Chapter 840 The Darkest Moment of the American Empire (Fourth update, please subscribe)
Nanyang can move forward step by step, but the United States is very excited. A small satellite has confused public opinion in the United States. At the boiling point, the two parties are accusing each other one after another. Elites from all industries are discussing artificial satellites. This is not a matter of lagging behind the world trend, but a matter of life and death for Americans.
In fact, the space race in the United States has a public opinion basis, and this public opinion basis was frightened by "Sputnik-1". The common reaction among Americans now is: There is now a Soviet satellite circling above our heads every 90 minutes, taking photos and conducting reconnaissance at will. We are as naked in its presence. ”
After receiving successive stimulations, the Americans eventually became more radical in the emerging space race, thus attaching great importance to the research of science and technology, and carried out reforms in many fields from the military to the education system. Established It is precisely through the heavy investment of the Advanced Research Projects Agency and NASA that the United States has come from behind.
The reaction of the Americans now is normal, let alone the United States, which was stimulated by the Soviet Union. After that, all countries on earth that have the ability to launch rockets have participated. Britain, France, and even Sweden are planning their own space programs
The Soviet Union's Sputnik shocked the entire Western world.
This was a major demonstration of Soviet technological superiority, and many Western countries began to worry about whether bombs would fall from the sky.
The Americans are definitely the ones most worried. After all, the United States is the leader in the Western world!
The highly stimulated American media caricatured the American government: The beeping sound of the Soviet satellite woke up Uncle Sam, who was sleeping on behalf of the United States, with "Smug" written on his bedside. The title question below reads: Are you finally awake now?
The fierce response from the public and the doubts from the outside world have deeply stimulated the United States. The American media and people question whether the United States is still the world's number one in scientific and technological strength.
In order to appease public sentiment, the United States was forced to greatly speed up the process of launching its own satellite.
“It’s just a radio transmitter that just makes beep, beep, beep!”
In the Oval Office of the White House, Eisenhower was describing the beep beep! When speaking, he even used an extremely contemptuous tone.
“I really don’t know what’s so rare about this.”
“Mr. President, the people’s sensitive nerves have been stimulated. They are just a little suspicious now. After all, everyone has always They all told them that the United States is number one in the world. Now they are shocked by something that has never been built by humans."
Dulles said.
“We must take one thing into consideration - the demands of the people. For us, this is the most important thing! If we cannot launch satellites, it may have a negative impact on our elections in various states. Impact, and now they are accusing us of ignoring the corresponding intelligence, causing us to fall behind in space."
They are of course the Democrats Dulles is talking about. This has always been the case in the United States. Whenever there is an opportunity, the guy who lost the election will attack the government.
“We have to think about this politically, Mr. President.”
“I know we need to think about this politically, but...”
Eisenhower said helplessly.
"The Air Force has proven that it's just a transmitter, and it's not a big deal. We can send something like that into space at any time if we want, but what's the point of doing that?"< br>
Obviously until now, Eisenhower did not realize what the first artificial satellite meant to the United States.
"Yes, Mr. President, but we must now see that the American people need this satellite. Even if it is just a pair of old shoes, we need to send it into space."
< br>As Secretary of State, Dulles continued.
"And our allies are also looking at the United States, when will we send satellites into space."
"Hey, it is a very simple question." Eisenhower shook his head helplessly.
“But now everyone has turned him into a very complicated problem, really.”
World War II, as the Allied Commander The experience made Eisenhower very clear that artificial satellites are now more than just a scientific issue.
Now it is not only a matter of domestic politics in the United States, but also related to international politics and the confidence of U.S. allies in the United States. In this case, they have to send satellites into space.
“Let us send this radio signal into space.”
……
Fortunately, the United States still has some technological accumulation-it was as early as 45 The development of the "Female Corporal" rocket began in the autumn of 2006. It is based on the V-2 rocket and is equipped with a second-stage vertebral rocket. It is the world's earliest large-scale liquid fuel multi-stage rocket and the world's first dedicated rocket. A sounding rocket used for high-altitude atmospheric detection. It was successfully launched for the first time five years ago and flew to an altitude of 360 kilometers.
Although Eisenhower was not willing to use this rocket developed by "former Nazi" scientists to start the United States' aerospace industry. But the United States has no choice at all, but at least half of it was developed by the U.S. Navy.
Just two months after the Soviet Union launched its first satellite, on December 6, major television and radio stations across the United States simultaneously broadcast live the scene of the United States using the "Corporal" rocket to launch the United States' first satellite. It means fighting for the free world.
In short, according to the official intention of the United States, it is to use "rockets of the free world" to respond to Soviet Russia's provocations and at the same time regain Blue Star's number one position. For Americans, they are still very conceited. Yes, so conceited that he wanted to put on a show in front of the whole world.
Well, when it comes to acting, Lao Mei is definitely an expert.
Different from the secrecy surrounding Soviet rocket launches, while all major TV stations and radio stations across the country were simultaneously broadcasting live broadcasts, many people came to the scene to watch.
However, unfortunately , just when the U.S. officials were trying to show their face in front of the whole world, the result was that in front of the TV sets of the national audience, the rocket had just been ignited, and it exploded directly under people's gaze.
For a moment, everyone was stunned.
What's going on?
I am not mentally prepared!
Those Americans who were holding the Stars and Stripes in front of the TV, ready to shout "I'm so beautiful!" when they succeeded, were all confused. They didn't even know how to describe this moment. In a word, it's absolutely fucking bullshit.
How can it fail?
All of a sudden, Americans all over the world were embarrassed and couldn't sit still. This incident was naturally ridiculed ruthlessly by the media. For a while, the American satellite became a laughing stock.
The satellite exploded and the Stars and Stripes fell to the ground.
Not only were the Americans unable to hold on and felt disgraced, but even the Soviet representative to the United Nations did not miss the opportunity to ridicule the United States. They directly made up for it at the UN General Assembly meeting, sarcastically saying .
“If the United States is in need, the Soviet Union can provide technical assistance to backward countries.”
Overnight, the United States fell from being the first in the Blue Star to a backward country...
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(End of this chapter)