Book Report: John F. Kennedy and the Race to the Moon

John M. Logsdon’s nonfiction book entitled “John F. Kennedy and the Race to the Moon” was originally compiled while all of the “events and considerations” that led to the moon race were still fresh and new in the minds of those whose personal accounts led to the writing of the book (Logsden, 2010, Preface). The collective insights of NASA Chief historian, Gene Emme, and NASA administrator, James Webb, would come in handy along with the cooperation of several others. This narrative makes it very clear why Kennedy felt he had strong motives in prioritizing space exploration. In fact, Kennedy evolved from a man who had no interest whatsoever in a space program to a man who was driven to no end in his aim to make sure that America was the first country to send a man to the moon before the end of the decade (Logsden, 2010).

President John F. Kennedy took office in November 1960, an historical period characterized by revolution and change. In 1960, 70 million children born of the post-war baby boom had become teenagers and young adults. They were more liberal and were more willing to explore and expand their horizons than their parents were. They made a stark departure from the stuffy, conservative fifties and really shifted the cultural fabric of American life. Change was the new name of the game and appeals to change would affect education, lifestyles, the law, entertainment and help lay the foundation for a new space policy encouraging exploration. After building credibility with voters, Kennedy was elected to the White House on November 8, 1960. The Space Age was barely out of its infancy. Meanwhile, the United States was locked in a heated competition with the Soviet Union who had successfully launched Sputnik I in October of 1957 (Logsden, 2010).

It would take the United States three months to respond with its first satellite: Explorer I. Since these early firsts, the Soviet Union’s high-profile presence in space have captured the world’s attention and led to a general feeling of decline for the Eisenhower and Kennedy White Houses. For the JFK administration, the space race of the 1960s would play a very important role in the perception of Communist and non-Communist governments necessitating that Kennedy fully embrace space exploration where he had been much less than enthusiastic before (Logsden, 2010).

Logsdon’s compelling book shines a new light on the era of space exploration. For those who may not know what inspired many of America’s leaps in regard to space, Logsden argues that Kennedy planned to use excitement over space to improve Americans’ morale during the cold war and to improve the country’s image around the world. Once a statesman who once sought cooperation alongside the Soviet Union in space, Kennedy became a president who was consumed with space 24-7. Kennedy began to see space as a new terrain and insisted that “there’s nothing more important” than proving America’s sophistication and dominance throughout the world. The Bay of Pigs, which was a serious embarrassment for the Kennedy administration and is at least partly responsible for the gusto with which the president pursued the space race. However, there were many other factors at work in the so-called space race. Was it practical to ever have hoped that America could go to space alongside the Soviets? Was it wise to attempt a landing on the moon at all costs? Was the rush to build a rocket and land the first man on the moon ideal at all? Kennedy stared down public doubt and a loss of support when it came to Apollo. He used America’s space plans to launch America’s image among potentially communist countries. Moreover, significant strides in the area of space exploration would secure America’s spot as a leader around the globe (Logsden, 2010).

Work Cited

Logsdon, J.M. (2010). John F. Kennedy and the Race to the Moon. New York: Palgrave MacMillan.