Chapter 207
Chapter 207
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Chapter 207 - 우주 경쟁
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Translator: crow
Chapter 207: Space Race
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The shock America felt when the Soviet Union launched the first satellite was beyond imagination.
“Soviet Union, a technologically backward country like that, beating us? This is an education problem. There’s no other way to explain it.”
In a nation overflowing with resources and technology like America, there was no other reason they could lag behind the Reds.
“Scrap that messed-up experientialism crap. The answer is rote memorization.”
America’s education authorities scrapped John Dewey’s experientialist philosophy and switched to an academic-centered system.
In simple terms, they replaced education focused on developing creativity with rote-learning injection.
Science and math education were also strengthened in the curriculum.
“We can’t teach science and math abstractly. We need to provide curricula at a difficulty level that children can intuitively understand.”
The changes didn’t stop at education, of course.
A wave of self-reflection swept through society at large.
“We were arrogant. Our arrogance is why we fell behind.”
With Europe in ruins after World War II, America had developed a sense of being the center of the world.
But Sputnik Shock changed the minds of Americans.
America could be on the periphery of science.
That was a major realization.
Watching the government and society flail about, the military felt their frustration boiling over.
“No, we’re ready too!”
They had rockets prepared to launch satellites.
The Navy and Army pulled out their rockets to appeal to the government.
The Navy fired first.
“Go, Vanguard!”
The Navy launched Vanguard TV-3.
“Watch in anticipation! The United States is heading to space too!”
It was broadcast live worldwide, but the rocket rose just 1.2 meters before exploding spectacularly.
“Haha, look at those idiots. Wasn’t that a rocket? More like a dud.”
Moscow burst into laughter at the sight.
“Uh-huh.”
“That’s what you get from the Navy idiots. What? Society’s a mess and it’s boiling over?”
The U.S. government suffered utter humiliation from Vanguard’s failure.
Once the Navy was embarrassed, the Army jumped in quickly.
“The Army will give it a try.”
The U.S. Army loaded Explorer onto Juno-1 and got it into space, but the satellite was so small it wasn’t enough to save America’s face.
“What’s the point of launching something the size of a little orange?”
Goldwater didn’t hide his disappointment at Explorer.
“Hurry up and launch something bigger than Sputnik.”
Under pressure from the U.S. government, the Navy fired a second Vanguard, but this time the second-stage rocket snapped in half in another humiliating failure.
“Uh, well, that was a mistake.”
“See? Without those dumb Navy guys, the Army has to step up to get things done.”
The Army confidently launched Explorer 2.
But this time, the Army’s Explorer 2 failed too.
“You can’t succeed every time.”
Goldwater flew into a rage at the string of failures.
“Is this the best the United States, self-proclaimed strongest nation in the world, can do?”
Through this series of failures, America realized they were falling behind in the space race.
Feeling the technology gap so acutely made them convinced that the Soviet ICBM could threaten America’s East Coast.
But the shock America would face didn’t end there.
“We’ve got one too, so you’d better look forward to it.”
Pyongyang announced a satellite launch as well.
*
“You all worked hard during the election season.”
I patted the assemblymen on the shoulders.
“You’ve been through a lot, Your Excellency.”
Had I really gone through anything?
Campaign support? I’d only shown up four times.
I exchanged brief greetings with the assemblymen and sent them off.
This wasn’t the time to waste listening to predictable election results.
“Turn on the TV.”
Today was the broadcast of the satellite launch.
“Lucky Star, huh? Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it?”
Of course, it wasn’t because I’d named it that.
“5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0.”
I kept my eyes glued to the TV during the countdown.
Soon, a brilliant flash lit up as the rocket shot powerfully into the sky.
“The launch footage came out great.”
“Director Riefenstahl put some extra effort into it this time.”
The TV broadcast wasn’t the drab black-and-white of before.
We’d switched from black-and-white to color broadcasting starting in 1957.
Three years behind America, but that was still remarkably fast by world standards.
Excluding America, we were the only country with color broadcasts.
The TV emphasized that this satellite launch was the third in the world and endlessly touted the boost to national prestige it would bring.
“With the launch of Lucky Star today, Free Korea has become the world’s third space power. Considering Explorer, which America put into orbit, weighs a measly 14kg, it wouldn’t be wrong to say Korea is really second place in substance!”
