Chapter 32: 1960-1968 Leadership of the 1960’s

1. Chapter 32: 1960-1968Leadership of the 1960’s

2. Election of 1960 • Democrat: Senator John F. Kennedy -handsome & good personality

3. Richard M. Nixon • Republican candidate -not good on TV debates -1st television debate b/w Kennedy & Nixon.

4. Camelot • Presidency viewed as elegant • Stylish wife, Jackie • Young kids • Gave great speeches.

5. THE NEW FRONTIER • Kennedy’s programs that he proposed • Wanted to give medical care to elderly • Rebuild urban areas. • Aid education. • Build national defense. • Increase international aid. • Expand space programs.

6. Congress • Did not pass the program • Kennedy lacked a MANDATE: • Knowledge that voters approved of his plans. • Did build economy & defense. • International aid. • Space program.

7. Civil Rights • MLK, Jr. was arrested w/33 others • Nixon had no opinion • Kennedy called King’s wife • Kennedy’s brother, Robert, convinced a judge to release King on bail. • Kennedy won African American vote & won the election.

8. Poverty • Large problem • Kennedy wanted to fight poverty & help civil rights. • Pushed Robert Kennedy & the Justice Dept. to investigate racial injustices in the South. • Made Kennedy unpopular.

9. Race to the Moon • Soviets launched 1st human into outer space. • Kennedy wanted to send a person to the moon. • New space bases in Fl & Tx. • 7 years later: July 20, 1969: Neil Armstrong was the 1st person to walk on the moon.

10. RACE TO THE MOON • On April 12, 1961, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space • Meanwhile, America’s space agency (NASA) began construction on new launch facilities in Cape Canaveral, Florida and a mission control center in Houston, Texas

11. A MAN ON THE MOON Armstrong • Finally, on July 20, 1969, the U.S. would achieve its goal • An excited nation watched as U.S. astronaut Neil Armstrong took the first steps on the moon • Space and defense-related industries sprang up in Southern and Western states “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”

13. FOCUS ON THE COLD WAR • From the beginning of his term in early 1961, JFK focused on the Cold War (Soviet relations) • JFK tripled our nuclear capability, increased troops, ships and artillery, and created the Green Berets (Special Forces)

14. CRISIS OVER CUBA • Just 90 miles off the coast of Florida, Cuba presented the first big test of JFK’s foreign policy • Openly Communist, Cuba was led by revolutionary leader Fidel Castro who welcomed aid from the USSR • Relations between the U.S. and Cuba were deteriorating

15. Crisis in Cuba • Castro took over oil fields & sugar cane fields owned by U.S. • U.S. no longer traded w/Cuba. • Cuba received aid from Soviet Union • 10% of Cubans left and moved to Miami.

16. BAY OF PIGS • In March 1960, Eisenhower gave the CIA permission to secretly train Cuban exiles for an invasion of Cuba • Kennedy learned of the plan only nine days into his presidency • JFK approved the mission • It turned out to be a disaster when in April 17, 1961, 1,200 Cuban exiles met 25,000 Cuban troops backed by Soviet tanks and were soundly defeated “We looked like fools to our friends, rascals to our enemies and incompetents to the rest” Quote from U.S. Commentator

17. Problems • Air strike did not work, CIA said it did • Troops met 25,000 Cuban troops & Soviet tanks and jets. • Embarrassed Kennedy.

18. THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS • Castro had a powerful ally in Moscow • Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev promised to defend Cuba with Soviet weapons • During the summer of 1962 the flow of Soviet weapons into Cuba – including nuclear – increased greatly

19. Cuban Missile Crisis • Soviet Union sent nuclear weapons to Cuba • Spy planes saw rockets ready to launch • Kennedy demanded the rockets were removed. • If we were attacked, go to war with Soviet Union.

20. KENNEDY RESPONDS American president John F Kennedy making his dramatic television broadcast to announce the Cuba blockade during the Cuban Missile Crisis  • Kennedy made it clear the U.S. would not tolerate nuclear weapons in Cuba • When surveillance photos revealed nukes ready to launch in Cuba, JFK said the U.S. would respond to any attack from Cuba with an all-out nuclear retaliation against the Soviets

21. 13 DAYS • When more Soviet ships headed for the U.S. with weapons, JFK ordered a blockade • The first break in the crisis occurred when the Soviets ships turned back • Finally, Khrushchev agreed to remove the nuclear weapons from Cuba in exchange for a U.S. promise NOT to invade Cuba For 13 days in October, 1962 the world stood still as the threat of nuclear war gripped the planet

