A Decade of Change: JFK and LBJ

A Decade of Change: JFK and LBJ 1960-1969

1960s Politics • The contrast between the presidencies of John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson is striking • While Kennedy spoke great plans for domestic reform, he was able to push only a few through Congress • LBJ was able to use his legislative skills to push Congress to pass some of the most significant social programs in US history

Foreign Policy Events • But both men would also find themselves on the front lines of the Cold War with four (4) major foreign problems during the 1960s: • Bay of Pigs (1961) • Berlin Wall (1961) • Cuban Missile Crisis (1962) • Vietnam (1960-1975)

Election of 1960 • In the 1960 presidential campaign, Democrat John F. Kennedy ran against Republican Richard M. Nixon • The two faced each other in a series of televised debates – the first time • JFK appeared relaxed and confident while Nixon seemed tired and strained • The debate, and public opinion, had a significant impact on US politics

Election of 1960 • With the effective use of TV ads and TV debates, politicians could now use TV as a more effective means of communicating with the public • JFK was the youngest person to run for President and the first Catholic to win the presidency • He won by a narrow margin, which denied him a strong mandate

The “New Frontier” • The lack of this mandate, or public endorsement of his ideas, would mean that his policies would be frequently blocked by Congress • However, he actively pursued his program called the “New Frontier”to cut taxes, fight poverty and inequality, and develop the space program

JFK and Congress • Finding little support with Congress, JFK often achieved his goals through the use of executive orders • During his few years, he succeeded in enacting orders to improve the economy, the standard of living for the poor, and the environment • JFK also pushed the space program and increased funding for the military to “catch up” with the Soviets

The “Space Race” and JFK • In 1961, JFK declared that the US’ goal in the “space race” was to put a man on the moon by the end of the 1960s – we do, but JFK never saw it • July 1969, NASA successfully puts a man on the moon (Neil Armstrong) and brings the crew back to Earth • From the mid ‘60s to the present, the US has dominated the “Space Race”

JFK Assassinated • On November 22, 1963, as JFK was visiting Dallas, TX in preparation for the 1964 election, he was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald • Oswald, after his capture, was then murdered by Jack Ruby before he could be tried, leading many to believe there might have been a conspiracy

Lyndon B. Johnson • VP Lyndon B. Johnson took over as President and immediately appointed a commission to investigate the assassination • The Warren Commission, headed by Sup Court Chief Justice Earl Warren, concluded that Oswald acted alone, but many still believe that Oswald was part of a larger conspiracy

Legacy of JFK’s Death • In truth, the assassination of JFK actually “helped” his “New Frontier” ideas because LBJ was much better at working with Congress and would be able to use the “feel sorry” factor to get Congress and America to support JFK’s ideas

Legacy of JFK’s Death • But for Americans it was a terrific shock – American confidence, during tough times, was shattered • The nation couldn’t believe that the man many rested hopes and dreams on had been killed – most of the nation stayed glued to the TVs for days to watch the news coverage of the funeral, etc…

Lyndon Baines Johnson • Before becoming President in 1963, LBJ had served more than 20 years in Congress, gaining fame for his legislative and persuasive skills • Once LBJ becomes President he knew that the nation needed some action to help heal the wounds of JFK’s death • To this end, LBJ proposes a sweeping program of domestic reforms

The Great Society • LBJ calls his program the Great Society and it included everything that JFK had wanted (civil rights and tax-cut bills) but also included those ideas that he wanted – poverty relief, education aid, health care reform, voting rights reform, conservation efforts, and urban renewal

“Your imagination, your initiative, and your indignation will determine whether we build a society where progress is the servant of our needs… For in your time we have the opportunity to move not only toward the rich society and the powerful society, but upward toward the Great Society” -- LBJ (May 1964)

LBJ and Election of 1964 • LBJ is elected President in his own right in 1964, and with a great mandate of the people – popular support (unlike JFK) • With this support, LBJ pushed through JFK’s tax cut and a cut of government spending, causing the GNP to grow, the deficit to shrink, unemployment to fall, and inflation to remain steady – all great signs for the economy

“War on Poverty” • During LBJ’s State of the Union message in 1964 he vowed, “This administration today, here and now, declares unconditional war on poverty in America.” • The Economic Opportunity Act, passed in mid-1964, was created to combat the causes of poverty (illiteracy, unemployment, and inadequate public services)

