-
Launch of Sputnik
Sputnik, the first artificial satellite launched into space by the USSR, marked the start of the space race. Americans were shocked at the news, especially the US government and military. We were worried about the implications and possible results of the USSR developing the technology further to spy on us or launch nuclear missiles undetected. As a result, immediately after this launch, the US authorized funding for a satellite project, and it eventually led to the Space Act, which created NASA. -
Fidel Castro assumes power after the Cuban Revolution
Fidel Castro led a Cuban revolution to overthrow Fulgencio Batista, the military dictator. Batista was supported by the US, so we were wary of Castro implementing a communist government in Cuba. Relations between the US and Cuba began to deteriorate, until February 1960, when a trade pact between the USSR and Cuba was formed, and Castro delivered a speech at the UN denouncing the US. Castro’s rise to power ultimately led to the breaking of economic and political ties between our two countries. -
Bay of Pigs invasion
After Castro rose to power and began building his communist regime, relations between our two countries quickly deteriorated. JFK planned an invasion known as the Bay of Pigs, where trained Cuban exiles would launch a surprise attack in Cuba, overthrow Castro, and establish a non-communist government. However, the invasion failed due to an unequal amount of US and Cuban forces. This event led to the Cuban Missile Crisis, and extensive negotiations were made in order to free the captured exiles. -
Construction of the Berlin Wall begins
By 1961, around four million Germans had fled to West Berlin to escape communism, which threatened the economy of East Berlin. As a result, a physical barrier between East and West Berlin was constructed beginning in August 1961. The wall was built from barbed wire and cinder blocks, eventually extended 28 miles, and prevented people from entering or escaping East Berlin. The Berlin Wall was a physical representation of the ideological divide between democratic countries and communist countries. -
Discovery of missiles in Cuba
A US U-2 spy plane captured photos of missile sites in Cuba, which were supplied by the USSR. Due to Cuba’s close proximity to Florida, we were worried about the possibility of a nuclear attack. So, JFK notified the American people and announced that he would install a naval blockade around the island. This option was better than an air strike to destroy the missiles, because that option would have guaranteed war as an outcome. -
Kennedy quarantines Cuba
After the discovery of nuclear weapons in Cuba, JFK decided to quarantine Cuba to prevent any shipments of nuclear weapons or arms form the USSR. However, the USSR considered the blockade to be an act of aggression, and Khrushchev even threatened nuclear war. These were some of the most dangerous and uncertain days during the Cold War, because nuclear warfare seemed moments away at times. -
The US enters DEFCON 2
The standoff during the Cuban Missile Crisis caused the US to enter DEFCON 2, which was the highest it had ever been. DEFCON, short for Defensive Readiness Condition, is a system with different levels that represent the amount of imminent danger the US is in. 5 means that the US is safe, and 1 means that nuclear war is about to occur. During this tense period in the Cuban Missile Crisis, nuclear warfare seemed inevitable, however, two officials from both countries met and agreed on a compromise. -
U-2 spy plane shot down
Rudolf Anderson was a pilot who was shot down while flying over Cuba in a U-2 spy plane, and was the only person killed during the Cuban Missile Crisis. A US submarine later misinterpreted an underwater signal, and at this point, nuclear war almost did begin, however, one man named Vasili Arkhipov refused to authorize the launch of a nuclear missile directed towards the US. Shortly after, representatives from both countries were able to secretly meet and, thankfully, develop a compromise. -
Soviet Union agrees to remove arms from Cuba
Khrushchev announced that he would remove nuclear arms in Cuba, and in return, we agreed to not invade Cuba and also withdraw arms from Turkey. This was a relief to hear, because nuclear war seemed unavoidable during the naval blockade. This announcement signaled the end of the Cuban Missile Crisis, but the Cold War was far from over. This event is significant because it showed that JFK and Khrushchev were able to realize the impact nuclear war would have on the world, and reach a compromise. -
President Kennedy visits the Berlin Wall
Kennedy visited the Berlin Wall two years after it was built and delivered a speech to the people of West Berlin. They were ecstatic to hear him speak, because he discussed their quest for freedom and paid tribute to their determined spirit. The Berlin Wall represented the divide between democracy and communism, both physically and mentally. It was very impactful when Kennedy stood near the wall that symbolized oppression, and gave a speech denouncing the communist regime of the USSR.
