rabid_fan wrote in newsan.2010.06.01.21.26.06
@righthere.net:

On Mon, 31 May 2010 16:28:22 -0500, Mitchell Holman wrote:


I can remember the nationwide shock at the launch
of Sputnik, that the US was NOT superior to everyone at everything.


The nationwide shock was the delusion of an ignorant populace.

Those who knew anything understood that Sputnik was an
insignificant bit of theatrics.

Eisenhower, for example, dismissed the whole affair as trivial.

Disclaimer: I was not born until well after Sputnik, but
my historical research reveals the truth.


Absolutely right.

The Ike Admin had been able to launch and orbit recon sats several
years prior to Spudnik (sic). They were just too afraid of the
bear being provoked to the point of pushing a red button.

Spudnik made the issue moot...