[Music] somewhere in communist Russia a team of Engineers were moving a large object through a desolate Countryside hoping to capture the minds of people everywhere by being the first to conquer outer space their rocket was huge packed in its nose was a large ball with two radios [Music] inside they had built it in total secrecy [Music] moments of farewell the photographers are taking their last shots our space rocket is ready in the center of the cosmo drone the countdown begins now only a few moments remain all I fix on the clock 30 seconds 1 10 seconds 5 the hand ious vertical am might our rocket vibrates white hot flame gashes downward and the great Beast R slowly from the [Music] earth we are about to create a new planet that we will call spck it is small this first satellite but after it we will launch others in the olden days explorers like ragama and Columbus have the Good Fortune to open up the terrestrial Globe now we have the Good Fortune to open up space and it is for those in the future to Envy us our joy when the rocket reached a speed of 18,000 M an hour its flame went out and in the Silence of space It joined the moon in orbit around the Earth then its casing opened the Springs snapped and the nose cone was pushed out of the way a ball with four antenni emerged to go It Alone in the darkness of space and a radio began to send a signal back to Earth Humanity had entered the Space [Music] Age [Music] oh when Sputnik left its Russian home it began an incredibly fast Journey East and shortly passed over virtually all of the inhabited Earth over the wide Southern Atlantic Ocean over the Sahara desert in North Africa over Jerusalem and across vast stretches of the Pacific it finally entered America hugging the coast of California and soon passed directly over Houston this is radio marow and here is the news our satellite Sputnik lifted at 22 hours 28 minutes Moscow time and entered orbit around the Earth the first artificial Earth satellite in the world have now been created this first satellite was today it eminates radio signals every 3/10 of a second charting its course as it streaks across the radi signal can be picked up on 20 and 40 Meyes as it circles the earth once everyone with a short wve radio can listen to SP this is Harry than recording this is the satellite October 1957 coming in on the 20 Mega Cycles the steady be beep be every two or three times a second Steve Chef left town Long Island reporting to the world that I am hearing it being softer dying now out of my range another ham has got to pick us up ladies and gentlemen we are bringing to you the most important story of this Century Mankind's breakthrough into space for the first time mankind has reached for the star and found them within his grasp the Westinghouse Broadcasting Company filmed the first motion pictures of the Russian satellite you are about to witness this historic event now here is a photograph released by the Soviets of the satellite and this is the track of what you will see in the lower half of your television screen so be sure that you watch very very carefully there it is about in the center of the screen in the lower third we moved the camera camera was moved there start over again now we start over again and the stars are in the background this is a photograph of a monitor screen there's the object botom across the bottom about uh in the middle of the screen now I would say that is wonderful isn't right now it's north of Oakland New Zealand and moving Southeast it will be in 10 minutes about 1500 miles north of Little America and in about 24 minutes it will will be uh over Santiago Chile and at about 50 minutes from now it will be over [Music] Spain it was cold and clear we could see the Milky Way shimmering across the sky I stood in my front yard my family with me the entire neighborhood the entire city in in fact the entire nation it seemed was standing outside watching what the Russians had [Music] done just at the time the Russians had said a tiny light appeared at the southwestern Horizon and glided over our heads some of us [Music] cried I certain [Music] [Applause] are nothing man-made had ever been so Global everyone knew it was there suddenly space flight and space travel seemed possible and now back tonight and trying for $20,000 are Eddie Hodges the 10-year-old school boy and his partner Major John Glenn Jr the Marine Corps Jet Pilot uh what do you think of the Russian satellite which is circling the earth at 18,000 M hour well to say the least George they're out of this world but uh this is uh really quite an advancement for not only the Russians but for international science I think we'd all agree on that it's the first time anybody has ever been able to get anything out that far in space and keep it there for any length of time and this is probably the first step toward space travel or Moon travel something we'll probably run into maybe in Eddie's lifetime here at least Eddie would you like to take a trip to the moon no sir I like it fine right [Applause] here so scientists launched a symbol of man's Liberation from the forces which have hitherto bound him to Earth is an important day in human history the launch of Sputnik is like the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus the launch of Sputnik is one of the greatest scientific moments in world history and in Moscow the people of a great nation heard the news on their loudspeakers read the news in their papers the Russians who have a constant feeling of inferiority in the modern world became terrifically elated when their country was able to win the race in getting a satellite up into space this was one time they had beaten the west and all its propaganda about higher living standards the sputnick was something the Russians could now boast about and they [Music] did we were convinced As Americans because we had so convinced ly won World War II that we were the dominant power in the world we had to be missiles were being built we were practicing as if there was going to be a third world war and all of a sudden out of nowhere here was this first man-made satellite being orbited by our Arch Enemy so this was an enormous event it took you from the realm of theoretical science fiction to reality it was a reality that human beings could send artificial satellites into space and that changed everything it was one of those moments in history where all of a sudden all of your thought processes changed Senator Lynden Baines Johnson of Texas described how he felt in his personal memoirs Mrs Johnson and I went outside we did not speak we walked with our eyes lifted Skyward straining to catch a glimpse and then we saw it I felt uneasy in Texas we live close with the sky but now in some way our sky seemed alien I said to myself that another Nation had achieved superiority over