More than 100 people died trying to cross the Berlin Wall, but over 5,000 people escaped over or under the wall into West Germany. (Source)

The Berlin Wall was 96 miles long, with 27 of those miles cutting through the center of Berlin. This made it a great length for the Berlin Marathon on the west side. Unfortunately on the east side the city portion of the wall was actually two walls separated by a "death strip" guarded by 302 watchtowers. (Source)

Since the Berlin Wall came down, pieces of it have gone to museums and have been sold as souvenirs (including to a Las Vegas casino where slabs of the wall are mounted behind the urinals in the men's restroom). So, hands up, who wants to pee on the Berlin Wall? (Source)

Cold War concerns consumed Kennedy's presidency from the very beginning. In his inaugural address he doesn't mention domestic issues at all, but talks the entire time about foreign problems. This is very rare because presidents give speeches that cover a wide range of topics. But Kennedy was driven like a rocket—a rocket that would get Americans all the way to the moon. (Source)

Kennedy was the wealthiest U.S. president ever, having a family fortune of about one billion dollars. He was also the only U.S. president ever to have earned a Purple Heart and the only one to win the Pulitzer Prize. Because he was loaded with cash and prizes he worried about losing the respect of the public, so he gave his presidential paycheck to charity. Meaning that he never once got paid for the job that ended up killing him. (Source)

Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, like Kennedy, was known for his speaking skills. In 1960 he waved his shoe around (and maybe pounded it on the podium) to make a point before the United Nations. Debate still rages about whether or not he took off one of his shoes, or if he brought in a third shoe as a prop. (Source)