Jeong Gil glanced at the TV and voiced a concern to me.
“Your Excellency. Won’t this satellite launch provoke America?”
Of course it would.
First the Soviets, now Korea on top of their heads.
But I saw it as a necessary measure.
Originally, I’d planned to wait until America launched a proper satellite, but Goldwater’s antics changed my mind.
‘Goldwater’s the type who needs his face shoved in the dirt.’
Only by smashing his baseless confidence into the ground would America behave itself.
“It’s meant to provoke them. That’s how the Americans learn humility.”
In truth, separate from the TV broadcast, I’d already been briefed in advance on the successful launch, so I wasn’t all that excited about the satellite itself.
Still, seeing the launch with my own eyes made me feel like I’d accomplished something.
Missile capabilities were coming along soon too.
SLBMs just needed the atomic-powered subs to mount them on, and ICBMs were nearly finished in development.
In terms of military technology, Korea was acquiring most of the pieces needed for mutual assured destruction.
Of course, having the technology and actually building the forces for mutual assured destruction were separate matters.
To truly achieve MAD with America and the Soviets would require enormous numbers of strategic nuclear subs and missile forces.
That would mean spending over 5% of the budget.
‘Even the 3% we’re using now hurts like hell. If we had that money, we’d pour it into the economy.’
Honestly, pouring money into armaments didn’t guarantee 100% safety.
Hadn’t the original America trembled at nuclear war despite its massive military spending?
I had no intention of doing something so foolish.
I was about to have a cup of coffee after watching the satellite launch broadcast when I was informed of a telegram from America.
“From Goldwater?”
I skimmed the message from the U.S. President.
“To the Prime Minister of Korea. I send my praises for Your Excellency and the achievements of Korea. Without Your Excellency’s accomplishments, just imagining how rampant the communist world would be sends shivers down my spine.”
After lavishing praise on us for a while, Goldwater got to the point at the end.
“For the security of the free world, could you share Korea’s technology with us?”
Of course I could.
I knew America would figure it out soon even without us, so why refuse Washington’s request?
But not for free.
I sent Goldwater a very hefty bill.
Money.
The Korean Aerospace Research Institute was already devouring a terrifying amount of funds, so this was the time to recoup some.
After replying to Goldwater, I waited for his response.
Exactly one day later, Goldwater sent a reply.
“We will gladly pay the costs. Shall we send our technicians to Korea then?”
His urgency was plain as day.
“Do that.”
I figured America was wasting its shot.
Even if they took Korea’s technology, developed through a different path, fusing it would take considerable time.
How much difference would there be between that time plus trial-and-error and developing and launching their own from scratch?
I figured not much.
It might even slow them down.
‘Just burning money.’
But I didn’t need to worry about Goldwater’s wallet.
News of Americans coming to Korea to learn rocket technology prompted a reaction from the Soviets.
“To Prime Minister Yi Seong-jun. Our federation has always considered Daehan a close ally. Yet hearing you’ll transfer critical technology to our enemy America has stirred dissatisfaction within our ranks toward Korea. For the sake of friendship between Pyongyang and Moscow, I ask you to reconsider this decision.”
I’d expected the Soviets to react this way.
“To Secretary General Khrushchev. Your Excellency, economic pressures make it hard for us to refuse America’s demands. The moment we clash with them, over half our overseas markets vanish—which leader could endure such losses? We’ll make up for the federation’s disappointment in other ways.”
Truth be told, Moscow knew we were closer to the West than to them.
We’d been that way since World War II.
Even so, formal relations were maintained because we both knew clashing would hurt us mutually.
In such a formal relationship, an unreasonable demand from one side couldn’t preserve even that nominal friendship.
I made it clear I couldn’t back down on this.
“I understand Your Excellency’s position.”
Moscow expressed disappointment but showed they wouldn’t escalate the issue.
‘Of course.’
The Soviets lacked the courage to end relations with us.
Especially with a dangerous figure like Goldwater in the White House.
With Soviet approval, we transferred satellite rocket technology to America.
Not long after the Americans arrived in Korea, the Navy launched Vanguard into space, and the Army’s third Explorer satellite reached orbit.
Of course, the mass of these additional U.S. satellites still fell far short of Sputnik 1 and 2.
The Soviet advantage in space remained unchanged.
‘Perfect.’
I hoped this balance would hold until Goldwater left office.