In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the United States was engaged in the Cold War, a geopolitical rivalry with the Soviet Union.
ɪnðə lˈeɪt nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti z ænd ˈɜːli nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti z, ðə juːnˈaɪɾᵻd stˈeɪts wʌz ɛŋɡˈeɪdʒd ɪnðə kˈoʊld wˈɔːɹ, ɐ dʒˌiːoʊpəlˈɪɾɪkəl ɹˈaɪvəlɹi wɪððə sˈoʊviət jˈuːniən.