The primary objective of Apollo 11 was to complete a national goal set by President John F. Kennedy on May 25, 1961. President John F. Kennedy saw the challenge of landing on the moon as a way to defeat the Soviet Union as a part of the Cold War. Along with being considered by many as the greatest technological feat of the last millennium, the Apollo 11 mission had far-reaching global effects. These effects included a victory for democracy over communism, and a change in global perspective.
Democracy and Communism in the 1960’s were each embodied by the United States and the Soviet Union, respectively. The two behemoths on the global stage, with the largest economies, militaries, and political influences in the entire world were pitted against one another; battling in every possible way except direct conflict. The “space race” was one of the largest battles of this cold war, ending with democracy and the United States victorious. Illustrating the need for the victory of Apollo 11, the Russians were the first to send a human into space. Yuri Gagarin was the first man in space, piloting the Votok 1. Not only was this a severe blow to the United States, Kennedy announced his support for the Apollo program just weeks after, a direct counter to Gagarin’s flight. Apollo 11 was the first landing by human beings on another celestial body. On July 20th 1969, an estimated 600 million people—one-fifth of the world’s population—witnessed it on live television and radio. This was undeniably one of the most momentous moments in history. One author by the name Robert Heinlein deemed it “the greatest event in all the history of the human race up to this time.”