Thread by @18airbornecorps

1 of 5:

#TDIDCH: Nov 6, 1957 – The Gaither Report [a report from a special committee chaired by corporate titan Horace Gaither to review the nation’s defense readiness] is released to President Eisenhower.

2 of 5:

Formal name of the report: Deterrence and Survival in the Nuclear Age.

Formal name of the committee: the Report the Security Resources Panel of the Science Advisory Committee.

The report paints Soviet missiles as a mortal threat to the United States

3 of 5:

The report indicates that the US is falling far behind the Soviets in missile capabilities. In fact, the "the threat posed to SAC [Strategic Air Command] by the prospects of an early Russian ICBM capability, call for prompt remedial action."

4 of 5: The report is a classified, internal document. But, of course, it's leaked to the press.

The leaked report causes a bit of a panic across the country.

The report was filled with errors & overstatements [Ike ignored it].

5 of 5: Nonetheless, the idea that a "missile gap" existed with the Soviets persisted and, in fact, became a key plank for JFK in his bid for the presidency in 1960. [JFK is credited with coining the term "missile gap" but some historians believe he simply appropriated the term]