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Sputnik
Sputnik was the first man-made satellite launched into orbit by the Soviet Union.
This event is extremely significant in the space race because it gave the USSR the upper-hand. Additionally, it caused Americans to fear the Soviet's technological capabilities. -
Castro Takes Power in Cuba
Fidel Castro leads a revolution to overthrow President Batista's government. When he assumes power, he introduces socialist policy and aligns the country with the Soviet Union. Those actions lead the US to eventually sever diplomatic relations with Cuba.
Castro's rise to power is significant because Cuba would be a hotspot for the Cold War with the missile crisis and the Bay of Pigs. In addition, it caused the US great fear to know a communist nation was just off of their southern border. -
First Man in Space
Yuri Gagarin, a Soviet cosmonaut, is the first man to orbit the Earth. His flight was 108 minutes and he traveled just over one orbit. When he would return, he was regarded as a hero.
US Citizen Perspective: The USSR is really leading the space race. They beat us to a satellite and now a human! It worries me what else they're able to achieve. I hope the US is able to catch up in the space race, because to me, an average citizen, Soviet technology looks superior! -
Bay of Pigs Invasion
Cuban exiles, trained by the CIA, invade Cuba in hopes to spark an anti-Castro revolution. The invasion was met with heavy resistance and failed; all were captured or killed. US involvement was exposed.
This is a significant event because it is an extreme act of aggression during the war that is famous for not being actually fought. The result could have been worse than it was; the USSR or Cuba could have retaliated against the US, causing larger-scale conflict. -
Construction of the Berlin Wall
At night, construction began on the wall, dividing the city in half. Passage between sides became restricted, leaving most citizens stuck on one side. Some neighborhoods were cut in half by the wall. US troops planned to tear it down but did not act.
The Berlin Wall is significant because it was a physical symbol of the divide between communism and capitalism and sparked lots of controversies. It would serve as a major talking point of the Cold War and wouldn't be torn down until the 80s. -
U-2 Discovers Soviet Missile Sites in Cuba
After much speculation, Kennedy orders a U-2 reconnaissance flight over Cuba to check the validity of the claims. The plane photographed missile silos, thus confirming the suspicion that the Soviets had missiles on Cuba.
These findings were extremely significant because they drove the US to quarantine Cuba. That naval blockade would lead to the closest the world has ever been to nuclear warfare. Without these findings, the Cuban Missile Crisis would not have occurred. -
United States Goes to DEFCON 2
Due to the possible imminent dangers of the Cuban Missile Crisis and a Soviet ship, possibly carrying missiles, was still headed towards the blockade, the US went to DEFCON 2. This means the military can mobilize and engage in less than 6 hours and nuclear war is the next step.
This is important because it is only one of 2 times in history the US has been at DEFCON 2. The events that caused this level of readiness put the US the closest it has ever been to nuclear war. -
U-2 Plane Shot Down Over Cuba
Pilot, Major Rudolf Anderson's U-2 plane was shot down days after he photographed the Soviet silos. On another mission, Soviet radar picked him up. After an hour, the suspicion that he was photographing missile sites led to the plane being shot down.
This event is significant because of Kennedy's response. Despite his advisors urging airstrikes, Kennedy still wanted to resolve issues diplomatically. The following negotiations would lead to the resolution of the Cuban Missile Crisis. -
Khrushchev Announces Removal of Missiles from Cuba
Soviet Premier Khrushchev announced over Radio Moscow that he agreed to remove his missiles from Cuba if the US removed missiles from Turkey and would not invade.
The significance of this is that it ended the Cuban Missile Crisis and allowed for some calm. However, both leaders would receive scrutiny for negotiating with the enemy, but they still got more security for the world. -
Kennedy's Speech at the Berlin Wall
2 years after the Berlin Wall's construction, Kennedy visited the wall and delivered a speech where he famously said Ich bin ein Berliner" (I am a Berliner) to rally the spirits for a free Berlin.
Berlin citizen perspective: When the wall came up and the US did nothing, I felt like they didn't care about us. But, when I heard President Kennedy's speech, it assured me that he was dedicated to the people of Berlin and didn't want to start conflict earlier. It was a positive rally for a free Berlin