this great country of ours the thought shocked me I rushed back to my house we called my staff I said I wanted to make a complete inquiry into the state of our defenses Lyon Johnson telephoned me immediately we started the preparedness investigating subcommittee hearings I was calling everybody that could have any possible connection with this to see whether or not the United States was prepared for the Soviet Union dropping bombs on us from a [Music] satellite [Music] the first thing Monday morning political and military leaders appeared in print on the radio and on TV of their Sputnik telling us that Sputnik was a threat to our security a that it was launched as an aggressive act for years Soviet Russia had been threatening to bar us Sputnik they said was the first shot in a cold war that could quickly become very hot there is something new in the heavens something that has never been there before it's called disput we do not know now whether the satellite has direct military implications up until now neither country could reach the other with bomb carrying missiles but Sputnik appeared to change that and it now looked like the Russians could attack us and that we could do nothing to protect [Music] ourselves the United States is depicted as being in a state of admiration confusion and surprise and Russians are told that the American Myth of a Soviet lag in science has been exploded Russia's getting into space really bothers me because it's making the cold war between the Russia and United States you know more intense you know there's going to be more tension between in World Peace Life Magazine editors called Sputnik a devastating Blow To The Prestige of the United States they compared it to the first shot at Lexington and Concord and urged Americans to respond like like the minute man the Vatican said today quote Sputnik is a frightening toy in the hands of childlike men who are without morals for it has broadcast no Discovery like proof that God is in the heavens the Federal Communications Commission warned that persons could be prosecuted for faking sounds as though they came from Sputnik a hoax on the same frequency as a satellite said this is a satellite how long it will continue to whurl through the heavens is a subject of great speculation estimates range from a few days to 1 million years an East German news agency said that the next sured space satellite would become a small permanent new planet in our solar system the Reverend David Osborne said that the Russian satellite has proved the second coming of Christ is at hand American scientists disagree over whether there is a secret code concealed in the radio beeps is it possible that it is transmitting a code not just a beep signal yes it's quite possible that it's transmitting a code uh but we don't uh realize what the code is of course and I suppose if this is a code it's a very fine one furthermore this Sputnik will have equipment that will Jam our our local television uh stations uh radio stations our early warning radar system and then be in a position where the Russian Russians can rebroadcast some of their propaganda they'll come right into your home on your on your television set the satellite's weight 185 lb this huge size is what is impressing most scientists around the world today if it is 180 lbs I think it would astonish or if it is that it has astonished our scientists I'd say that if Sputnik was 184 lb that was alarming it meant the rocket that launched it could be used as an intercontinental ballistic missile ICBM that could potentially carry a nuclear [Music] bomb see ambassador of Japan has graciously consented to appear at a later date in order that youth wants to know may present a special program on the launching of the first Earth satellite by the Soviet Union excuse me James oh well I'd like to know if uh the people of my generation now have anything to fear by this can this satellite be turned in some into some kind of a dangerous weapon that will harm the future generation the present satellite is not a guided missile and when some time passes it will come to the tense uh layers of the atmosphere and it will burn out but I still want I still want to know there isn't any danger then in something being turned from this missile by your country harming the uh people of my generation we don't have anything to fear [Music] that one meaning very quickly read from the launching of the satellite is an ominous one this is that the Russians have licked some of the toughest problems of rocket propulsion the basis of the so-called Ultimate Weapon the longrange ballistic [Music] missile P said the kind of rockets which have taken Sputnik up could also carry missiles they were using Sputnik to to try to scare the United States scare Americans into the idea that they had uh Advanced beyond what we had done in in missry and Rockets and here they were big and powerful up until now the Cold War had been largely a war of words but the threat that the Soviets had an ICBM now seemed a very real possibility 10 years from now Russia will be way ahead of us nuclear physicist Dr Edward Teller intensified the feeling that we were at risk by comparing Sputnik to the most serious attack ever to hit America the attack on Pearl Harbor said Senator Johnson soon the Russians will be dropping bombs on us from space like kids dropping rocks onto cars from freeway [Music] overpasses fight me uh we should find out what they're doing that we're not doing and we should do something about it very quickly it gets the American people alarm that a foreign country especially an enemy country can do this if we fear this we fear that they have something out that majority of the people don't know about this is the age of the rocket which travels out the satellite which surrounds all of us and the missile which could destroy us the competition for leadership in Space the race run by rocket where is the Finish Line do we end up in a nuclear war or do we try to live with the constant fear of one sputnik's a serious threat if not to our immediate security then to our sense of security probably no one here in the nation's capital would disagree with one thing that Senator Wy said we had better get on our [Music] toes Sputnik revealed that the Soviets had a missile but our worst fears were realized when just days later they showed us that they had successfully tested a bigger far more destructive [Music] [Music] hbomb [Music] the to people around the world America the most scientifically Advanced Nation now looked weaker and during that very week something else was happening at home that was hurting our reputation as much as Sputnik the Russians said we were a people with a hatred for our own citizens just because of the color of their skin and they had proof in Little Rock Arkansas events were taking place