Head Start and VISTA • This act provided $950 million for 10 separate projects, to help eliminate the causes of poverty • Two of the best known were Head Start – a preschool program for children from low-income families and Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) – which sent people to help poor communities

Medicare and Medicaid • LBJ increased funding to schools and also focused attention on the increasing cost of medical care • He created an assistance plan that included Medicare – medical insurance for Americans over the age of 65 and Medicaid – medical coverage for low-income Americans

Immigration Act of 1965 • LBJ also reformed the immigration policies of America by pushing through Congress the Immigration Act of 1965 that replaced the use of discriminatory quotas with a limit of 20,000 immigrants per year, per country of origin • Political refugees and family of US citizens were exempted • Led to the arrival of over 350,000/year

The Warren Court • At the same time, the Supreme Court, under Chief Justice Earl Warren, also began to change the “face” of American society • The “Warren” Court outlawed prayer in public schools (Engel v. Vitale), helped define obscenity laws, and struck down laws prohibiting birth control (Griswold v. Connecticut)

Warren Court (1960-19 • To help safeguard the constitutional rights of individuals accused of crimes, the Court mandated that even indigent (poor) defendants have the right to an attorney (Gideon v. Wainright) and that police must inform criminal suspects of their rights before questioning – the Miranda Rule (Miranda v. Arizona)

Baker v. Carr • The Court also moved to reform state legislatures through apportionment – the distribution of the seats in a legislature among electoral districts • In Baker v. Carr (1962), the Court ruled that state legislative districts had to be divided on the basis of “one person, one vote” and could not favor urban or rural areas (Tennessee)

Great Society Criticisms • LBJ’s Great Society has its critics • Some complained (and still do) that too much of their taxes are used to help the poor • Others feel too much power has been put into the hands of the federal government • The truth is that the Great Society cut poverty in half because of its programs

“Guns and Butter” • By 1968, however, an escalating war in Vietnam was draining the federal budget and undermining Johnson’s Great Society • The debate between “Guns and Butter” would ultimately be won by the “guns” (Vietnam) and would mean the failure of the Great Society

Foreign Policy (1960-1965) • When JFK took office in 1961, he immediately faced his first foreign crisis • With US backing, Cuban opponents of dictator Fidel Castro launched the Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba in 1961 • Castro easily defeated the invasion forces, and JFK was criticized for the disaster

Berlin Wall (1961) • JFK also faced another foreign crisis later that year when the Soviet-controlled East Germany built the Berlin Wall • The permanent wall cut off Communist East Berlin from West Berlin and was intended to stop fleeing East Germans and as a visible reminder of the separation between the US and the Soviets

Cuban Missile Crisis (1962) • The most dangerous event of the Cold War erupted in October 1962 – the Cuban Missile Crisis • On Oct. 22, 1962 – JFK told the nation that U-2 spy planes had photos that the Soviet Union had placed missiles in Cuba that were capable of reaching most of the continental US

Cuban Missile Crisis (1962) • With this information, JFK ordered a naval “quarantine,” or blockade,of Cuba to prevent any more missiles from reaching it and called on the Soviets to remove the missiles from Cuba • War seemed inevitable, times were very tense, but war was averted when

Cuban Missile Crisis • As negotiations persisted, Khrushchev added new demand: US must remove their own missiles in Turkey (on the Russian border) • JFK rejected b/c it would weaken NATO • JFK’s brother (Attorney General) Robert Kennedy suggested ignoring the second demand and accept the first offer

It is Resolved • After five horrible days, with the SU-US at the brink of nuclear war, the Soviets turned their ships back from the blockade and Soviets decided to withdraw their missiles from Cuba • JFK won broad and strong support for his strong determination and firm stand • Effects: Leads to replacement of Khrushchev in SU, “Red Phone” in the White House/Kremlin, and renewed efforts for peace – also renewed arms race

U-2 photos of ships carrying missiles into Cuba ** Secretly, the SU promised to remove missiles IF the US promised never to invade Cuba

Limited Test Ban Treaty • After the Cuban Missile Crisis, both JFK and Khrushchev took steps to avoid war at all costs – both had been to the brink and neither wanted to go there again • A significant step was taken when the US and the Soviets signed the Limited Test Ban Treaty in 1963, prohibiting nuclear testing above ground

JFK’s Foreign Policy Goals • JFK had two overriding foreign policy goals: • Reduce the risk/threat of nuclear war • Encourage countries to ally themselves with the US • For the first goal, the signing of the Test Ban Treaty was a major step

A Decade of Change: JFK and LBJ