John F. Kennedy Democrat from Massachusetts WWII vet (saved his
crew in 1943) House of Rep. (1946-1952) Senate (1952-1960) Liberal,
blue-collar views Avoided controversial issues (Civil Rights,
McCarthy) The image Family man, physically fit, Camelot The
Reality? Womanizer, diagnosed with Addisons disease
Slide 3
Election of 1960
Slide 4
John F. Kennedy (D Mass.) vs. Richard Nixon (R Cal.) Issues -
Kennedy Kennedy was Catholic Young Issues Nixon Nixon was VP for
Ike Had to deal with answering for U2 crisis, poor economic
figures) Ike gave Nixon only a tepid endorsement Kennedy/Nixon
Debates
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The New Frontier We stand today on the edge of a New Frontier -
the frontier of the 1960's, the frontier of unknown opportunities
and perils, the frontier of unfilled hopes and unfilled threats....
Beyond that frontier are uncharted areas of science and space,
unsolved problems of peace and war, unconquered problems of
ignorance and prejudice, unanswered questions of poverty and
surplus. - John F. Kennedy, 1960 Democratic Convention
Slide 6
The New Frontier Became the moniker for the Kennedy admins
domestic and foreign policies Goals? Top priority was waging Cold
War Criticized Ikes foreign policy as unimaginative, hurt our
standing w/ Third World Domestic goals Fight poverty, guaranteed
healthcare to the elderly, improve schools
Slide 7
The Space Race April 12, 1961 Yuri Gagarin (USSR) becomes first
man in space Alan Shepard first U.S. man in space 3 weeks later May
25, 1961 Kennedy makes a speech to Congress I believe that this
nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this
decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him
safely to the earth
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JFK AND FOREIGN POLICY 1961-1963
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Foreign Policy Approach More cautious and pragmatic than his
predecessors Was willing to initiate dialog with the Soviets
Alliance for Progress Peaceful revolution Multi-billion dollar
program, designed to spur growth in Latin America Peace Corps
Success? Partially, but overall growth in Latin America stagnated
and many countries resented meddling
Slide 10
Foreign Crises Bay of Pigs Planned by Eisenhower admin;
executed by Kennedy on April 17, 1961 CIA-trained Cuban exiles
attempted to overthrow Castro in Cuba Colossal failure No Cubans
rose up in rebellion Most exiles were either killed or captured
CIAs role became public knowledge
Slide 11
Foreign Crises The Berlin Problem Khrushchev demanded an end to
western occupation of W. Germany and W. Berlin Kennedy refused
Berlin Wall Built in August 1961 Meant to stop people from fleeing
from East Berlin to West
Slide 12
Cuban Missile Crisis Khrushchev and Castro believe U.S.
invasion of Cuba is imminent S.U. (secretly) places nuclear
missiles in Cuba Khrushchev believed this would: Force Kennedy to
resolve the German problem Improve the nuclear balance of power
Preempt the U.S. placing nukes in W. Germany October 1962 U2 spy
plane photographs the missile sites
Slide 13
Cuban Missile Crisis October 22: Kennedy addressed the nation
At the same time, naval blockade of Cuban was initiated Khrushchev
refused to remove missiles, unless U.S. pledged: Never to attack
Cuba To remove nuclear missiles from Turkey October 28: deal was
finally reached U.S. pledges not to invade Cuba, (secretly) remove
missiles from Turkey S.U. removed missiles from Cuba
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Slide 15
Adlai Stevenson showing missile sites to UN, October 25,
1962
Slide 16
ExComm (Executive Committee) meeting during the crisis
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Slide 18
Aftermath Both nations were rattled after the Cuban Missile
Crisis Hot Line installed Both Kennedy and Khrushchev took steps
towards bilateral relations One could argue that, by the autumn of
1963, the Cold War in Europe was drawing to a close. Arms race and
Space Race continued U.S. continued to fight the spread of
communism
Slide 19
Legacy of Kennedys Foreign Policy Critics charged Alliance for
Progress was mostly a failure Bay of Pigs was a disaster Cuban
Missile Crisis was closest world had come to war Critics charged it
had been started by his anti-Cuban stance Arms race continued