that shocked people everywhere nine black students were trying to go to school in accordance with the law of the land but people opposed to integrating schools had been violently trying to prevent them from entering allh Central High the world watched while white Americans screamed hate at Black Americans minute they walk in they we walk out and it's not right they have schoolish just as good as ours had a choice but we don't have a choice like they do see they can go to ours they can go to their own but we have to go to have too Nas aren't the only on have the Russians took advantage of this and proudly declared that Sputnik would fly directly over Little Rock announcing to the the world the exact hour it would pass [Music] overhead to people in poorer Nations the Soviets represented the future while America was bogged down with the problems of her past there's something about America that makes me Shout with joy it's a land of opportunity for every girl and boy there's something about our president that makes me shout hooray in America we all might be the president someday until that fall 1957 had been great for America in fact throughout the 1950s Millions Rose from the Shadows of the Great Depression in World War II to become middle class buying tens of millions of homes automobiles telephones washing machines refrigerators and obtaining college degrees and home mortgages the American dream was becoming reality for more and more of us there's something about America that's wonderful to me and you know what that something is we are are really free the scenes which follow are taken from a communist propaganda film this is what they are saying about you behind the so-called Statue of Liberty American capitalists are producing atomic bombs strikes are on the increase a familiar sight Surplus milk and coffee thrown away so as to keep prices High here the Pampered dog of a millionaire and here the unemployed stand in line to get some slot this is the real American way of life today starvation and poverty tomorrow chaos both sides were trying to win the war of words the Soviet were telling the world that we had failed that our best Minds were focused on producing cars with Monster Tail Fins princess phones and that we had to send the Army the legendary 101st Airborne into an American city to make sure that children could go to public schools the Soviet PR campaign centered on Sputnik was working a Gallup poll showed that Sputnik had eroded American prestige in most foreign countries including allies like Germany France Italy and Japan suddenly there was a new dimension in the world an astounding achievement and it wasn't American and we were all so unbelievably americ pro-american we loved America we tried to drive American cars we tried to smoke American cigarettes America was much loved and this was the first sort of Doubt can it be the ins superable the brilliant America people would talk about America with a passion and an enthusiasm that Al last we have never [Music] repeated between what the Russians were saying and their sput was all too much we wanted reassurance from the president that we were safe that he had a plan for us to regain our position and our power President Eisenhower had proved himself as a military leader he knew how to keep pool Under Pressure how to stay focused within days of Sputnik he called a press conference to calm the country down good morning ladies and gentlemen do you have any questions you'd like to ask me president Smith of the United press uh Russia has launched an Earth satellite they also claim to have had a successful firing of the Intercontinental ballistics missile uh no of which this country's done uh I ask you sir uh what are we going to do about it I believe that U I believe it' be dangerous to predict what science is going to do in the next uh 20 years but it's going to be a very considerable time uh in this uh realm just as in any other president didn't answer the question he wasn't prepared for our reaction to Sputnik be a question he'd always been able to use his military background to keep us feeling safe but the Press speaking for the public wouldn't let Sputnik go hael marel of NBC uh Mr President in light of the great faith which the American people have in your military knowledge and leadership are you saying at this time uh that uh with the Russian satellite whirling about the world you are not more concerned uh about our nation's security as far as the satellite itself is concerned that doesn't raise my apprehensions not one iota I see nothing at this moment at this stage of development that is significant in that development as far as security is concerned the mere fact that this thing orbits involves no Duty Discovery to science they knew it could be done at least they say so and they have for a long time so that's no new discovery so it in itself it imposes no additional threat to the United States we wanted more from President Eisenhower we knew him to be a steadfast Commander but this time it seemed he wasn't leveling with us speaking for most Americans leading Democratic opponents and others criticized his apparent lack of concern about the risks we were facing the people of the United States have been humiliated they're Disturbed and they're unhappy I see nothing wrong in acknowledging Russia's accomplishment but I see a great deal wrong with kidding ourselves not just our pride but our security is at stake our security was at stake it seemed that almost daily Soviet leaders told us that they were going to annihilate us can [Music] Premier Nikita kushev spoke aggressively because he feared America and our threats that we would destroy them he was determined to protect his Nation by standing up to us by letting us know that if we attack them they would destroy us with their icbms the Communists are red fascists on our side government leaders had been telling us for a decade that the Soviets were evil and ungodly that they were a serious threat to our way of life not just because they had missiles but because of what they stood for this boy will grow up acutely aware that there are forces of evil communism is a word he is learning to understand how we meet the Communist challenge depends on on you the Communists are embarked on a worldwide campaign to take over the world the Communist block would like to see the entire world under communist [Music] domination the basic idea of the communism that people must be equal that the rich people have to share their weals with the poor and then we will build the society where everybody will have their share so it was the same what the Jesus Christ Christ told 2,000 years ago and he was crucified for his words so in reality the first communist was Jesus Christ coexistence to a communist means nothing you cannot coexist with one who is dedicated