Operation Cue - May 5, 1955
Part of the overall “Operation Teapot” series of nuclear test explosions in Nevada, Operation Cue was a civil defense exercise to intended to observe the effects of nuclear weapons on a civilian infrastructure, including the construction of test houses populated with mannequins.
Photographs of Operation Cue from the Records of the Office of Civil and Defense Mobilization, 1947 - 1962
via DocsTeach
On April 17, 1961, 1400 Cuban exiles launched what became a botched invasion at the Bay of Pigs on the south coast of Cuba.
The Cuban-exile invasion force, known as Brigade 2506, landed at beaches along the Bay of Pigs and immediately came under heavy fire.
Cuban planes strafed the invaders, sank two escort ships, and destroyed half of the exile’s air support. Bad weather hampered the ground force, which had to work with soggy equipment and insufficient ammunition. Read More
The declassified Top Secret pages shown here are from the Cuba Security Folder, 1961. It contains material collected by the office of President John F. Kennedy’s secretary, Evelyn Lincoln, concerning Cuba. All 124 pages can be viewed in the digital archive from the JFK Library.
The “Iron Lady:” Baroness Margaret Thatcher, Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, October 13, 1925 - April 8, 2013
- Photograph of President Reagan walking with Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher at Camp David, 11/06/1986. ARC Identifier 198578
- Jimmy Carter with Margaret Thatcher, 09/13/1977. ARC Identifier 176181
- President Bush Presents the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, 03/07/1991. ARC Identifier 672821
A Call for A Bold Defense: the Strategic Defense Initiative, aka “Star Wars”
Thirty years ago, on March 23, 1983, President Ronald Reagan publicly revealed his Strategic Defense Initiative proposal in a televised address. Portrayed as an alternative to the existing “Mutually Assured Destruction” (“MAD”) doctrine of nuclear deterrence, the ambitious nuclear missile defense system was also criticized as costly and implausible, derisively referred to as “Star Wars”. The program greatly accelerated U.S. satellite research but led to one of the final escalations of the Cold War with the Soviet Union.
This draft of the speech incorporates edits and comments by President Reagan.
- A Call for a Bold Defense (3/23/83 10:30am draft), 03/23/1983; ARC Identifier 198415; Collection RR-SMOF: White House Staff and Office Collections, 01/20/1981 - 01/20/1989
- An artist’s concept of a ground/space-based hybrid laser weapon, 10/18/1984; ARC Identifier 6389105; Record Group 330: Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense, 1921 - 2008
- An artist’s concept of a ground/space-based hybrid laser weapon, 10/18/1984; ARC Identifier 6389105; Record Group 330: Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense, 1921 - 2008
via DocsTeach
Harvey Lavan “Van” Cliburn, Jr.: American Classical Pianist and Cultural Hero of the Cold War, July 12, 1934 - February 27, 2013
“TEXAS PIANIST WINS TOP SOVIET MUSIC PRIZE In Moscow’s Bolshoi Theatre, Texas’ Van Cliburn wins the Tchaikovsky Competition, one of the toughest and most prestigious in the world of music with a bravura performance that makes him the toast of Moscow. A rare feat by an American-born, American-trained musician.”
Closing February 3! To The Brink: JFK and the Cuban Missile Crisis:
A look back at one of the most dangerous two weeks in modern history, this exhibit closes this weekend at the National Archives before moving on to the JFK Library in Boston.
Can’t make it to DC in time? Check out the “To the Brink” iPad App!
President Jimmy Carter, former-President Richard Nixon, and Deng Xiaoping during the state dinner for the Vice Premier of China. 1/29/79.
-from the Carter Library
A German Fate At The Fence Of Barbed Wire
Some of our followers may recognize these photos from when we first posted them on the 50th anniversary of Berlin Wall in August of 2011: Making the Impossible Decision. With their family unexpectedly divided by the fledgling Berlin Wall, the mother makes a split-second decision to pass her son over the wire to her husband during a momentary lapse by the border guards.
