Kennedy and the Cold War

1. Kennedy and the Cold War

3. The Great Debates 1st Televised Debate 1

7. Presidential Campaign Kennedy: Came from politically powerful Massachusetts family War hero Represented the future Nixon: Self-made man from a small town Ties Eisenhower tied him to the past 2

8. Election of 1960 • JFK capitalized on their differences • Adopted the term “New Frontier” • Played on Nation’s Cold War fears • Showed concern for poor 3

9. Election of 1960 • Defended Eisenhower’s record • Made him appear tied to the past 3

10. Catholic Candidate • Some Protestant voters concerned • Fears that JFK might put views of Catholic Church over those • of American public 4

11. Election Day • One of the closest in history • JFK became youngest (43 years) President in history • Popular vote separated by 120,000 votes • Electoral 303-219 5

12. Kennedy and MLK JFK’s support for Martin Luther King won him the support of black voters 6

13. JFK takes Office • Inaugural address focused on • theme of change • Also strong anti-Communist tone 7

14. “The Best and the Brightest” • Young, well educated experts • in their fields • Closest advisor RFK, brother • and youngest ever Attorney • General (36) 8

15. Bay of Pigs Invasion • CIA had been training 1,500 Cuban exiles in Central America to invade • Cuba to overthrow Fidel Castro • Many had been recruited in south Florida 9

16. Background of Invasion • Came to power in 1959 after a 2 year • guerilla war against Fulgencio Batista • Batista was a U.S. backed dictator • Castro promised to restore rights and • freedoms • Once in power he seized private businesses • Began making anti-American speeches • Eisenhower cut economic and diplomatic ties Fidel Castro 10

17. Invasion of Cuba • Plan hatched by CIA under Eisenhower • JFK • Considered Castro’s Communism • a threat to all Latin America • Had criticized IKE for inaction during • presidential campaign • Felt he would look weak if he backed • down 11

18. Disaster • Plans leaked to New York Times a • week before, JFK denied story • April 15, 1961 • Unmarked US bombers failed to • take out Cuban air force • JFK cancelled airstrikes scheduled • for next two days • Land invasion April 17th • Castro’s troops were waiting • for invaders 12

19. Result of Bay of Pigs • Total failure • Castro viewed as hero in Cuba • 1,200 invaders captured • Strengthened ties between Cuba • and the Soviet Union 13

20. Cuban Missile Crisis • Kennedy looked for other ways to • unseat Castro • interrupted Cuban trade, ordered • more raids by exiles, plotted Castro’s • assassination- (all through the CIA) • Castro and Khrushchev were furious • in October of 1962 a U.S. spy plane • took photos of crews installing • Soviet missiles in Cuba President John F. Kennedy

22. Cuban Missile Crisis • Kennedy’s advisors met for a week • to decide a course of action • negotiations were ruled out since it • would allow time for more missiles • to be put in place • invasion might start nuclear war • Kennedy decided on blockade of • Cuba to stop further delivery of • nuclear weapons….then quietly push • Khrushchev to remove the weapons

23. Cuban Missile Crisis • Kennedy sent 180 warships sailing to • Cuba, deployed B-52 bombers with • nuclear weapons, military forces • worldwide on alert • Soviets sent ships toward Cuba and • world held its breath, U-2 shot down • Khrushchev agreed to remove the • missiles if U.S. vowed to never attack • Cuba • Khrushchev demanded that the U.S. • remove missiles from Turkey (we ignored • this)

24. Cuban Missile Crisis • Kennedy agreed to the first demand • but ignored the second • He also ordered Khrushchev to get • the missiles out of Cuba – or the • United States would take them out • Khrushchev finally backed down - • the crisis ended

25. After the Crisis • the standoff changed the character of • the Cold War • both accepted each other’s power and • admitted the importance of negotiation • installed a hotline for communication • in event of future crisis • did nothing to slow the arms race, the • Soviets felt humiliated • stockpile of nuclear weapons continued

26. Kennedy’s New Frontier • America struck by Kennedy youth and vitality 14

27. Jackie Kennedy 15

28. Kennedy and Congress • New Frontier: name given to his plans for change • Conservative Congress (didn’t favor change) • Narrow victory, no mandate (authorization to act) 16

29. The Space Program • Direct result of Cold War Crises • Soviets 1st man in space 1961 • May, 1961 proposal to Congress: • “ 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 earth…” • John Glenn 1962 17

31. The Warren Court • Series of controversial rulings which greatly extended individual rights • and freedoms • Brown v Board (1954) • Baker v Carr (1962) • Engel v Vitale (1962) • Abington School District v Schempp (1963) • Gideon v Wainwright (1963) • Miranda v Arizona (1966) • Roe v Wade (1973) not technically a “Warren Court” • decision 18

32. The Kennedy Assassination • 1964 campaign approaching • JFK flew to Dallas to win support of southern Democrats • November 22, 1963 19

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35. Texas Schoolbook Depository • Three Shots fired • President Kennedy and • Texas Governor Connolly • hit 22

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43. Lee Harvey Oswald 31

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45. Jack Ruby Tried and convicted of the murder of Lee Harvey Oswald 33

46. Warren Commission 34

47. Computer Generated Simulation