ABSTRACT
On October 4, 1957, a modified R-7 ICBM put Sputnik I, the first artificial earth satellite, into orbit. It was a shock at several levels. As if Sputnik I was not a sufficient shock, on November 3, the Soviets launched a much larger, heavily instrumented Sputnik, weighing 1,120 pounds and carrying a dog. The Gaither Report was alarming, even terrifying, forecasting a mortal threat starting in 1959–1960. It deemed the Soviets far stronger than earlier supposed, both militarily and economically. The Sputniks and the missile gap, and a year of crisis in foreign affairs, were accompanied by a glum year in domestic affairs. In April 1958 Dwight D. Eisenhower's popularity fell to the lowest level of his presidency. From late 1957, Eisenhower had taken up one "liberal" cause: improved education. He completely agreed with a series of articles in Life in March and April 1958 critical of the American educational system.
