The Kennedy & Johnson years

1. The Kennedy & Johnson years Chapter 18

2. John F. Kennedy Richard M. Nixon • Democrat • Junior Senator • Young: 43 • Wealthy, Connected Family • Handsome • Catholic • Republican • VP • Youngish: 47 • Humble Means • “Tricky Dick” • Quaker

3. Election • 1960 Elections first to have televised debates • Kennedy & Nixon Debates • Kennedy had Hollywood producers to coach • Makeup, suit, speaking • Nixon refused makeup, grey suit • Kennedy played on Cold War Fears claiming the US had fallen behind in the Arms Race – said Eisenhower not doing enough • Also championed the poor: 17 million hungry

4. Camelot • Jack & Jackie • Photographs showed JFK strong, athletic, handsome • Young, beautiful wife Jackie (31) • Two small children (first in White House since 1908)

5. New Frontier (536-537) • JFK’s plan to change the nation • Tried to reduce taxes – congress said no • Federal aid to education – congress said no • Cancelled government contracts with steel companies to lower prices • Area Redevelopment Act of 1961- financial assistance to economically distressed regions • Minimum wage raised from $1.00 $1.25 • Space Program: we were losing in the Space Race • Sets the goal of landing on the moon before the decade is up – it would be an accomplishment for the entire nation John Glenn: First American to Orbit Earth

6. Warren Court • Supreme Court under Chief Justice Earl Warren • Made many reforms • Brown v. Board of Education – desegregate schools • Miranda v. Arizona – right to a lawyer • Engel v. Vitale – banned prayer/Bible reading in schools

7. Foreign Affairs • 1959 Fidel Castro overthrows Fulgencio Batista • (US backed Cuban Dictator) • Takes over Private Business • Makes Anti-American Speeches • Signed trade agreement with the USSR • CIA believed an invasion of Cuba would inspire Cubans to rise up • Eisenhower Okayed the operation (about to leave office)

8. Foreign Affairs • 1960: Kennedy learns of a plan to train Cuban Exiles to invade Cuba • Kennedy in tough spot: to invade, or not to invade? • CIA assures Kennedy that the plan will succeed • JFK gave the go-ahead

9. Bay of Pigs Invasion April 15: Cuban Exiles, fly bomber planes and attack Cuban airfields, Cuban Exiles also invade beaches • No secret • “The Perfect Failure” April 17: US Navy ships assist Cuban Brigade, but don’t fight Cuban Forces, led by Fidel Castro, sink 2 ships, and capture 1,200 men

10. Outcome • JFK took the blame – got respect from the people • Collins Type II – Write an article! • Describe the Bay of Pigs Invasion • What was the lead up to the event? • What happened? • What was the outcome? • What do YOU think??

11. Vienna Conference • JFK invited Khrushchev to meet with him in Vienna, Austria in June 1961 to ease tensions • Khrushchev demanded: • US and allies recognize Communist East Germany as an independent nation • Withdraw from West Berlin

12. Vienna Conference • West Berlin was an “island of freedom” surrounded by East Germany • 3.5 Million East Germans escaped through West Berlin • JFK & advisors afraid East Germany would use force to regain West Berlin • Called reserves into active duty, built nuclear shelters in US, troop buildup in West Germany

13. Berlin Wall • August 13, 1961: Khrushchev closed crossing points between East and West Berlin • Within hours 25,000 troops were in place to guard a barbed wire barrier around West Berlin • A proper wall soon followed: 97 miles around the three Western Sectors, 27 miles between West & East Berlin • No Mans Land in Between

14. Collins Type II – Write a letter • What was the Berlin Wall? • What led up to its being built? • What was its purpose? • How will it affect East & West Germans?

15. Cuban Missile Crisis • US actions at the Bay of Pigs and Berlin Crisis encouraged USSR to become more aggressive • Khrushchev pledged to defend Cuba • USSR concerned about nuclear missiles placed in Turkey • Convinced Castro to allow Surface - to – air missiles (SAM) and nuclear missiles in Cuba • JFK accused of being “soft on communism”

16. Cuban Missile Crisis • JFK ordered U-2 spy planes to fly over Cuba • 1962: photos showed the building of SAMs • JFK’s advisors advised an airstrike • Followed by an invasion • Act of war • Robert McNamara & Robert Kennedy wanted a naval blockade • This would be an act of war too, less threatening • JFK chose blockade • For two days the US prepared for war as Soviet ships sailed for Cuba – Khrushchev said if we try to stop them, WAR!

17. Khrushchev wrote a letter… • Offering to remove the missiles if the US promised to never invade Cuba • Then he wrote another letter demanding the US pull missiles out of Turkey • JFK ignored the second letter • Secretly, Robert Kennedy promised we would take missiles out • This is the closest the world has ever come to nuclear war • JFK & Khrushchev installed a hotline so they could communicate directly • Limited Test Ban Treaty: end testing nuclear weapons in the atmosphere & underwater

18. 13 Days • John F. Kennedy – President • Robert Kennedy – Attorney General • Kenny O’Donnell - Advisor • Robert McNamara – Secretary of Defense • Dean Atcheson – Secretary of State under Truman • Adlai Stevenson – Ambassador to the UN

19. November 22, 1963 • JFK went to Dallas to campaign for the 1964 election • Rode in a convertible • Lee Harvey Oswald shot Kennedy from the 6th floor of the Texas School Book Depository • Two days later Oswald was shot by Jack Ruby • Lyndon Baines Johnson gave the oath of office on Air Force One • Set up the WARREN COMMISSION TO INVESTIGATE JFK’S DEATH • “The legacy of hope died with him. You never had that same sense again that we were moving forward.”

20. LBJ – Lyndon Baines Johnson • Powerful Senator from Texas • Hated being VP • “It was my duty to carry on” what JFK had planned • Master Legislator – used the JOHNSON TREATMENT • WAR ON POVERTY • GREAT SOCIETY: DOMESTIC PROGRAMS , AIMS TO END POVERTY AND RACIAL INJUSTICE • MEDICAID: healthcare for poor • MEDICARE: healthcare for 65+ • DAISY AD: election of 1964 • Beat Barry Goldwater

21. Turn to Page 546 • Look at the Major Great Society Programs Chart • Write a Collins Type II: • What was the Great Society & its aims • Use three examples from chart to describe its goals (underline examples!)