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Sputnik I
Sputnik I was the successful launch of the world's first artificial satellite by the Soviet Union. The satellite's elliptical path allowed for it to orbit the Earth in just 98 minutes. This event marked the start of the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union. Americans felt pressured since it seemed as if the Soviet Union was advancing in terms of technology and gaining an advantage over the U.S. -
Castro Assumes Power Following the Cuban Revolution
Fidel Castro took power over Cuba in 1959, following the Cuban Revolution, which overthrew the Batista Regime. As soon as Castro came into power, he nationalized all U.S. owned businesses, resulting in the end of diplomatic relations and trade between the U.S. and Cuba. The United States was furious and decided to launch an attack on Cuba with 1,400 Cuban Exiles. The attack was to be named the "Bay of Pigs". -
Bay of Pigs
The Bay of Pigs was a U.S. lead attack on Cuba, that consisted of 1,400 Cuban exiles attempting to gain control of the country they used to call "home". JFK hoped that the attack would help create a non-communist government in Cuba. The attack was ultimately unsuccessful as most of the soldiers were either killed or captured. Americans had no hope, and JFK was forced to donate $53 dollars worth of food and medicine for the safe return of those captured. -
Building of the Berlin Wall
Following World War 2, Germany was split into 4 different allied occupation zones. Life in West Berlin was far more enjoyable compared to Communist East Berlin under the Marshall Plan. West Germans wished to move to the East so they wouldn't have to live under harsh conditions, but in 1961 the Berlin Wall was built. The wall was built by East Germany so that their citizens wouldn't escape or run away to the West, keeping their Communist regime in tact. -
Discovery of Soviet Missiles in Cuba
Thanks to one of the U2 spy planes and its photographs, the U.S. discovered missiles in Cuba that were sent by the U.S.S.R. The U.S. was alarmed at the possibility of war. JFK announced his plan of a blockade so the shipment of missiles would be intercepted. Khrushchev saw this as an act of aggression and threatened war. Luckily, the U.S. and U.S.S.R. settled things: The U.S. was to remove their missiles from Turkey and Italy and could not attack Cuba. The U.S.S.R. was to retract from Cuba. -
Cuba is Quarantined
Following the discovery of Soviet missiles in Cuba, America was angry and called for a "quarantine" on Cuba, not a blockade. A quarantine simply prevents all military equipment to be shipped, whereas a blockade prevents trade. JFK did not want to directly confront the U.S.S.R. for giving missiles to Cuba. As a result of the quarantine, the Cuban Missile Crisis ended, and the Soviet Union agreed to withdraw missiles from Cuba. In return, the U.S. withdrew missiles from Turkey and Italy. -
Defcon 2
DefCon stands for "defense condition". The different levels represent the severity of the threat of security/safety against the U.S. In 1962, the U.S. feared war with the U.S.S.R. and called for Defcon 2, which is the most serious response in U.S. history. This shows the amount of importance and impact that the Cuban Missile Crisis had on the United States. -
America U-2 Spy Plane is Shot Down
In 1962, an American U-2 spy plane was shot down while conducting espionage by the Soviet Union. The shooting killed pilot Rudolf Anderson Jr. Most of the cabinet members urged for the U.S. to retaliate, but fortunately, the U.S. did not. This incident lead both JFK and Khrushchev to realize that the crisis was out of control, and a secret meeting was arranged to peacefully end the conflict. Rudolf's death could be one of the reasons why nuclear war was avoided. -
Soviet Union Removes Missiles From Cuba
On October 28, 1962, Khrushchev announced that the Soviet Union would retract from Cuba and remove their missiles. The Cuban Missile Crisis ended as a result of this announcement. In exchange, the United States agreed to respect Cuba's territorial sovereignty. The U.S. was relieved that the tensions between them and the Soviet Union were now gone along with the threat and possibility of a nuclear war. -
Kennedy's Visit to the Wall
In 1963, U.S. President John F. Kennedy visited the Berlin Wall and delivered a speech. His speech praised Berliners for their spirit and determination for freedom, which pleased the crowd. His famous words "Ich bin ein Berliner" made a lasting impression on Germans, and made his speech very well-known and the most famous anti-communist speech. His speech also marked the end of the Berlin Wall and the Cold War.
