Because the sputnik launch was around the height of the cold war and many thought it was designed to drop bombs on the allies. thus leading to the construction of bomb shelters and a very large market for bomb shelters to help prepare for what many thought was the end.
Well... Think about it, you sent your son to die several thousand miles to die away from home. Who'd want to send your sons to go fight a war they never wanted to be a part of?