to your complete and utter destruction of course uh Soviet Union was evil empire to the United States United States was the same evil empire to the Soviets because they want to destroy our country our social democracy it was the same feeling on the both side unless we understand 9 8 and work effectively for the principles upon which our American way of life is founded the structure will crumble and our heritage of Freedom will [Music] perish [Music] the [Music] we carried our lovely space duck down to the capsule and place her inside she was groomed for her w we attached the instruments B her farewell and turned away from the launch pad and didn't look [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] back [Music] NBC News presents a special report on the Russian launching of a seconde satellite and now to guide this report here in New York is NBC news commentator Merill Mueller good afternoon a dog knocked a goat right out of the world's attention today in a masterpiece of propaganda timing the Soviet Union announced it had launched Sputnik number two carrying a live dog this is reportedly history's first space traveler Moscow reports this morning that the dog in the new splick is in satisfactory condition and the Reds hint that she may be parachuted safely back to the Earth space alive well the red pup Nick the D barking his way around the Earth every 102 minutes has one russan new respect a British editor asked me half jokingly how does it feel to be the citizen of the second R power behind the scientific success lies a grim military warning confirmed Now by anglo-american scientists the rocket that launched Sputnik number two is capable of carrying a ton and a half hydrogen bomb Warhead more than 5,000 mil to a [Music] Target the kind of thing that a month ago would have sounded like a joke but in Washington now anyone who cares to laugh at this does so at his own risk the Russians are talking about shooting up something that will hit the moon and possibly even make some kind of Mark on it visible from the earth these Russians who we had stereotyped as a crude people barely able to master a tractor were years ahead of [Music] us where he still just how at the moon when in spite of these fears Leica captured the Limelight everyone wanted the first living creature in space to return safely to Earth Leica became more famous than any actor or athlete of her time rib baring the only dog that's been up there you be the talk in every town when comes back down he has change to Leica Leica cigarettes made of the best Eastern tobacco known far and wide for their fine flavor gentlemen it appears that the whole world's concerned about little mutnick flying around out there in space Dr spec what can you tell us about her chances for survival well I uh believe her chances for survival are probably quite good the Russians have not said so officially but they have indicated strongly an effort will be made to bring the dog back to Earth alive prayers were said for the dog and people were asked to observe a minute's silence each day with special thoughts for her early and safe return to Earth from Singapore to Cincinnati they risen in a chorus of protests mares on Soviet embassies and various capitals are planned and the national canine Defense League of Britain has called dog lovers to a minute of Silence each day but then it dawned on the world that there was no provision for leica's return and that she was sent into orbit to Die the Soviets admitted that she would soon run out of oxygen Millions reacted not to the missile threat but to light M's impending doom keep your chin up little dog you deserve a monument you p in space we can only pray in this time of aloneness and suffering that God will be merciful and and speed the end this voiceless Cry of Mercy as this satellite spans the Earth should be long remembered as a symbol of the torture the animal world must go through months later the spacecraft carrying the lifeless body of its Valiant little Pioneer fell out of orbit and was incinerated during [Music] re-entry the Russian people did build a monument in her honor [Music] the launching of Sputnik number two is not something to be taken lightly and in a casual manner it seems to me that the time is at hand now for the president not merely to take the country into his confidence as he has indicated by a series of speeches but more importantly to take the Congress into his confidence to tell us all of the facts here we are having a country that's not supposed to be able to build refrigerators or anything putting satellites up there and we can't we're not where is our pride where where are we why don't we have a satellite up there 5 weeks after Sputnik the president received an urgent top secret Memo from a CIA operative inside the Soviet Union Sputnik 2 is materially increase the threat to our security sputnik's weight of 1100 lb proves that they can send us an hpom it is vitally important the United States launch a satellite at the earliest possible moment this is the only way we can truly protect ourselves with the pressure from the CIA report and from Congress and the public the president felt he had to do something he announced that very shortly America would launch its first satellite Vanguard in desperation the United States look to the vanguards project Vanguard is to circle the Earth 300 M High sending back information about the cosmic unknown the man-made moon will ride a giant rocket into space 72 ft long the missile will travel 5 m second Vanguard would launch a satellite the size of a grapefruit which the Press pointed out was puny much smaller than SP ni [Music] W the president's decision to go with Vanguard was difficult for him to make because the military had several rockets that they said were ready for launch Redstone Uncle Sam's largest ballistic missile goes on Exhibition at New York's famous Grand Central Terminal Redstone a rocket built by the Army was ready to go but the president refused to use it he was concerned that a rocket developed by the military might provoke a new arms race that could cause the Soviets to expand their missile program and build bigger hydrogen bombs wer Von brwn at 27 head of the German rocket development during World War II also the Army's rocket program was headed by verer Von braa who had worked for Hitler Von Bron was the creator of the V2 rocket which the Nazis had launched on London and had killed thousands of civilians President Eisenhower was struggling to find the fastest way to put a satellite into orbit in an effort to help scientifically oriented boys joined rocket clubs 1 to restore American Prestige they would build and launch homemade Rockets more and more teenagers are passing up rock and roll for a rocket roll sister dun scotus a physics teacher supervises members of the Austin