8 Questions
Match the following events with the correct years:
Sputnik's launch by the Soviet Union = 1957 Explorer I launched by the U.S. = 1958 First man in space by the Soviet Union = 1961 Neil Armstrong lands on the moon = 1969
Match the following individuals with their roles in the Space Race:
Wernher von Braun = Designed Explorer I for the U.S. Army Alan Shepard = First American man in space John F. Kennedy = Made the goal to land a man on the moon by end of decade Neil Armstrong = First man to set foot on the moon
Match the following terms with their definitions:
Sputnik = World's first artificial satellite Space Race = Competition between U.S. and Soviet Union in space exploration NASA = Federal agency dedicated to space exploration Explorer I = U.S. satellite designed by Wernher von Braun
Match the following countries with their roles in space exploration:
United States = Launched Explorer I and NASA Soviet Union = Launched Sputnik and first man in space Germany = Home country of rocket scientist Wernher von Braun Russia = Competed with U.S. in the Space Race
Match the following terms with their definitions:
Containment strategy = Military policy to prevent the spread of communism NSC-68 = National Security Council Report recommending military force against communist expansionism Hydrogen bomb = Highly destructive atomic weapon developed during the Cold War Arms race = Competition between nations to develop more powerful weapons
Match the following events with their descriptions:
Soviets testing an atom bomb = Prompted the US to announce development of the hydrogen bomb First H-bomb test in Eniwetok atoll = Showed the destructive power of nuclear weapons Building bomb shelters in backyards = Reaction to the ever-present threat of nuclear annihilation Spewing radioactive waste into the atmosphere = Result of American and Soviet nuclear tests
Match the following consequences with their causes:
25-square-mile fireball in Eniwetok atoll = Result of the first H-bomb test Practicing attack drills in schools = Response to the fear of nuclear annihilation Increased defense spending in the US = Encouraged by the containment strategy and NSC-68 report Development of atomic weapons = Encouraged by American officials after World War II
Match the following impacts on American domestic life with their reasons:
People building bomb shelters = Due to the ever-present threat of nuclear annihilation Attack drills in schools and public places = A response to the fear of nuclear war Impact of radioactive waste spewed into atmosphere = Raised concerns about environmental and health risks Deadly 'arms race' = Resulted from competition between US and Soviets to develop powerful weapons
Study Notes
The Cold War and Pop Culture
- The 1950s and 1960s saw a surge in popular films depicting nuclear devastation and mutant creatures, reflecting the Cold War's presence in everyday American life.
The Space Race
- On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the world's first artificial satellite, into Earth's orbit, surprising and alarming Americans.
- The United States responded with the launch of Explorer I in 1958, marking the beginning of the Space Race.
- In 1958, President Dwight Eisenhower established the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to oversee space exploration and military space programs.
- The Soviet Union launched the first man into space in April 1961, followed by the first American man in space, Alan Shepard, in May 1961.
- President John F. Kennedy publicly declared that the United States would land a man on the moon by the end of the decade, a goal achieved on July 20, 1969, with the Apollo 11 mission.
The Atomic Age
- The National Security Council Report NSC-68 (1950) recommended a massive increase in defense spending to counter communist expansion, leading to an unprecedented arms buildup in the United States.
- The Soviet Union tested its first atom bomb in 1949, prompting the United States to develop the hydrogen bomb (H-bomb) in response.
- The first H-bomb test in 1952 demonstrated the devastating power of nuclear weapons, with a 25-square-mile fireball, ocean floor destruction, and the ability to destroy half of Manhattan.
- Subsequent American and Soviet nuclear tests contaminated the atmosphere with radioactive waste, heightening the threat of nuclear annihilation.
Impact on American Life
- The fear of nuclear war led to the construction of bomb shelters in backyards and the practice of attack drills in schools and public places.
Test your knowledge on the containment strategy and the unprecedented arms buildup in the United States during the Cold War's Atomic Age. Learn about the National Security Council Report known as NSC-68 and the call for a four-fold increase in defense spending.
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