Key Questions What difference did President Kennedy make?

1. Kennedy: The New Frontier • Key Questions • What difference did President Kennedy make? • When JFK became President the USA faced problems of poverty, • racial inequality, feminism and the threat of communist expansion. • At 43, JFK was the youngest President the USA had ever had. Many people felt that his • youth promised new hope for the future. • JFK promised a “new frontier”, where the USA would tackle the problems of poverty, race • and the USSR. • JFK did not fulfil all of his promises. He achieved more because of his death. He was • assassinated in 1963 and vice-President Johnson was able to push through reforms. • He could not do much about poverty because money was spent on the Cold War and • because southern Democrats opposed his civil rights reforms. • How close were the USA and USSR to war in 1962? • In 1961 the soviet leader, Khrushchev built a wall that divided east and west Berlin. • In 1962 Khrushchev placed “defensive” nuclear missiles on Cuba.

2. Kennedy: The New Frontier • Page 73 Notes • Copy out the “1961 divisive issues facing America”, from page 73. • JFK elected in November 1960 with a very slim majority. • JFK had great personal charm and charisma. • JFK had the support of many young Americans, who looked to him for big changes. • JFK triggered idealism and raised expectations for change. • Page 74 Questions • Question 1 • Kennedy had a majority of ………………. over Richard Nixon, the republican nominee. • Question 2 • The reference to the Cold War in Source A is “support any friend ….” which means that JFK intended to stop the spread of communism. • Question 3 • When JFK said “Ask not what you can do for your country …” he meant that the American people had to be prepared to do something for themselves about the problems in the USA. These problems were … (look at the list you have already written).

3. Kennedy: The New Frontier • Confrontation with the USSR • Notes • Tension between the USA and USSR got worse in late 50s and early 60s. • Build up of conventional and nuclear weapons. Radio stations to broadcast propaganda • There flashpoints in Berlin, Cuba and south-east Asia, that could have developed into a • nuclear war. • Tasks • Study Source B. Which superpower had the most weapons? Give some examples. • Read Source C. • What two things does President Kennedy say are wrong with the USSR? • Who was interviewing President Kennedy? • If this was a Soviet newspaper, what is surprising about JFK’s attitude?

4. Kennedy: The New Frontier • The Berlin Crisis • Notes • In 1945 Berlin had been divided into a communist controlled east, which was part of East • Germany and western sectors that became part of West Germany. • The Soviets wanted to take control of West Berlin as its prosperity and the higher standard • of living enjoyed by West Berliners was an embarrassment to the communist east. • The Soviets claimed that West Berlin was used to spy on the communist east. • Thousands of skilled East Germans used West Berlin to escape to West Germany. • Vienna Summit (meeting of top world leaders) Khrushchev said that the whole of Berlin • should be come under communist control. • JFK mobilises extra troops and says that the freedom of all of Europe is at stake. • In 1961 Khrushchev orders the building of the Berlin Wall, which ringed West Berlin. • Divided the city, East and West Berliners could not visit the other part of the city. • Escapees from the east were shot by border guards. • June 1963 JFK visits Berlin to reinforce US determination not to back down. • 1989 the opening of the Wall marked the end of the Cold War.

5. Kennedy: The New Frontier • Page 76 Questions • Question 4 • Cold War refers to the confrontation between the U.. and U… in which • no open fighting took place. It was a war of propaganda and threat. • Question 5 • In Source C, President Kennedy is so concerned abut the Russ / USSR because he talks about the fact that the USA / USSR are trying to spread capitalism / communism across the whole world. Kennedy did not want this to happen, because the USA were opposed to communism / capitalism. • Question 6 • Source B is helpful in explaining the Cold War in 1962 because it is President Kennedy explaining to a Soviet television / newspaper reporter what he thought was wrong with the USSR. Kennedy feels that the biggest reason for the Cold War was the fact that the USSR was trying to spread communism / capitalism to every country in the World. • Question 7 • Berlin was important to important to the Soviet Union because it represented the power of the USA and its allies. It was important to the USA because it represented their determination to resist communism.

6. Kennedy: The New Frontier ~ Homework Write two newspaper stories about President Kennedy’s 1963 "Ich bin ein Berliner" ("I am a 'Berliner'") speech. One report must be for a West German newspaper. One report must be for an East German (communist) newspaper. Include what each type of Berliner might have felt when they heard Kennedy’s words. Hear and see JFK’s speech

7. Kennedy: The New Frontier • The Cuban Missiles Crisis • Notes • Cuba had been dominated by the USA until 1957, when Fidel Castro seized power. • He nationalised all the US owned businesses. The US stopped trading with Cuba. • In 1961 JFK authorised a CIA led invasion by Cuban exiles (Bay of Pigs). It failed. • There were CIA plots to assassinate Castro. Castro asked the USSR for help. • Khrushchev gave financial and military aid to Cuba. The missile bases were “defensive”. • In 1962 the USA discovered the the USSR had set up nuclear missiles bases on Cuba. • Most of the USA was within the range of the missiles. • JFK under huge pressure to remove them. He called them “provocative”. • Would JFK bomb the sites or invade Cuba (war with the USSR)? • JFK placed and “exclusion zone” , or naval blocked of Cuba. • Both sides refused to back down and the US Navy started searching inbound ships. • Khrushchev backs down, in return for a US promise not to invade Cuba. • USA agrees to remove MRBMs from its bases in Turkey.