Minnesota rocket Society attempting to send a mouse along we wanted our country to catch up uh with the Russians and then we wanted to just keep on going forever we just felt like someday what we were doing was going to help the United States to to be number one in space I was just completely uh fascinated and was doing my best to get Rockets as high as I possibly could my goal was to get a rocket into the stratosphere if I could I was inspired by Sputnik to build my own Rockets you know so that uh ended up with some chemistry experiments in the basement that went wrong yeah I exploded this rocket mixture and I burned my eyebrows off and my mother was horrified they really weren't Rockets they were pipe bombs with thins it's amazing I didn't uh kill myself they were very very dangerous two of my Nobel friends have fingers missing from so I I've got all 10 of them so I was very careful [Applause] fire promise of great things to come from future Pro R of [Music] space Cape canavero Florida where America's satellite launching vehicle is the focus the first US rocket with satellite ever fired newsmen from all over the world were flown down for the big turkey shoot at the launching site they were were given a play-by-play account they witnessed each tiny detail of the usually top secret preparation it was Carnival time at Cape canaval all through the day and night thousands of people thronged the nearby beaches and Jetties waiting eagerly for the big moment Vince is Charleson friend reporting from Kate canavero reporters and photographers have gathered here throughout the night and early morning now it is almost noon we expect the project Vanguard missile carrying the first United States satellite to be launched momentarily inside the Block House the tension steadily mounted - 10 Mark 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Z Vanguard started sounding like the moan of some massive dinosaur fire filled its nozzles it spit flame at first then built with great Crescendo to a tremendous howl it ripped itself loose from its chains and began to rise slowly we all rose with it oh God no somebody screamed I don't see it I think the launching has been unsuccessful it seemed as if the gate Gates of Hell had opened before our unbelieving eyes the giant began to top disint through the it took just seven seconds to set back a nation's Pride our first attempt to launch an Earth satellite has apparently ended in failure [Music] most of the payload is down here in this Gully you'll find other bits and pieces of it scattered out here in the smoking debris on the other side of the road normally after a launch that launching pad is as clean as a dinner plate and you can see what it looks like now good evening everybody Coast to Coast Douglas Edwards reporting at Cape canaval a dull thud heard round the world the London Daily Express called it kaputnik the Daily Mail fnck goes the US satellite the sun stay putnik The Daily Herald oh what a fln this headline was proudly reprinted by the Soviets it went on and on the American Stock Exchange closed to prevent frantic selling Russian PR kept the vanguard's Flames burning kushev added insult to injury when he address the Supreme Soviet our Sputnik are circling the world now with America's failure they will not be able to stop the forward mark arch of [Music] Communism President Eisenhower now felt he had no choice but to call on the Army and verer Von [Music] braa though he was against the use of a military rocket the public and the Press were desperate for American success and verer Von braa said that his rocket was ready to [Music] go good morning gentlemen be seated please I have a very important announcement for you we've been assigned the mission of launching a scientific Earth SLE I promised the secretary of the army that we would be ready in 90 days or less let's go Warner for years they had begged for this chance but to put up a satellite within the deadline would require an unparalleled crash program this is a rebuilt Redstone a 200m missile carrying instead of a warhead the Explorer a 6-t bullet only inches across crammed with electronic Gear 30 lb of payload [Music] Cape canaberal Flor Friday 31 January the weather is clear general maderas orders launch at 10:30 that [Music] night the Explorer one satellite is carefully fitted into place like a glittering Jewel in a metallic set okay check the utility room fuel vapor and notify the block housee when we're clear to start generator the beams of powerful search lights light up the missile truly the star of one of the greatest suspense dramas of our [Music] time close the block doors close the doors we're counting it's 2us 35 man your stations no talking please countown to explore a one okay we start now connect assembly afmc Teter calibration tap off our transer test onve and [Music] [Music] record 15 seconds 10 9 8 7 6 5 United States is ready to fly in place it first Earth satellite [Music] intoit and it's following a steady course a beautiful sight in the Starlet Skies here over Florida now the noise people were crying there after it finally went up and and you were hearing everybody yell go go go you know as it got farther and farther and then it got dimmer and dimmer the rocket just grew Deber and denber and it was gone President Eisenhower says that he's been informed that we have successfully put a satellite into orbit Americans stand a little straighter they walk a little more confidently America was finally in the race and took a moment to celebrate to go wild with space fever hundreds of American cities held parades songs were written I'm build satellite they me a satellite and lock around the Moon lock around the Moon down the cheeks on my I'm coming up to see them soon well I My Scene just a little out of pocket I tie my me to aot Flying Walt Disney produced new TV programs the Boy Scouts offered a space merit badge students went on field trips to planetariums and celebrated space days toy companies promoted satellite and Rocket toys com in ideal countdown controled ready for second launching 3 2 1 Blast Off There She Goes people around the country honored the men that had finally gotten America into space tiering van Allan Brown top Spaceman scientists who hurtle democracy into the Space Age they held the news conference and Von Brown and picker and Van Allen held a backup Explorer over their heads and then America was at their feet German scientist verer Von braa had become America's rocket Superstar if we were to stop today on an organized and well supported Space Program I believe his partner Army General John maderas was the man who led the rocket team both men took this opportunity to break traditional military silence and began to speak out publicly about how they wanted the American Military to take the lead and dominate space Major