22. CRISIS OVER BERLIN • In 1961, Berlin, Germany was a city in great turmoil • In the 11 years since the Berlin Airlift, almost 3 million East Germans (Soviet side) had fled into West Berlin (U.S. controlled) to flee communist rule

23. SOVIETS SEEK TO STOP EXODUS • The Soviets did not like the fact that East Berliners were fleeing their city for the democratic west • Their departure hurt the economy and the prestige of the USSR • Just after midnight on August 13, 1961 the Soviets began construction of a 90-mile wall separating East and West Berlin East Germany begins construction on the Berlin Wall, which becomes a primary symbol of the Cold War and Soviet oppression

25. EASING TENSIONS • Both Khrushchev and Kennedy began searching for ways to ease the enormous tension between the two superpowers • In 1963 they established a hot line between the White House and the Kremlin • Later that year, the superpowers signed a Limited Test Ban Treaty that served to ban nuclear testing in the atmosphere

26. Alliance for Progress • Economic & technical assistance • In Latin American countries.

27. THE PEACE CORPS • One of the first programs launched by JFK was the Peace Corps • The Peace Corps is a volunteer program to assist developing nations in Asia, Africa and Latin America • The Peace Corps has become a huge success

28. Emmett Till • 14-year-old boy visited his uncle. • Woman accused him of flirting with her. • 2 white men beat him & shot him • Mom had open casket funeral.

29. Freedom Riders • Activists who rode buses through the South to challenge segregation. • Buses were normally attacked by angry white mobs. • Members of SNCC rode buses, one of their buses were firebombed. • Kennedy made Federal Marshals protect the Freedom Riders.

30. Freedom Riders’ Photo

31. Integrating “Ole Miss” • JAMES MEREDITH: African American Air Force veteran who won a court case to attend University of Mississippi • Gov. Ross Barnett refused to let him in • Kennedy sent federal marshals to escort Meredith into the college.

32. “Ole Miss” (con’t) • Thousands of white demonstrators showed up. • Riots broke out on campus: 2 dead • Thousands of soldiers were sent to stop the riot. • Federal officers took Meredith to classes & protected his family.

33. Birmingham • MLK, Jr. went to Birmingham to help integrate the city. • Known as the “most segregated city in U.S.” • King & others were arrested on Good Friday (1963). • Police commissioner “Bull” Connor arrested 959 of King’s demonstrators.

34. Birmingham • May 3, a children’s crusade began. • Police put high-pressured fire hoses & attack dogs on them. • Clubbed those who fell to the ground. • TV cameras showed the children screaming to millions of viewers. • Kennedy wanted to pass a civil rights act.

35. Photos at Birmingham

36. Kennedy • Sent troops to force Gov. Wallace to desegregate the University of Alabama. • After Kennedy made a speech, that night Medgar Evers was killed by a sniper in his own driveway

37. March on Washington • King marched on Washington, D.C. with 250,000 people. Gave his “I HAVE A DREAM” speech.

38. Tragedy in Dallas • Kennedy & his wife traveled to Dallas on November 22, 1963. • Rode in limo convertible w/wife, Texas Governor, & his wife. • Rifle shots were fired. • Kennedy shot in the head. • Rushed to hospital & died.

39. JFK SHOT • As the motorcade approached the Texas Book Depository, shots rang out • JFK was shot in the neck and then the head • His car was rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors frantically tried to revive him • President Kennedy was dead (11/22/63)

41. Kennedy assassinated • America shocked • Who did this? • Why? • Many conspiracy theories on what happened.

42. Photos of assassination

43. 4 Days of Mourning • Lyndon B. Johnson took the presidential oath on Air Force One next to Kennedy’s casket. • Jackie on board during the oath.

44. Lee Harvey Oswald • Charged w/assassinating Kennedy. • Palm print on rifle • Ties to Communism • Jack Ruby killed Oswald.

46. JFK LAID TO REST • All work stopped for Kennedy’s funeral as America mourned its fallen leader • The assassination and the televised funeral became historic events • Like 9-11, Americans can recall where they were when they heard the news of the President’s death Three-year old John Kennedy Jr. salutes his father’s coffin during the funeral

47. Funeral

49. UNANSWERED QUESTIONS • The bizarre chain of events led many to believe that Oswald was part of a conspiracy • The Warren Commission investigated the assassination and determined that Oswald had indeed acted alone • Recent filmmaker Oliver Stone isn’t so sure – his film, “JFK,” is filled with conspiracy theories

50. Warren Commission • People questioned if Oswald was the only gun man. • WC: investigated the assassination • Found Oswald acted alone • 1979: Possible conspiracy • New investigation shows possible 2nd unknown gun man.