Changes

In 1961, soon after the inauguration of the new President John F. Kennedy (the only Catholic president, who had defeated Richard Nixon in a very close election in 1960), the communists built the "Berlin Wall" quickly while Kennedy was enjoying a long vacation weekend.  This Wall sealed off the East German section of Berlin from the West German section in order to stop the migration of people from communism to freedom.  It was a humiliation to Kennedy that he did nothing to stop this, and many Americans were outraged by this barbarism of a massive wall to cage people in and extinguish their freedom to leave.

In 1961, soon after the inauguration of the new President John F. Kennedy (the only Catholic president, who had defeated Richard Nixon in a very close election in 1960), the communists built the "Berlin Wall" quickly while Kennedy was enjoying a long vacation weekend.  This Wall sealed off the East German section of Berlin from the West German section in order to stop the migration of people from communism to freedom.  It was a humiliation to Kennedy that he did nothing to stop this, and many Americans were outraged by this barbarism of a massive wall to cage people in and extinguish their freedom to leave.

Then, in 1962, the Soviet Union challenged President Kennedy again, whom the communists did not respect.  They installed missiles in Cuba, which the communist Fidel Castro had taken over, and aimed them directly at American cities and targets.  Cuba, a mere 90 miles from Florida, could then destroy American cities in a very short period time.  This created the "Cuban Missile Crisis"; an Air Force general immediately put bombers on high alert for the possible bombing of Cuba.  President Kennedy then ordered a blockade of Cuba until the missiles were removed, and the Soviet Union backed down and apparently taken back by ship.

Then, in 1962, the Soviet Union challenged President Kennedy again, whom the communists did not respect.  They installed missiles in Cuba, which the communist Fidel Castro had taken over, and aimed them directly at American cities and targets.  Cuba, a mere 90 miles from Florida, could then destroy American cities in a very short period time.  This created the "Cuban Missile Crisis"; an Air Force general immediately put bombers on high alert for the possible bombing of Cuba.  President Kennedy then ordered a blockade of Cuba until the missiles were removed, and the Soviet Union backed down and apparently took the missiles back by ship.

Throughout the 1960s, both the United States and Soviet Union built ever-bigger nuclear weapons, pointing them at each other.  This became known as the "arms race," and newspapers began to clamor for peace treaties that would limit the building of these weapons.  In 1972, the Strategic Arms Limitation Treat ("SALT") was ratified by the U.S. Senate and contained promises to reduce these "arms" or weapons pointed at the enemy.  Conservatives opposed this treaty because it embraced the approach of "Mutual Assured Destruction" and prevented each side from building defensive systems.  In addition, there was no way to enforce the communists' side of the bargain; many expected the communists to simply ignore their promises, while the Americans abided by theirs.

Throughout the 1960s, both the United States and Soviet Union built ever-bigger nuclear weapons, pointing them at each other.  This became known as the "arms race," and newspapers began to clamor for peace treaties that would limit the building of these weapons.  In 1972, the Strategic Arms Limitation Treat ("SALT") was ratified by the U.S. Senate and contained promises to reduce these "arms" or weapons pointed at the enemy.  Conservatives opposed this treaty because it embraced the approach of "Mutual Assured Destruction" and prevented each side from building defensive systems.  In addition, there was no way to enforce the communists' side of the bargain; many expected the communists to break their own promises, while the Americans abided by theirs.

The overriding military strategy of the Cold War became even more dependent on "Mutually Assured Destruction," whereby each side (the U.S. and U.S.S.R.) built more and more nuclear weapons as a deterrent to aggression by the other side.  Under this approach, each side was discouraged from taking any action because it could set off a massive nuclear war and assure the mutual destruction of both sides.  This theory, humorously abbreviated as "MAD", lasted from the 1950s to the 1980s, when conservative President Ronald Reagan urged a shift to a more defensive military approach (Strategic Defense Initiative, or Star Wars) rather than a purely offensive approach (if you attack me, then I'll counterattack and we will both be destroyed).

The overriding military strategy of the Cold War became even more dependent on "Mutually Assured Destruction," whereby each side (the U.S. and U.S.S.R.) built more and more nuclear weapons as a deterrent to aggression by the other side.  Under this approach, each side was discouraged from attacking because it could set off a massive nuclear war and assure the mutual destruction of both sides.  This theory, humorously abbreviated as "MAD", lasted from the 1950s to the 1980s, when conservative President Ronald Reagan urged a shift to a more defensive military approach (the Strategic Defense Initiative, or Star Wars) rather than a purely offensive approach (if you attack me, then I'll counterattack and we will both be destroyed).

Democratic President Jimmy Carter agreed with the Soviet Union to further arms reduction and dependence on "MAD" by signing "SALT-II" in 1979.  This time conservatives were successful in defeating it in the U.S. Senate, and it was never ratified to become law.

Democratic President Jimmy Carter agreed with the Soviet Union to reduce "arms" further by signing "SALT-II" in 1979.  This time conservatives were successful in defeating it in the U.S. Senate (because the treaty was better for the Soviet Union than the U.S.), and it was never ratified to become law.

The Cold War against communism lasted until the early 1990s, when communism was overthrown in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe.  But communism continues to this day in China (the world's most populated country), Cuba (which is only 90 miles south of Florida), Venezuela (with oil, one of the most powerful countries in South America), and North Korea.  Some view communism as being good in theory, but bad in practice as it requires suppressing freedom of speech, religion, the press, and even education in order to survive.  But others view communism as evil in theory, as it imposes material equality on all with complete disregard for God's different gifts and purposes for different people.

The Cold War lasted until the early 1990s, when communism was overthrown in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe.  But communism continues to this day in China (the world's most populated country), Cuba, Venezuela (with oil, one of the most powerful countries in South America), and North Korea.  Some view communism as being good in theory, but bad in practice as it requires suppressing freedom of speech, religion, the press, and even education in order to survive.  But others view communism as evil in theory, as it imposes material equality on all with complete disregard for God's different gifts and purposes for different people.

 

== 80th Congress ==

== 80th Congress ==