Slate’s history blog, The Vault (also on Tumblr), is now trying to identify the family from this heart-wrenching series of photos:
Do you know who this family is?
On December 19, the sound of the a human voice was transmitted through space. It was the voice of President Eisenhower, broadcasting a message of peace to the world below.
This is the President of the United States speaking. Through the marvels of scientific advance, my voice is coming to you from a satellite circling in outer space. My message is a simple one. Through this unique means, I convey to you and all mankind America’s wish for peace on earth and good will to men everywhere.
-Satellite SCORE Goodwill message, President Eisenhower, December 19, 1958
Recorded on December 17th, it was transmitted to the satellite following a last-minute plan to change the existing recordings with Eisenhower’s goodwill message and broadcast on December 19th.
Dave Brubeck and the Moscow Summit
We were sad to learn of the passing of Dave Brubeck, who died yesterday. He would have celebrated his 92nd birthday today.
In honor of the jazz maverick, and his efforts as an ambassador of music for the U.S. State Department, here’s a photo of Brubeck performing for Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev during the Moscow Summit of 1988.
As The Washington Post described:
“During ‘Take Five,’ observers noticed that Gorbachev was tapping his fingers along with the music.
“’I can’t understand Russian,’” Mr. Brubeck said at the time, “’but I can understand body language.’”
The Moscow Summit marked a thaw in the Cold War, and the day after Brubeck’s performance, President Reagan and Secretary Gorbachev would sign the INF treaty ratification at the Grand Kremlin.
Photo: Dave Brubeck performing for President Reagan, Nancy Reagan, Mikhail Gorbachev and Raisa Gorbachev at Spaso House, Moscow. 5/31/88.
November 20, 1962 — President Kennedy is all smiles
This is one of our favorite pictures of President Kennedy. Wonder why he looks so happy?
Though the Cuban Missile Crisis came to a peaceful end in October of 1962, as of November, nuclear missiles remained in Cuba and the U.S. naval blockade was still in place. On November 20, 1962 – the day this photo was taken – President Kennedy announced at a press conference that Chairman Khrushchev had agreed to withdraw all of the bombers in Cuba within 30 days, and that the U.S. would lift the blockade. Now that’s something to smile about.
(source: jfklibrary.org)
60 Years Ago Today:
“Operation Ivy, Mike cloud, aerial view”
On November 1, 1952, the first successful test of a thermonuclear device, or hydrogen bomb, was conducted as part of “Operation Ivy.”
(via todaysdocument)
Missiles Missiles Missiles
Doodles Annotated with the Words Missiles, Missiles, Missiles, 10/25/1962
Series: John F. Kennedy Personal Papers: Doodles, 1952 - 11/22/1963
Notes scribbled by President John F. Kennedy during a Security Council meeting on October 25, 1962, in the midst of the Cuban Missile Crisis.
(via DocsTeach)
The National Archives’ latest exhibit: “To the Brink: JFK and the Cuban Missile Crisis” covers the 13 days when the world teetered on the brink of thermonuclear war.
“I must say frankly that measures indicated in your statement constitute a serious threat to peace and to the security of nations. The United States has openly taken the path of grossly violating the United Nations Charter, path of violating international norms of freedom of navigation on the high seas, the path of aggressive actions both against Cuba and against the Soviet Union.”
- Nikita Khrushchev, letter to President Kennedy re: quarantine, 10/23/62
Pictured: Khrushchev’s official letter to President Kennedy. Read the translation here.
The National Archives’ latest exhibit: “To the Brink: JFK and the Cuban Missile Crisis” covers the 13 days when the world teetered on the brink of thermonuclear war.
Pages 3 and 4 of Proclamation 3504, authorizing the naval quarantine of Cuba, signed 50 years ago today, October 23, 1962. See the other pages here.
(source: jfklibrary.org)
The National Archives’ latest exhibit: “To the Brink: JFK and the Cuban Missile Crisis” covers the 13 days when the world teetered on the brink of thermonuclear war.
