Sputnik: America's Into The Future

Sparks erupted in the midst of the Cold War when the Soviet Union launched the first man-made satellite in 1957 called Sputnik. This created hysteria and anger in the people demanding that America do something to catch up with the Soviets, leading to an increased focus on math and science in American schools and the creation of NASA. But it didn’t stop there, America shot back with an ingenious plan of rocketing their own man-made satellite, Explorer 1, into space to orbit the Earth. Sputnik was America’s “push” into the future to shape it into a new place. The Soviet Union and the United States have been long dating back. Their tension could be dated back to even World War 2. A climate of mistrust build between the Soviets and the United

“What makes the Soviet threat unique in history is its all-inclusiveness. Every human activity is pressed into service as a weapon of expansion. Trade, economic development, military power, arts, science, education, the whole world of ideas… The Soviets are, in short, waging total cold war.” (President Eisenhower, 1958) This is why postwar, when the Soviets sent out and helped spread communism in the new Non-Nazi Germany, America did not back off like before. They stood their ground, but so did the Soviets. This caused a standoff that also helped to lead to the Cold War. Within the Cold War, however, were many smaller wars. One of these wars were the Arms Race, which was a race to get the best weapons and better their armies, as well as get and create nuclear weapons. Another part of the Cold War included the Space Race. This is the fight, for both the Soviets and America, to get to space first and get better and further than the other country. On October 4, 1957, Sputnik 1 was launched into space.

Hysteria and anger in the people demanded America take actions to outdo the Soviets. Increased focus on math and science in schools helped create NASA and the launch of American satellite Explorer 1 into space. America was pushed into the future, and they have Sputnik to thank for that. Short-term effects were those of the education changes and focus on science, environmental scares, and business and people wanted to do their part in the world. Long-term effects are those of the technological advancements of things and places like NASA. The impact of Sputnik on America is a great one. Some would even say that they owe it to the Soviets for pushing them into a new world, a new generation. Although Earth is the only livable planet, the world sent a man to the moon and found new places to explore. To this day, that is just something small compared to the advancements made in today’s age. Although the Soviet Union scared the United States with a communist satellite overhead, Americans compromised with their own satellite and making changes to strengthen the