Proponents argue Alliance for Progress spread U.S. ideals The
Soviet/American relationship had improved greatly by late 1963 War
with Soviets had been averted Handling of Cuban Missile Crisis was
Kennedys finest hour
Slide 20
Kennedys Assassination November 22, 1963 Visiting Dallas to
meet with civic leaders of the city LBJs home state Riding in
open-top limousine Shot in the head at 12:30pm Was rushed to the
hospital, pronounced dead at 1:00pm Announced live to the nation by
Walter Cronkite
Slide 21
Kennedys Assassination Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested as the
suspect later that day Former marine (dishonorably discharged),
defected to the USSR, came back to the U.S. Oswald was shot on live
TV by Jack Ruby Ruby claimed he was upset at Oswald for
assassinating Kennedy But was there a larger conspiracy.? Warren
Commission Oswald acted alone
Slide 22
Kennedys Legacy 46 when killed Remembered more for his
inspirational rhetoric, and the romance he brought to political
life Many will say that the age of innocence that existed post-WWII
died with Kennedy 1960-1963 are really an extension of the Happy
Days of the 50s Lyndon B. Johnson will use Kennedys memory to push
through the most ambitious program of reforms since the Great
Depression
Slide 23
THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT 1960-1964
Slide 24
Marching for Freedom Sit-ins February 1, 1960: four black
college students sit at an all-white lunch counter in Greensboro,
North Carolina Movement spreads Within 1 year, more than 70,000 had
participated in a sit-in SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating
Committee) CORE (Congress of Racial Equality)
Slide 25
Freedom Riders 1,500 bus trip from Washington D.C. to New
Orleans Meant to show that, despite Supreme Courts rulings,
segregation still ruled in South Violently attacked multiple times
Kennedys actions Sent federal marshals to protect Freedom Riders in
Alabama Allowed Freedom Riders to be arrested in Mississippi,
bowing to white Southern pressure
Slide 26
Kennedy and Civil Rights Generally sympathetic to C.R. movement
Realized it hurt Americas image in Cold War Also realized he needed
conservative white Democrats James Meredith First black student at
Ole Miss Kennedy sent 500 federal troops to protect him Attacked by
white mob 2 killed
Slide 27
Birmingham Flashpoint for the Civil Rights movement The
Childrens Crusade MLK and parents of Birmingham put about 1,000
black children at the front of a march (May 2, 1963) Police used
fire hoses and dogs to break up the march Was televised Kennedy was
forced to act Demanded a settlement; was a complete victory for
MLK
Slide 28
Slide 29
Kennedys Address In response to Governor Wallace refusing to
desegregate U. of Alabama A few hours after the speech, Medgar
Evers, a civil rights activist, was murdered in his driveway in
Mississippi The next week, Kennedy asked for a comprehensive civil
rights bill This was a turning point in Kennedys commitment to the
C.R. movement
Slide 30
March on Washington Over 250,000 people There to support
Kennedys C.R. bill Behind the scenes the movement was beginning to
splinter SNCC thought CR bill was too little, too late MLK urged
moderation I Have a Dream speech
Slide 31
Freedom Summer Over 1,000 white and black volunteers Voter
registration in Mississippi June 21 James Cheney, Michael
Schwerner, and Andrew Goodman were murdered Walter Cronkite focused
attention on Mississippi
Slide 32
THE GREAT SOCIETY
Slide 33
Lyndon Baines Johnson Very different from Kennedy From Texas,
raised of modest means, colorful language Would often bully people
around Served as Senate majority leader from 1954-1960 Became adept
at making back- room deals Old New Deal Liberal Believed government
must work actively to improve the lives of its citizens
Slide 34
Civil Rights Under Johnson Civil Rights Act of 1964 Ended legal
discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin,
religion, and sex in federal programs, voting, employment, and
public accommodations Made the election of 1964 very controversial
Many felt like it was not the governments job to end racial
discrimination or end poverty
Slide 35
Election of 1964 LBJ (D) v. Barry Goldwater (R Arizona)
Goldwater championed conservative vision Opposed CR Act of 1964, as
