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JOHN F. KENNEDY

JOHN F. KENNEDY. THE NEW FRONTIER. Only Catholic ever elected President Why an issue? Youngest man ever elected as Pres. (43) Won with the lowest popular vote majority in history 1st Pres. to appoint his brother to a cabinet position Attorney General (35)

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JOHN F. KENNEDY

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  1. JOHN F. KENNEDY THE NEW FRONTIER

  2. Only Catholic ever elected President Why an issue? Youngest man ever elected as Pres. (43) Won with the lowest popular vote majority in history 1st Pres. to appoint his brother to a cabinet position Attorney General (35) Youngest cabinet – “best and brightest” – Harvard educated as JFK was NOT an intellectual…but Jackie surrounded him with intellectuals JFK

  3. 1st Pres. born in the 20th century; least healthy Speed reader - read 10 major city newspapers every morning over coffee Pulitzer Prize for “Profiles in Courage” but… HORRIBLE HEALTH – allergies, back, stomach, Addison’s disease, hearing loss, VD, etc. Commanded a PT torpedo boat in WWII Sunk by Japanese destroyer Helped get survivors to island- Medals

  4. RICHARD NIXON, R Quaker, humble origins, from CA Political Experience in House, Senate & as Ike’s VP for 8 yrs. “Cold Warrior” - communism is chief threat to U.S. way of life JOHN F. KENNEDY, D Catholic, very wealthy, from MA, young Political Experience in House and Senate Also a “Cold Warrior” (& friend of McCarthy) VP Running Mate is Lyndon B. Johnson from Texas ELECTION OF 1960

  5. THE ROLE OF TV IN ELECTIONS • JFK challenged Nixon to televised debates • First televised presidential debates, series of 4 live, after 1960 TV is media of choice • Nixon is more skilled debater BUT • JFK much more poised, youthful, attractive on camera • Nixon had been sick looks awful, he sweats a lot (reason he lost?) • 70 million people polled, TV viewers thought JFK won debate while radio listeners thought Nixon won

  6. “CAMELOT”

  7. Inaugural Address:“Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country….” “The torch has been passed to a new generation….” First time U.S. is led by people born in 20th century -- youthful, “vigor," confident, idealistic Chief Task is to stop the spread of communism NEW FRONTIER-Domestic Policy Agenda-attack poverty, strengthen the economy, better education, get people involved Enacted tax cuts to put $ in hands of consumers A conservative move? Trade Expansion Act – tariff cuts – up to 50% - with W. Europe Manpower Development & Training Act Medical Retardation & Health Centers Act THE NEW FRONTIERLet’s get this country moving again!

  8. JFK and Congress • Don’t work well together • Key legislative goals = Medicare for the elderly, higher minimum wage & assistance for education • Downfalls, Southern Democrats stall a lot of legislation, especially dealing with Civil Rights • JFK responds to that by issuing policy through executive orders

  9. Soviet satellite in space first – Sputnik, 1957 JFK promotes NASA as part of economic stimulus (founded 1958 - Ike) U.S. Mercury I– 1958 Goal is to put a man on the moon by 1970 First “American” in space – Ham, the chimpanzee, 1961 First American to orbit the earth, 1962 JOHN GLENN First Americans to the moon: NEIL ARMSTRONG BUZZ ALDRIN MICHAEL COLLINS Apollo 11 - July 20, 1969 “The Eagle Has Landed” THE SPACE RACE

  10. APOLLO 11

  11. JFK & FOREIGN POLICY “Flexible Response Policy,” McNamara What is it? JFK’s foreign policy goal: To reduce Cold War tensions while helping developing nations.

  12. Peace Corps • Sent young Americans to perform humanitarian services to fight poverty & disease in developing third-world countries • Projects included teaching English, community planning, medical assistance, building water and sewage systems. • Signed up for 2 year hitches after through training • Still exist today, LEGACY • Alliance for Progress not as successful

  13. Alliance for Progress • Series of aid projects to Latin America, to make them strong to fight communist temptations • Over a 10 years U.S. pumps over 20 billion into Latin & South Amer. • Money wasn’t always used in best way, in Chile, Colombia, Venezuela, & other central American nations it did really reform

  14. BAY OF PIGS INVASIONFailure • Castro - Cuba, ‘59 / Soviets • Ike & CIA planned to invade and overthrow Castro (training 2000 Cuban exiles for invasion) • CIA thought local Cubans would rise up & assist the invaders • JFK approves; invades April, ‘61 • No help from the locals – no air cover from JFK-- Castro surrounds & forces surrender of the invaders instead • Exiles were jailed but eventually “ransomed” for $62 million worth of pharmaceuticals & humanitarian aid in 1963 • Hurts JFK’s international reputation • Seen as impulsive; unprincipled • “Operation Mongoose” begins

  15. Post WWII Occupation of GermanyJFK meets with Khrushchev, June 1961

  16. BERLIN WALLFailure • Soviets (Khrushchev) demand that the U.S. recognize E. Germany & give up the 4-power occupation of Berlin [note: Khrushchev furious over Bay of Pigs] • JFK refuses and Soviets build wall around West Berlin – August 1961…to stop flow from East to West Berlin • Wall stands for almost 30 years as the most dramatic symbol of Cold War division in Europe • Both sides begin heavy nuclear development (US – Minuteman) and testing & increase defense spending

  17. “Walljumpers” • About 5,000 made it • About 200 did not • Peter Fechter, August 17, 1962

  18. THE WALL COMES DOWN 1989

  19. CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS Success • U.S. U-2 plane discovered long-range Soviet missiles & launch sites on Cuba • Put there by Khrushchev (along with Soviet troops, tanks, etc.) to prepare for anticipated U.S. invasion of Cuba • Dilemma faced by JFK: • Doesn’t want to back down to the Communists • If he invades or bombs, Khrushchev would take West Berlin or bomb U.S. bases in Turkey • Could lead to full-scale nuclear war • Addresses the nation on October 22, 1962 • Game of “nuclear chicken” ensues – 13 tense days

  20. Presidents John F. Kennedy and Dwight D. Eisenhower

  21. JFK orders naval blockade (“quarantine”) to keep out any more missiles & demanded Soviets dismantle missile sites • Soviets made 2 demands of us: • agree never to invade Cuba • remove our missiles from Turkey • RFK suggested we ignore 2nd & agree to the first only (later, comes out that U.S. privately agreed to 2nd demand as well) • Waited 5 days before the Soviet ships turned around • JFK & Khrushchev set up White House-Kremlin ‘hot line” & agree to test ban treaty (1963) • Khrushchev is finished • Replaced by Breshnev • New arms race begins • JFK urges “peaceful co-existence”

  22. NUCLEAR TEST-BAN TREATY • Both the Soviets and the U.S. had been involved in massive nuclear testing • After Cuban Missile crisis, both sides agree to reduce risks of war • ’63 - US, Soviets & British agree to ban nuclear testing in the atmosphere, in outer space & underwater (but not underground).

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