Chapter 20: Myth—Politics Doesn’t Matter

Page 40

1961 — U.S.S.R & U.S. Arms Race,

Cuba & Bay of Pigs Fiasco!

Year Date Event Headline in Chronicle of 20th Century 20 1961 Jan 20 Youngest President [Kennedy] sworn in, urges service

Feb 1 First U.S. solid fuel [Minuteman] missile launched Mar 21 Kennedy increasing aid to Southeast Asia Mar 30 X-15 reaches new speed (2,650 mph) & height (31 mi)

Apr 2 Forty more [ancient] scrolls found in Palestine Apr 12 Soviet Union puts first man in space

Apr 25 Bay of Pigs landing in Cuba is fiasco May 1 Castro makes Cuba Socialist; ends vote

May 15 First American [Alan Shepherd] in space for 15 min May 28 U.S. helps Vietnam stop [Laotian] infiltration

Jun 4 Soviet-American summit [reaches agreement on Laos] Jul 21 Gus Grissom follows Shepard into space Jul 25 U.S.S.R. and U.S. plan bigger defense

Aug 7 Soviet cosmonaut orbits 17 times Aug 31 Berlin cut in two by Communist wall

Oct 9 Maris exceeds the Babe’s total [home runs] by one Oct 18 Chubby Checker has us all doing the twist [dance]

Oct 28 American and Soviet tanks face each other [in Berlin] Nov 14 U.S. advisors in Vietnam raised to 16,000 Dec 22 1st American slain by Viet Cong forces

Did you notice the “birth control pill” on December 1, 1960? When you look at the events of 1960-1962 you see a new frontier in science. In

April 1961, the “Bay of Pigs” was a huge embarrassment for Kennedy. In August, the Soviets were advancing into space faster than we were. Also in August, East-West Germany and the communist crisis are unfolding over Berlin. In November, Kennedy sends 16,000 “advisors” to Vietnam. The

world was a dangerous place then and it still is. Yet, should U.S. external “worldly” interests over shadow U.S. internal “moral” interests?