The Sputnik Scare And Its Effects On The World 's Telephone System

By examining the two nations’ early space technology, it is evident that Russia was initially superior in this regard. Launching the world’s first-ever artificial satellite — called Sputnik I — in October of 1957, the USSR chalked

The launch of the Sputnik had such a big impact on America because “America thought of themselves as the world’s technological leaders” (Richerme 35). Also “the Soviets, after all, were not supposed to be good at technology” (DeGroot 3). This scared America and brought them into a big crisis or as some call a race. This race was known as the space race and it was a very long and twisted path that it bared on its shoulders.

On October 4th, 1957 the Soviet Union launched the first ever satellite, Sputnik. The launch of Sputnik sent the United States into a frenzy, beginning the Space Race, and the innovation of technology as a whole. The Space Race most importantly had a major impact on the evolution of the United States’s defense technologies through the launch of Sputnik. The Space Race sparked the United States battle for technological superiority against the USSR, and lead to improvizations in their satellite and satellite defense technologies.

In addition to initiating a space race between the two current superpowers, the Sputnik spacecraft launch also had alarming military implications. The Sputnik satellites used intercontinental ballistic missiles that were initially used for their thrust capabilities but could theatrically be capable of flying from the Soviet Union to United States military targets in less than an hour—cutting the flight time to a fraction of a conventional bomber aircraft. In response to the launch of Sputnik, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958. The act created the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) . To prevent the rise of Soviet dominance in military matters, Eisenhower also established the Advanced Research Projects Agency, a division of the U.S. Department of Defense. This was symbolic of a serious revelation of the standing of the scientific and technological capabilities of America in comparison to other countries, and also led to President Eisenhower issuing a proclamation to increase funding for education in America in science and engineering to combat this widening deficit. The quick Soviet lead in the newly emerging space race caused much panic, which shaped American foreign policy for the following decade(Document E). An example is avoiding “an all-out war with China” for fear of having to combat communism on two fronts.(Document

According to Doc A "Sputnik came as a surprise to most Americans". Not only did "Sputnik came as a surprise to most Americans" Sputnik also struck fear into many Americans. Americans even prepared for a nuclear war, they also made a video called "Duck and Cover"(you can find it here " https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKqXu-5jw60 "). Around this time Dr. Wernher Von Braun made a full scale model of Explorer 1, replicating the first satellite by the U.S.(Doc E). While in a rush to catch up with The Soviet Union, and on December 6th, 1957 while in a rush to catch up, the U.S. sent the Vanguard rocket attempting to get the rocket to space quickly the U.S. rushed causing the rocket to turn into a fireball on TV.

Russia launched Sputnik, a satellite to orbit the earth, into outer space on October 4th, 1957. With tensions already running high in the Cold War, Americans panicked at the thought of the Russians building space and nuclear energy, fearing it could be used on them. The conflict now called the Space Race resulted in Americans creating NASA and pushing the sciences in school.

As stated in document A, the reaction of the Soviets launching Sputnik 1, which was the first ever satellite sent in to space, was more fear than surprise because it then showed that the United States ocean barriers weren’t enough to keep the Soviet Union away. Also that the Americans could no longer say that Russia was behind them in technology, as it took them 4 years to catch up with our atomic bomb, 9 months for our hydrogen bomb, and now we are trying to catch up to their satellite as stated in document B.

After the USSR launched Sputnik 1, man Americans were frightened by what they would do next. “...(the launch of Sputnik) showed clearly that the United States was no longer safe behind it’s ocean barriers.” (Document A) America had long relied on the oceans to keep European and Asian powers at bay, however, when the Soviets entered and took control of space, the US was surrounded and the Soviets could bomb them from any location. The US wanted to regain control of the situation so the Vanguard, a rocket with a more advanced satellite than anything seen before, was set to be launched on live television (Document F) The rocket fired but it fell back down, collapsed, and exploded for the world to watch. Americans were humiliated by this disaster, however they knew they must continue to fight communism, which meant beating them in the Space Race. During this time Americans became extremely anti-soviet and anti-communist, which continued long after this and still exists

After World War II drew to a close in the mid-20th century, a new conflict began. Known as the Cold War, this battle involved the two world’s greatest powers the democratic and capitalist United States against the communist Soviet Union. Beginning later in the 1950s, space would eventually become another very dramatic arena for competition between the U.S and U.S.S.R, each side looked to prove the superiority of their own technology, along with its military firepower and of course their political-economic systems. Sputnik, name of the first of several artificial satellites launched by the Soviet Union from 1957 to 1961. Successfully launched and entered Earth 's orbit. Thus, beginning the space age. The successful launch shocked the

During 1957, the Soviets launched the world’s first artificial satellite, Sputnik-1. The U.S were concerned that the Soviets would attach a missile to the satellite and consequently gain the ability to fire down at the U.S with little to no notice. As fear rose in the U.S, the government seized the perfect opportunity to gain public support for NASA and the space program. The government used this as the ideal time to magnify the nation's fears of communism into the form of propaganda. As the U.S produced high quantities of propaganda, the Soviets responded with their own, highlighting their personal attitudes and ideologies.

In 1957, the Soviet Union launched the satellite Sputnik, and the space race was on. The Soviet’s triumph jarred the American people and sparked a vigorous response in the federal government to make sure the United States did not fall behind its communist rival.

The Space Race took place between 1957 and 1969, and some of the world’s most famous inventions were created, innovations that have changed the world ever since. In 1957, the U.S., after the Soviet Union launched their space satellite “Sputnik 1,” decided to launch their own satellite into space, “Explorer 1” (“The Space Race”). This was the kickoff of the decade long race between the two world powers for the control of the space. The Space Race illustrated the battle between democracy and communism, and the competition dramatically changed views on these leadership methods. The Space Race not only changed views on communism, but also led to enhanced and refined technology.

Americans not only feared the spreading of communism, but also felt threatened by the Soviet Union’s domination of technological advances in missile development and other developments. As Document E presents, the problems with massive retaliation was the large gap in missile development, since the Soviet Union will soon be able to access American missile bases in 35 minutes or less in the near future. Other Soviet advances included, the first Earth satellite launching on October 4, 1957, known as Sputnik. This had also added to the growing anxiety that the Soviet Union was a step ahead of the United States in regards to the space program. In response to the launch of Sputnik, in Document G,

“Sputnik marked the beginning of the "space race," a period of nearly twenty years during which fierce US and Soviet competition spurred both countries to make rapid progress in aeronautic engineering,” (Lee). This period of time birthed a new program from the American government, called the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, or NASA. NASA has been building rockets, training astronauts, and studying space for the benefit of science, the government, and the people of America since 1958. Unfortunately, many people don't realize how important NASA is, and there have been efforts made to stop the government from funding NASA. This program is essential for increasing knowledge of outer space, protecting planet Earth, and creating

Sputnik The Soviet Union’s creation, construction, and successful launch of Sputnik, the world’s first artificial satellite, on October 4, 1957, had great effects on the U.S.A., its people, its government, and its industry. When the Soviet Union first announced it was creating and constructing an artificial satellite, few in the U.S. took them seriously. Sputnik’s successful launch shocked many U.S. citizens because up until then many had thought that Russia was far less technologically advanced than the U.S. Russia leveraged that shock and Sputnik’s success in many ways, some of which triggered major changes in the U.S. The successful launch of Sputnik accelerated the “space race” between the Russians and the Americans.