Soviet Union
In the 1960s presidential elections campaign was dominated by the increasing tension between the Soviet Unions and the Americans because of the Cold War. In the 1950s before the election of the new president, the Soviet Union gave the Americans a reason to be troubled do to there claim that they have an atomic bomb and in 1957 they had they launched the satellite Sputnik into orbit. The American leaders advised that the nation was falling behind in science and technology.(JFK) During the 1960s there were many trials and tribulations for the United States. Newly elected President John F. Kennedy had a large burden on his shoulders to carry this country and make it grand. His Inauguration address did just that. Kennedy gave this country hope to be extraordinary.
The inaugural speech is given when a president elect swears his oath into office and becomes the President of the United States. On the afternoon of January 20, 1961 President Elect John F. Kennedy was sworn into office; he gave the second most compelling speeches in America’s history to date. Communism was spreading fast throughout the world, even touching ground in America. Communism is a system of social organization in which all economic and social activity is controlled by an authoritarian state subjugated by a single political party. Kennedy wanted to stop the spread of communism and give this country something to live for and he quotes:

“Let every nation know, weather it wish us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend or oppose any foe in order to assure the survival and success of liberty.
This much we pledge–and more.
To those old allies whose cultural and spiritual origins we share, we pledge the loyalty of faithful friends. United, there is little we cannot do in a host of new cooperative ventures. Divided, there is little we can do – for we dare not meet a powerful challenge at odds and split asunder.”(Inaugural Address)
During this time there was a continuous state of political and military tension between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. This tension was named the Cold War because it never featured direct military action. Both sides had accumulated a high number of nuclear weapon. The use of physical war with these high destruction weapons would have lead to ultimate devastation of both countries.
President Kennedy competitor Vice President Richard Nixon named him to be too young and inexperienced to be the president. Though Kennedy was young and at the ripe age of 43 he won the election against Vice President Richard M. Nixon; it was one of the closest elections in U.S. history. What is unusual is that Nixon was only 47 years old and was saying that Kennedy was to young and inexperienced to become president.
In 1950, only 11 percent of American homes had television; by 1960, the number had