well as Social Security Believed America needed to reassert its
military power Suggested U.S. should use tactical nuclear weapons
against its enemies Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice
Daisy Ad Daisy Ad
Slide 36
Election of 1964 Democratic Convention of 1964 Two delegations
showed up from Mississippi One exclusively white, one racially
mixed Johnson tried to broker a compromise, but it didnt work White
delegation was seated; Johnson lost the Deep South to the
Republicans Still, Johnson won the election by a landslide
Slide 37
Reasons? - JFKs legacy - Unemployment below 4% - Economy was
growing at 6% - Civil Rights Act of 1964
Slide 38
Civil Rights in the Spotlight March 6, 1965: protestors in
Selma, Alabama are attacked by police with electric cattle prods,
tear gas, and chains March 15, 1965: LBJ asks congress to pass the
Voting Rights Act Outlawed practices which had kept blacks from
voting in the South Poll taxes, literacy tests
Slide 39
Slide 40
Slide 41
War on Poverty Primary initiative of the Great Society Johnson
administration believed it was possible to eradicate poverty
completely Focus: Education Head Start (elementary), Upward Bound
(high school), Job Corps (young adults) Urban areas Model Cities
(federal funds for education, housing etc.), Community Actions
Programs (funds to organize at the grassroots level) Economic
Safeguards Medicare (65+) and Medicaid (poor)
Slide 42
War on Poverty Controversial Leftists Too little Conservatives
Creating a dependency state Programs were vastly underfunded,
poorly implemented Historical judgment? Mixed success Improve
quality of housing and education, increased spending on Social
Security, healthcare, welfare, and education Did little to actually
address the root causes of poverty, economic growth was more
responsible for declining poverty than G.S. Also got lost once
Vietnam expanded
Slide 43
Achievements of the Great Society Source: A People & A
Nation, p.870
Slide 44
Slide 45
LBJ AND VIETNAM 1964-1968
Slide 46
The French in Vietnam 1880s France establishes control in
Indochina (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia) 1930s Ho Chi Minh Established
Communist party in Vietnam Leads revolts against French; fails and
flees 1940 Japan takes control of Vietnam 1945 France attempts to
reestablish control in Vietnam
Slide 47
French Indochina War Ho Chi Minh declares Vietnam free France
fights from South U.S. enters in 1950 1954 French defeated Geneva
Accords Elections in 1956 Enter: Ngo Dinh Diem Refused to
participate in 1956 election
Slide 48
Vietcong Communist opposition in South Kennedy (1961) increased
aid to Diem May 1961: 400 Green Berets sent to train South
Vietnamese By 1963, Diem assassinated Lost support in Vietnam
Persecuted Buddhism
Slide 49
Gulf of Tonkin USS Maddox Fired on by N. Vietnamese patrol ship
Returned fire; 2 separate events LBJ asked for Congressional
support to fight N. Vietnamese Only 2 senators voted against June
1965: 50,000 U.S. troops in Vietnam End of 1965 180,000 U.S. troops
in Vietnam Why? Containment Fighting Communism Domino Theory
Slide 50
The War in Vietnam Escalates rapidly End of 1966: 385,000
troops 1968: 536,100 troops Almost all U.S. allies were against
escalation LBJ feared failure, from a personal and political
standpoint Working-class war College deferment 80% of soldiers in
Vietnam were lower-middle class or poorer
Slide 51
Americans react at home Television War Extensive coverage
Credibility gap: Johnson admin. reporting different results than
reporters 1967: Americans split over what to do Division Centered
around college campuses George Kennan: testified that containment
was meant for Europe, not Asia
Slide 52
The picture of the worlds greatest superpower killing or
seriously injuring 1,000 noncombatants a week, while trying to
pound a tiny backward nation into submission on an issue whose
merits are hotly disputed, is not a pretty one. - Robert McNamara,
Secretary of Defense, mid-1967
Slide 53
1968 Tet Offensive Americans were constantly being told they
were winning the war throughout 1967 January 31, 1968: NVA and
Vietcong soldier launch coordinated attacks across South Vietnam
Americans began to question Were the North Vietnamese really close
to surrender? Were they being lied to by the LBJ admin.?
