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Hydrogen Bomb
The United States created and tested a hydrogen bomb. This bomb was the first Thermonuclear Weapon which have a greatly increased explosive power when compared to single-stage nuclear weapons. Approximately 1000 times more powerful than the nukes at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This gave the U.S. an advantage for a short time in the arms race against the Soviet Union. This is because the Soviets tested their hydrogen bomb in the 70's. -
Soviets Launch Sputnik
Sputnik was an unmanned satellite launched by the Soviet Union. This was very frightening to the U.S. because this showed that the Soviets have won the space race. At the time the United States was the most technologically advanced country in the world. There was also fear this this might mean the Soviets had a upper hand in the arms race as well. The democrats were not happy with Eisenhower for letting the communists get ahead of the U.S. -
Bay of Pigs
The Bay of Pigs Invasion was a failed invasion of the Cuban coast undertaken by the U.S. CIA. The goal was to overthrow the communist leader Fidel Castro, but the United Sates was defeated in three days by Castro's forces. -
The Berlin Wall
East Germany built a barbed wire and concrete wall “Antifascistischer Schutzwall,” or “antifascist bulwark,” between East and West Berlin.The purpose was to keep the western people who were seen at fascists out of eastern Germany. On November 9, 1989 the eastern German Communist Party announced that the west could pass through as they please -
First Man on the Moon
On this day the United States launched Apollo 11 into space, and it was the first spaceflight that landed humans on the moon. At 8:18 pm Neil Armstrong stepped foot on the surface of the moon becoming the first man on the moon. Him and his partner Buzz Aldrin collected about 48 pounds of lunar material to return to earth. The famous quote from Armstrong "one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" -
Invasion of Grenada
The Invasion of Grenada was a United States victory resulting in the appointment of an interim government, followed by democratic elections. There were 19 American deaths and 70 deaths on the opposition. Canada was annoyed and did not approve of the mission as they were only notified hours before the invasion.