8. Kennedy: The New Frontier • The Cuban Missiles Crisis • Notes: • Causes of the Missiles Crisis • Both Kennedy and Khrushchev badly needed victory. • Khrushchev had failed to get the west out of Berlin. • JFK had allowed the Bay of Pigs and had not got rid of the Berlin Wall • Results of the Cuban Missiles Crisis • People all over the World realised how close they had come to total destruction. • The USA and USSR set up a Hot Line telephone link between Moscow and Washington. • The USA and USSR agreed to try to stop the spread of nuclear weapons. • The USA and USSR signed a partial nuclear test ban treaty. • JFK switched his focus to containing communism in Vietnam.

9. Kennedy: The New Frontier • The “Space Race” • Notes • 1957 USSR uses an ICBM (Inter Continental Ballistic Missile) to put Sputnik into orbit. • USSR now has the ability to use ICBMs to deliver nuclear warheads. • 1961, Soviet Cosmonaut, Yuri Gagarin is the first man in space. • US pride hurt. JFK pledges the USA will place a man on the Moon. • Total cost of Moon landing was $25,000 million. • Criticism because there was great poverty on Earth. • Copy the notes on The US Space Programme, from page 78.

10. Kennedy: The New Frontier • Page 78 Questions • Question 9 • Source E gives me Kennedy’s / Khrushchev’s view about the causes of the crisis. He says that it is the fault of the USA / USSR because Russia /America believes that it has the “right” to involve itself in the affairs of other countries. The only thing that would stop the USSR / USA from invading socialist / capitalist Cuba would be the placing of missiles / motors there. • Source F gives me Khrushchev’s / Kennedy’s view of the causes of the crisis. He says that the USA / USSR is opposed to war, but that the Soviet /US missiles are a threat to peace. • The map is concerned with the British /American blockade of Cuba / Canada. This helps to explain the crisis because the Soviets saw the blockade as legal / illegal. If the USA had interfered with a Soviet / Canadian freighter, it could have been seen as an act of war.

11. Kennedy: The New Frontier Page 78 Questions Question 11 Both sides could have claimed victory in the missile crisis, because Khrushchev / Kennedy got the missiles removed from Cuba and Kennedy / Khrushchev got the USA to promise not to invade Cuba / Czechoslovakia, as well as having US MRBM removed from Turkey. Question 12 The “space race” was part of the Cold War, because the new technologies that were developed were also applied military uses. For example, the big / ballistic missile that was used to put Sputnik / Spudnik into space, could also be used to deliver a nuclear weapon. Both sides also competed in the space race to demonstrate their superiority. For example the fact that the USSR / USA had firsts with Sputnik and Yuri Gagarin, mean that Kennedy committed the USA / USSR to being first to put a man on the Moon / Pole.

12. Kennedy: The New Frontier • Death of the President • Page 79 to 80 notes • JFK was assassinated in Dallas, Texas on 22 November 1963. • Lee Harvey Oswald was blamed, many people believe in a conspiracy. • By the time of death JFK had risen in popularity. • JFK had only a limited impact in the USA – President for only 2 years. • He had not been able to do much about Poverty and Civil Rights • because of opposition from southern Democrats. • JFK’s biggest impact was in the Cold War, where he was tough over Berlin and Cuba. • Main Actions • Peace Corps – young Americans go overseas to help. • Raised minimum wage and expanded social security benefits to help the poor. • Prepared the way for civil Rights laws – his death helped their passage. • 1963 Test Ban Treaty with the USSR – stopped atmospheric and underwater tests. • Sent 16,000 “Advisers” to Vietnam – start of the real US involvement in the war. • Inspired young people to enter politics and to work in public service professions.

13. Kennedy: The New Frontier Death of the President ~ Page 80 Questions Question 14 Source I talks about how JFK was the President who brought about a worsening / thaw in the Cold / Hot War. He says that he had to bring the world to the brink of a war over China / Cuba to be able to do this. It says that he was a President who will be remembered for his youth / maturity and aggression / friendliness and being someone who tried to help people. Question 15 JFK’s assassination changed the way in which people thought about him. He was only elected by just over three-quarters / half of those who voted, yet 75% / 65% said they had voted for him. There was a great outpouring of happiness / grief and Vice-president Johnson / Nixon was able to get JFK’s Civil Rights Bill through Congress. Question 16 A leader is someone who can inspire people. JFK inspired people into public service and to try to make a better world. Some examples of this are the Peace Corps and Bill Clinton. (Write a few sentences to explain about each of these.)