General John B maderas is the commander of the 5,000 man army team that shot the satellite Explorer into space thank you so much on behalf of the team Gary well General since a Jupiter sea went into orbit you have said that the next major war will be fought out of this world and you feel our goal should be the quote domination of space is that true yes that's right of course I don't believe we're going to do it tomorrow but it'll be very soon I think and I think all things will happen gentlemen the conquest of outer space is the greatest technological challenge of the age in which we live the first decisive step in the conquest of space will be the placing of an object into an orbit wherein it will indefinitely circle the Earth uh you are known as an advocate of transporting Army troops by Ballistic rocket could you elaborate a little on the Army thinking we think the ballistic missile is a very suitable form of transportation a nuclear war you have to think not only in great depth of the battlefield but also they have this dream of turning space into a platform for war of using missiles to send people send troops around the world in tubes like sardines in a can they were looking at space as the next big weapons platform the day will come when perhaps our major battles will be Space Battles instead of air battles so I certainly couldn't predict exactly when that'll be but I'm sure it will come in the [Music] future I believe that uh there's a definite possibility for launching guided missiles from an orbit to Targets on the ground the conquest of space will probably be of Greater importance than we can begin to realize at the present time and if we do not expend the thought the effort and the money required then another more Progressive Nation will it is quite possible possible that an aggressor nation that dominates space will then dominate the world we just can't let that happen sending soldiers to fight in space was going to be hugely expensive military leaders teamed up with top scientists to try to get funding from Congress so in the first step while we still have a chance of catching up with the Russians we must use what we do have and this vehicle here is a design which provides for people to go out into space all right I'm asking now you've got a decision now to go full steam ahead yes sir but you don't have the money we don't have the money what how can you do it then without the money good question sir it's high time that we as a nation face the facts of life the people must be told the gravity of a situation and what is required to strengthen our defenses and to regain our respect in the community of Nations the responsibility for these policy decisions rests primarily with the president the Department of Defense and the civilian Departments of the military [Music] services at his White House Press Conference President Eisenhower is questioned on charges made in the current defense debate that his administration is too complacent and too concerned with the economy Ike's reply indicates the increasing bitterness the defense debate has lately taken on I get tired of saying that defense is to be made an excuse for wasting dollars I don't believe we should pay one cent for defense more than we have to but I do say this our offense our defense is not only strong President Eisenhower fought against the development of weapons in space from the start of his presidency he'd been speaking out against the uncontrolled growth of weapons that he said would fuel an arms race every gun that is made every warship launched every rocket fired signifies in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed those who are cold and are not C the cost of one modern heavy bomber is this a modern brick School in more than 30 [Music] cities opponents in Congress use this issue to attack the president we could do more and we could do it quicker if the national attitude were more appropriate to the threat and if more money were available calling him asleep at the switch hoping to undermine his popularity pretty bad the president has control over the agencies of government that means he can organize and he can administer if he will but you have to have the will and you have to wake up to the fact that the country is in dire trouble it may be important to have a balanced budget but I suggest that it is much more important to have the balance of power in this world in the hands of the United States and the free Nations a balanced budget and a country that is under the threat of Soviet domination doesn't make much sense to me well General could you tell us just where our our Explorer is right at this moment yes I think I can show you Gary oh great right now it's right in the South Atlantic on the way towards the the southern part of Africa and then coming up across this [Music] [Music] way although the Soviets threatened us by placing two Sputnik over our heads the Russian military now said that our Explorer satellite was a threat to their security and they reacted by calling for a renewed weapons buildup this was exactly what Eisenhower had feared the Russian military now put pressure on Kev to commit the funds to build space weapons many of these generals knew him and they thought that he will be on their side building more tanks more uh increasing the Army he told we don't need big army he told we don't need tanks because nobody will attack us if they know that we will destroy them with our missiles for us missiles wor survival if you will have enough missiles that will be threatened Americans with the structures they will never attack Us in Moscow communist leader Cruise Chef repeated his earlier remarks that Russia's intercontinental ballistic missile makes manned airplanes obsolete for defense and they might as well be put in museums let's not fool ourselves this may be our last chance to provide the means of saving Western Civilization from Annihilation on April 7th President Eisenhower received another top secret report from a CIA officer in Russia to the president I saw kushev and he admitted that both Sputnik were launched on icbms he is convinced that the US does not have one and that the Russians are ahead of us in the missile field he confidently said that they could hit anything in the United States using their icbms and that the balance of strength has changed in their [Music] favor the Army Grew From 2 and A2 million to 55 million and KV has dilemma really what is inevitable or we can deal with that people but we have to be strong and we have showed them that we are strong and was fear on the both [Music] sides [Music] every morning you Open the Eyes suddenly you see the bright sunlight and the first instinctive thought is is it uh Fireball of nuclear explosion or not that's that type of uh you know feelings of [Music] Terror something's got to