Slide 54
Pat Oliphant, Pulitzer-Prize winning cartoon, 1966
Slide 55
Slide 56
A NATION DIVIDED
Slide 57
Black Power C.R. movement had focused on getting rid of legal
discrimination in South Northern blacks faced just as much
discrimination, but it could not be fought in the courts Malcolm X
Nation of Islam (Black Muslims) Advocated separate white and black
societies Assassinated by member of Nation of Islam for changing is
views to be more tolerant of white society
Slide 58
Black Power Stokely Carmichael leader of SNCC in 1966 Advocated
blacks forming their own societies SNCC expelled its white members
in 1966 Black Panthers Blend of black separatism and revolutionary
communism Advocated killing police Also helped local communities by
instituting free breakfasts and healthcare programs in inner
cities
Slide 59
Slide 60
Youth and Politics By mid-1960s, 41% of America was under 20
Force for political change Young Americans for Freedom (YAF)
Conservative group, anticommunism, limited government Students for
a Democratic Society (SDS) Liberal group, participatory democracy,
anti- corporation, anti-military Free Speech Movement (FSM)
Activist organization, founded at Berkeley, showed students the
power they had
Slide 61
Youth and Politics In loco parentis In the place of the parents
Colleges had more authority than the law Curfews, expelling
students who were morally undesirable Students fought this during
the early 1960s Dixon v. Alabama (1961) spelled the end for in loco
parentis in higher education Still exists in elementary, secondary
education
Slide 62
The Anti-War Movement Teach-Ins and marches 1965 began first
year of student protests Still, by 1967 majority of students in
favor of war 30% Doves, 67% Hawks As the war continued, these
numbers switched
Slide 63
Counterculture Youth culture began to dominate American culture
Music The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, Aretha Franklin,
Grateful Dead, Beach Boys, etc. Woodstock 400,000 people, upstate
NY in 1969 Rejection of Middle-class values Affluenza!
Haight-Ashbury, San Francisco Center for counterculture 1967:
Summer of Love
Slide 64
Slide 65
Counterculture Legacy Sex, Drugs, and Rock and Roll Changed
national attitudes about all, especially sex Number of Americans
living together before marriage went up 900% from 1960 to 1970 The
Pill Rift developed between youth and adults Many adults grew up
during the Depression and saw being Middle-class as the ultimate
desire Counterculture degraded rapidly By early 1970s, many hippies
were addicted to drugs and broke
Slide 66
1968 January 31 Tet Offensive Americans believe Vietnam is
unwinnable March 31 LBJ announces hes not running for reelection
April 4 MLK assassinated Riots in over 130 cities June 6, 1968
Robert Kennedy assassinated while campaigning for Democratic
nomination August 26 Dem. Convention in Chicago
Slide 67
Democratic National Convention Mass protests by Yippies (Youth
International Party) Revolutionary group, off-shoot of free speech
movement Nominated a pig as candidate Chicago police cracked down
on protestors Led to riots, both outside and inside the
convention
Legacy The Tumultuous 60s Destroys publics faith in the
President and government in general Ushers in a period of
Conservative politics in America Massive Societal changes family
structure, youth culture Civil Rights Movement Huge gains in early
and mid 1960s Turns violent Vietnam War continues into the
1970s
