy Assassination

Kennedy went to Dallas,TX to rally support for the Democratic Party

Had concerns about anti-Kennedy citizens in TX, but did not take all 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 had communist sympathies

Lee Harvey Oswald murdered two days later outside police headquarters by Jack Ruby (Who owned a Dallas nightclub with mafia connections)

Assassination investigated by a Congressional committee who produced the Warren Report, concluding that Oswald had acted alone

Nation mourned with a massive state funeral that copied the one held for Lincoln

Dealey Plaza, Dallas TX

Kennedy Assassination and Funeral

Zapruder film

Lyndon B. Johnson Sworn in as President on Air Force One in

Dallas

Questions

1. Explain the statement “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” How does this statement inspire young people 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 event significant?

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. What happened? Where did it happen? Who was involved?

8. What is the Warren Report? What did it conclude?