change something's got to change because it's just not a matter of leadership anymore we're behind and if we're behind in something that is a life and death matter that's unacceptable and I and and as as much as it it it's happened in the past fear changed people made people think seriously that this was a crucial moment with regards to the history of the United States lenon put this way it does not matter if 34 of mankind is destroyed all that counts is that the last quarter is coming there isn't much time fill the bathtub the sink and every pot you've got with water and if you hear a siren turn the current to the house off the main switch in May a Gallup poll indicated that Americans believed a war with Russia was likely for the phone no calls no loading up at the supermarket stay in the house and keep the radio going and that it could kill seven in 10 Americans in dozens of films Hollywood and our office of civil defense fed this fear 121 North Europe [Music] time [Music] millions of people p it's too terrible it's hard to know that maybe you're going to die within the hour hard to [Music] understand BL effects would exterminate virtually all but the most deeply sheltered living things within a radius of 5 mil blast casualties would be severe up to a distance of 10 Mi but the phenomenon that would complete the devastation would be fire the area would be one Great Sea of Fire which would burn until there was nothing more to consume it seems clear that in the event of such an attack there would be no survivors of the blast each of us would dispensed a dog tag which we were told by this old teacher somewhat tactlessly could withstand the heat of 1,000° Centigrade made not to melt unfortunately our skin disintegrated about 900° before but we we had the comfort of knowing we could be identified in the event we were burn beyond recognition in the nuclear Holocaust she actually put it that way [Music] the possibility of conflict became even more real when an atomic bomb dropped on American soil suddenly it was clear that an accident anywhere in the world could provoke a nuclear war an atomic bomb Breaks Loose from a mounting Shackle in a b47 jet Over Florence South Carolina plummets to Earth causing a sensational freak accident in the great yard the blast tore a 35- ft deep crater the accident set off a chain of alarm and criticism around the world in Britain that aroused new controversy over nuclear weapons Moscow cited it as the type of mishap that could spark a war if nuclear war was coming Americans had to be prepared for it on June 10th the office of civil defense conducted a national drill to test our preparedness tens of millions of Americans participated the most rigorous test of America's civil defenses a simulated hydrogen bomb attack that strikes at 75 key targets from coast to coast enemy aircraft are over the illusion heading South Southwest where C total disaster the drill had two purposes to show us how to protect ourselves in the event of nuclear war and to show the Soviets that we were strong enough to survive a nuclear attack and fight fight back Nike missiles around New York are raised into firing position United States prepared for war at 10:35 the Banshee wh of the siren Echoes the warning and a city prepares for survival keep your radio tuned to this frequency there is a traffic plan for the evacuation ation of the [Music] city all cars in the downtown area must follow the green light do not run to your nearest shelter walk do not run to your nearest shelter New Yorkers have been conditioned by practice alerts they know what to do turn off your electricity and gas fill pots and pans with water obey your defense Ward meanwhile from the Pentagon and other key points top defense figures are airlifted to secret control centers where they would direct America's defense and counter attack the Soviets also produced civil defense films to convince their citizens that they could survive a nuclear war the films told Russians how to put on their gas masks and how to Tamp down radiation by hand the same like in United States they taught it what you have to do and we have the joke that if you will see this bright explosion somewhere on the sky you have to fall on the ground put some uh white material on top of you and slowly craw toward cemetry and the question why slowly because you must not create the panic well individuals apparently have been reluctant to build shelters would you think the government's going to ultimately have to take care of this well we have we have uh we have submitted such a program as I say with within the executive branch of the government however I would urge individuals who can afford it to build shoulders and build them right [Music] now this is the home of Jim and Carol site they are one of seven families in Washington DC which has a bomb shelter in their basement it's a Concrete Dome type of bomb shelter protected by this 3/4 in steel door and uh Jim and Carol are inside now getting a bunk ready yet Jim is there room for one more in there there is m in there how do you come in backwards frontwards does it give you a more secure feeling yes it does because uh I know that no matter what happens at least I've got some place to go to and I have some place to take my children and I don't feel like I'm just going to be sitting there and waiting for something to happen with no protection whatsoever and I don't think that it would ever come to them just saying either you surrender or we're going to bomb you but uh no I I wouldn't rather surrender them because they're atheists and they have a Godless way of [Music] life weapons of precise yield accurate delivery system small sizes were necessary in abundance and all matched with an adequate Airlift as the fear grew so did America's missile stockpile and Congress now approved the building of thousands more missiles within just 12 months throughout 1958 America and Soviet Russia conducted more above ground nuclear weapons tests than ever before one test every 3 days anything that we could conceive however Dark and Dangerous we assume that this equivalent scientists on the Soviet side could conceive and they did the same for us if conceivable then wouldn't those terrible evil people on either side do it try it test it if so then shouldn't we and Cru he told that nuclear weapons will be never used except if they push us into the corner when we have nothing to do than push the button so he told very important not to push the enemy in the corner and then he told if they will start the war we will have to say them in advance first day we will use our nuclear capability I must say to you and acknowledge to you that in my opinion the civilization ye the Christian civilization that you and I know and love stands in Greater danger today than it has in 20 [Music] centuries one