Emerging from World War II, the Cold War was a time of great tension between Russia and the U.S. Previously during WWII Russia and the U.S. had both fought on the same side against Germany. After the war, Russia and the U.S. were watching each other very closely in fear. This tension was called “The Cold War” because no major fighting took place between the two sides. However both sides came quite close to a full blown war. This heightened tension and competition led to the brink of war; it all came to a climax with the Bay of Pigs and the Cuban missile crisis. This Cold War wove its way into the lives of every Russian and American in this time period.
At the beginning of this war, a space race to prove technical superiority was taking place …show more content…
During the month of April, Soviet astronaut
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1. "Cold War." History.com. Accessed March 16, 2016. http://www.history.com/topics/spacerace.
2. "The Cold War Museum." Cold War Museum. Accessed March 16, 2016. http:// www.coldwar.org/articles/60s/index.asp. 1
2
Yuri Gagarin became the first person to orbit the earth. Gagarin orbited the earth in the Vostok I, a small capsule-like space ship. Just one month later, American astronaut Allan Shepherd became the first American in space. Throughout this time other maned and non maned probes were being sent into space one after the other. During May of 1961, President John F. Kennedy made a bold announcement that the U.S. would have a man on the moon by the end of the decade. This bold claim was famously fulfilled on July 16, 1969. American astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the moon. This massive achievement effectively made America “win” the space race that began in 1957 with the launch of Sputnik. In the midst of the Cold War, this victory, for America, gave hope to the citizens. Now astronauts were seen as the true American hero and everyone knew about this interstellar victory. However winning the space race did
At the beginning of this war, a space race to prove technical superiority was taking place …show more content…
During the month of April, Soviet astronaut
______________
1
1. "Cold War." History.com. Accessed March 16, 2016. http://www.history.com/topics/spacerace.
2. "The Cold War Museum." Cold War Museum. Accessed March 16, 2016. http:// www.coldwar.org/articles/60s/index.asp. 1
2
Yuri Gagarin became the first person to orbit the earth. Gagarin orbited the earth in the Vostok I, a small capsule-like space ship. Just one month later, American astronaut Allan Shepherd became the first American in space. Throughout this time other maned and non maned probes were being sent into space one after the other. During May of 1961, President John F. Kennedy made a bold announcement that the U.S. would have a man on the moon by the end of the decade. This bold claim was famously fulfilled on July 16, 1969. American astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the moon. This massive achievement effectively made America “win” the space race that began in 1957 with the launch of Sputnik. In the midst of the Cold War, this victory, for America, gave hope to the citizens. Now astronauts were seen as the true American hero and everyone knew about this interstellar victory. However winning the space race did