Sputnik Scare

Sputnik Scare The beep-beep-beep signal scare, From the Sputnik artificial satellite Orbiting the earth; broadcast through air Continued for twenty-two minutes Until the batteries ran out. The Russians are first in space! And America is on edge: Perceptions of a missile gap and space control, To thoughts of a war with nuclear bombs; As people watch for Sputnik circling the globe. In response to the Red Soviet aggression, The USA increases its nuclear arsenal position, And Britain rocks Australia with radiation. While all three engage in atmospheric testing, To assert power dominance in the world theatre; As their ambassadors hammer out agreements, In the United Nations assembly building. The public gasps in fear; the situation is tense! Tempers flare, compromise is exhausted, No-one is stepping backwards! Sirens scream out drill warnings To prepare for nuclear holocaust: And ‘NORAD’ is placed on high alert For incoming ‘ICBM’ thermonuclear warhead missiles, The ‘Cold War’ is heating up. First responders spring into action, To ensure response is positive and coordinated: Children duck under desks for covering, Pedestrians run into subways to escape the blast, And families hide in bomb shelters with rations. Politicians crowd elevators going down Into the bowels of the earth for protection. Whereas the rich fly to unknown destinations, “What in the world are we heading for?” Everywhere, people pray for sanity once more! *** Notes: October 4, 1957: On October 4, 1957, the USSR launched Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite in space. The satellite orbited in space 150 miles above the earth’s surface for 3 months at a speed of 18,000 mph. It sent out a steady beep-beep-beep signal for 22 days until its batteries ran out. The space age had begun. August 1, 1957: On August 1, 1957, the U.S.A. and Canada created NORAD (North American Air Defence Command) during the ‘Cold War.’ Its purpose was to provide aerospace defence, which included the detection, validation, and warning of attack against North America whether by aircraft, missiles, or space vehicles. Intercontinental Ballistic Missile(ICBM): On August 21, 1957, the USSR launched the “R-7 Semyorka”, the world’s first ICBM. The U.S.A. successfully test-fired their first ICBM, an “SM-65 Atlas” ICBM, on December 17, 1957.