of his uh main economic advisers came uh to the president and they were discussing uh the aftermath of atomic war and uh this individual was going on a great length about um uh reintroducing the dollar and stabilizing the currency and Eisenhower shook his head and said you don't understand there's going we're going to be eating worms [Music] Russia now ordered an allout military mobilization in preparation for [Music] war their Arsenal grew by hundreds of nuclear weapons and to prove their capability they tested the largest above ground hydrogen bomb ever [Music] exploded [Music] a bomb if it yielded 10 megatons would destroy New York City and the Fallout alone would kill everybody from New York to Boston including Boston the belief of the Rockefeller group is that we have to build up our missile for we also require the modernization of the Army divisions and in the they live to get them into trouble spots quickly we should not concern ourselves so much with one single life somebody makes a demagogic talk about a missile or somebody else about a different submarine or a piece of radar the nicity of judgment comes in what do we need get that get that by all means and get no get no more Eisenhower was trying to reduce American fears and quiet calls by military and Congressional leaders for an arms buildup but in spite of his statements Congress approved a multitude of weapons including smaller atomic weapons designed to fight what was called a limited War when they started to United States build the nuclear cannons and so it's also design they command of ground forces came to kuso with plan and told we have to have produce them in hundreds of thousands don't know who will decide to use them the division Commander he will start the nuclear war it will be it will be not my decision it's too dangerous too expensive it will we have to we show them twice an year on the military parade on the Red Square it's enough for Americans it's enough for you J it was fortunate for the planet that at a time when the world was headed towards disaster the two superpowers were led by former military men were both determined to decrease the arms race and the threat of nuclear war there was two leaders who could say their military you don't need this and they had this discussion Kim David when the Eisen how told K my General's pushing me for new investment in military because Soviets producing these weapons and kusf told my Marshals do the same because because Americans that they destroy this and then the Eisenhower smil at K told maybe we'll sign the personal treaty between two of us against our [Music] military [Music] we and other nations have a great responsibility to promote the peaceful use of space at a critical moment he knew the difference between strength that comes from peace for the benefit of all mankind rather than the strength of War Eisenhower was in favor of having an organization that was um a civilian eisener did not want a military organization he wanted a civilian agency and it was remarkable because it went up the spending went up on October the 4th 57 and by July 58 we had NASA set up be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America we hereby declare that it is the policy of the United States that activities in space should be devoted to Peaceful purposes for the benefit of all mankind the Congress further declares that space activity shall be directed by a civilian agency and shall be conducted so as to contribute materially to the expansion of human knowledge to ensure that NASA was controlled by civilians Eisenhower moved funding for all Mann space programs from the military to NASA last week the president transferred B Bron's Huntsville team and their Saturn project to the National Aeronautics and Space Agency when told of their transfer to NASA Bon braon and others threatened to quit when Eisenhower threatened back Bon Bron joined NASA to work on sending an astronaut into space and returning him safely to [Music] Earth as Christmas approached Eisenhower attempted to pull off one of the most daring acts of any American president he developed a top secret project codenamed score with a team of 88 handpicked civilians and soldiers they built an audio tape player designed to be launched into space that would play a personal message from the president that everyone everywhere could [Music] hear Eisenhower was so determined to keep score a secret it would be launched without the awareness or approval of Congress the military or even the ciae control switch less than a minute remains in countdown 8 7 6 5 newsman J barbrey saw it all it launched at 602 p.m. December the 18th 1958 once the satellite was in orbit a radio signal was sent from the ground to start the tape recorder that keeps playing over and over a message of seasoned greetings from the United from the president of the United States is the president of the United States speaking through the Marvel and scientific event my voice allica Earth everywhere what it did for the spirit of this country was just magnificent after he heard his voice from space President Eisenhower said to the Press that's one of the most astounding things maybe the next thing they'll do is televise pictures after score many government leaders were furious at what Ike had done they called score an expensive stunt orchestrated by a president in trouble but it was not score symbolized the future for Eisenhower had given us the world's first communication satellite you know when we're talking about the beginning of the Space Age of the Sputnik it is the same the Christopher Columbus discovering America you just entered the new world without real understanding of the consequences so we were very proud that we first opened this door in Space the main reaction I hope we learn I don't know if we will that Sputnik really was meant to be a peaceful evidence of our scientific capabilities if we can detach Sputnik from Rockets with Warheads that would be a great way to end this 50 [Music] years beep beep beep here comes the satellite beep beep beep beep and now it's out of sight beep beep beep beep around the earth it goes beep beep beep beep and that's how science [Music] grows [Music] look at it whiz it must go at least 5 mes a second or it'll never stay up some of them can go around the Earth in only an hour and a half beep beep beep beep around the earth it goes beep beep beep beep and that's how science grows well my great Grand Daddy had a horse and a buggy my granddaddy had one too my Daddy's got him an automobile but you what I'm going to do I'm going to build me a satellite build me a satellite and rock around the Moon rock around the Moon I'm going to build me a satellite build me a satellite and rock around a moon rock around the Moon tell the cheeks on Mars I'mma coming up to see them [Music] soon
