“We have vowed that we shall see space filled not with weapons of mass destruction, but with instruments of knowledge and understanding"
-President Kennedy, Rice University, Houston, Texas, September 12, 1962
President Kennedy was eager for the United States to lead the way in exploring space. The Soviet Union was ahead of the United States, having launched the first satellite Sputnik in 1957 and the first cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin to orbit around the earth in 1961.
President Kennedy said, “No nation which expects to be the leader of other nations can expect to stay behind in this race for space.” In 1961 Kennedy asked Congress to approve more than twenty two billion dollars for Project Apollo, which had the goal of landing an American man on the moon before the end of the decade.
Read the telegram and the two memos and answer the SIX questions that follow:
On April 12, 1961 cosmonaut Yuri A. Gagarin from the Soviet Union orbited around the
earth in 108 minutes. The same day President Kennedy wrote a telegram to Premier Nikita
Khrushchev congratulating the Soviets on the first successful manned flight.
A few days later President Kennedy wrote a memo on April 20, 1961 to Vice President
Lyndon B. Johnson, who was the chairman of the Space Council.
Eight days later, Vice President Johnson responded to President Kennedy’s memo.
1. In the telegram to Premier Nikita Khrushchev, how does President Kennedy say he would like the United States and the Soviet Union to work on exploring outer space?
In the first telegram, President Kennedy says that he wants to work With Nikita K. and try to work on the space race together. He wants to share their knowledge and work on the greater benefit for mankind.
2. In the memo to Vice President Lyndon Johnson, what is President Kennedy's main objective?
Kennedy's main concern was if the project was moving quickly enough, and to see if they would catch up with the Soviet Union in the space race. He wanted to know how much speeding up this process would hurt the economy but help the US gain momentum. What he really wanted to know was if the US would have a chance of winning against the Soviet Union and beat them to the moon.
3. What is the main difference between what President Kennedy says in the telegram and what he says in the memo in terms of how the Americans and the Soviets should explore outer space?
In the telegram, Kennedy wants to be friends with Nikita and join together to have a common goal for the space race. In his first memo, Kennedy wants to know the probability of the US beating the Soviets in the race for space. He has two different views of what should happen.
4. Why do you think President Kennedy appears to be giving two conflicting statements?
He perhaps wants to surprise the Soviets and/or trick them to getting to the moon first. Or Kennedy may just want to lie and gather information from the Soviets about their space ships and steal the ideas. Unless he knows if they actually want to get to the moon first, or just to be the first men in space. Either way, Kennedy is concerned about the slow start of the US and wants to start a faster pace.
5. How does Vice President Johnson connect the space race with the Cold War in his April 28th memo to President Kennedy?
Johnson says that because the Soviet Union is able to get rockets into space, they have the capability of sending nuclear weapons or just plain bombs into space to be dropped on countries. They have already tested a rocket and crash landed in onto the moon. They will soon have technology advanced enough to pose a threat to the rest of the world. Is this what you meant?
6. What are Vice President Johnson’s suggestions for the President?
One suggestion that cive president Johnson gave to Kennedy was that they should indeed quicken their process and resources for this race to space. He also mentioned that the work force for these space ships should be increased. Johnson thinks that if the US was more involved in the race, then they would be seen as the major world leader, as long as they surpass the Soviet's. If the US doesn't catch up with the Soviets, then they will lose their chance at being the world leader. The US should try to improve their technology as well if they wish to win the race. Johnson also suggests that the US public should know of the activity that is taking place durring this time. Johnson urges Kennedy that he should push the space projects and give as much support as necessary to them, but he also want to make sure that the safety of whoever is willing to go into space will be safe.
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