1960s

1. 1960s

2. Defining People and Events of 1960s • The Great Debates * JFK inauguration • The New Frontier * Space Race • Arms Race * Bay of Pigs • Berlin Crisis 1961 * Cuban Missile Crisis • Nuclear Test Ban * JFK assassination • Peace Corp * Lyndon Johnson • The Great Society

3. The Great Debates of 1960 Election • In September of 1960, millions of Americans turned on t.v. to watch two presidential candidates in first televised debate in American history • TV made Nixon appear tired and hot while JFK looked relaxed, handsome, smooth • John F. Kennedy (Democrat) vs • Richard Nixon (Republican)

4. JFK’S ACHIEVEMENTS AS PRESIDENT (1961- 1963) • Kennedy was only 43, youngest man elected to US Presidency • JFK was also a Roman Catholic, first ever elected to US Presidency • JFK won electoral vote 313 to 219 but won popular vote by only 120,000 (34 million votes were cast in 1960 election)

5. JFK Inauguration Speech • “Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans, born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace….And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”

6. JFK and “The New Frontier” • Similar to the great Democrat FDR, JFK offered up his New Frontier • Eager to take action against poverty and inequality – 20% of America was living below the poverty line JFK believed direct aid from the federal government to the poor was necessary (LIBERAL DOMESTIC POLICY)

7. JFK and “The New Frontier” • JFK succeeded little in pushing legislation through Congress and failed with ambitious plans for federal aid for education and medical care for the elderly (Congress Conservative) Similar to Truman Post WWII as he tried to pass Fair Deal and Congress focused on Cold War and not domestic, “Democrat” issues

8. Camelot • JFK administration/ time in White House often referred to as CAMELOT • Term first used by Jackie Kennedy in an interview after JFK assassination – refers to the era of King Arthur and his round table PERIOD OF HAPPINESS AND ENCHANTMENT AND US LEADERS APPEARING AS ROYALTY TO THE PUBLIC

9. The US Space Program 1960s • JFK more successful in effort to revitalize US space program than direct aid to the poor • Task force appointed by JFK recommended NASA concentrate on missions without human crews • Sputnik (1957) motivated • US government to attempt • to place a manned spacecraft • in orbit around Earth

10. The US Space Program • 1961 USSR announced Yuri Gagarin had become first human to travel in space and circled Earth on a Soviet spacecraft • US feared being behind USSR again and JFK announced the US should “commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon.” • $40 billion promised to space research

11. The US Space Program • Less than one year later in 1962, John Glenn of US successfully completed three orbits around Earth * Most JFK domestic policies/ideas failed but space program succeeded partly because it was seen as competition against Communist USSR

12. The “Arms” Race in 1960s • JFK believed US well behind USSR also in nuclear missiles prior to his election (actually US USSR equal prior to 1960) JFK/ Congress decide to build more missiles • MAD Mutual Assured Destruction became US foreign policy Designed to deter USSR from attacking US - ICBM – 800 Minuteman 250 SLBM

13. Bay of Pigs Invasion • JFK’s first serious foreign crisis involved Cuba and known as Bay of Pigs invasion • Fidel Castro had overthrown the US backed dictator in 1959 because he promised to improve lives of poor • Castro took over private companies and implemented communist government

14. Bay of Pigs Invasion • President Eisenhower had approved plan in 1960 which involved CIA training Cuban opponents of Castro and planned to invade Cuba • JFK and advisors expected Cuban people to rise up and overthrow Castro • Bay of Pigs invasion was total disaster and US involvement in attempting to overthrow legitimate government exposed to the world

15. 1961 Crisis in Germany • Upset by Bay of Pigs failure, JFK more determined to respond firmly to communist threats • USSR made demand of peace treaty that would make Berlin a united city under East Germany • JFK appeared on t.v. and told US public the country would not be bullied

16. Berlin Wall • USSR responded by building a wall in August of 1961 to prevent East Germans from leaving East Berlin • Became major symbol of the Cold War • JFK went to Berlin in 1963 to tell West Germans US would defend and announced “Ich bin ein Berliner” or “I am a Berliner”

17. Cuban Missile Crisis • October 1962 USSR placed offensive nuclear weapons into Cuba with 20 to 30 intermediate launchers • US has no defense system against ICBM • WWIII a definite possibility

18. Cuban Missile Crisis • Called the 13 days of October or Missiles of October • Consensus among JFK advisors was air strike against Cuba / USSR • Alternative solution proposed was a naval blockade labeled as a “quarantine” so not to sound like term of war

19. Cuban Missile Crisis • JFK comes on tv and delivers most somber speech to US public since FDR and Pearl Harbor • After a few days of negotiations, agreement made that USSR will remove missiles / missile launchers if US promises not to attack Cuba

20. PEACE CORP • JFK responded to critics who said all US actions designed to stop communism by developing new program PEACE CORP • Provided teachers, nurses, doctors and helped raise crops or build roads, bridges in poor areas • Still program sponsored by US government today

21. JFK Assassination • November 22, 1963 Dallas, Texas • Riding in open limousine as thousands lined the streets to see JFK and Jackie Kennedy • Also riding in the limo were Texas Governor John Connally and his wife

22. The Warren Commission • Shortly after assassination a commission headed by Chief Justice Earl Warren was formed by US govt to investigate the crime • Prime suspect was Lee Harvey Oswald, a former marine and supporter of Cuba’s leader Fidel Castro • Two days after JFK assassination, Oswald was being moved to different jail and was assassinated

23. Lyndon Johnson (LBJ) • Lyndon Johnson was in Dallas during assassination and took oath of office on Air Force 1 while taking JFK back to Washington DC • Wanted to enact a number of the bills that JFK had proposed and failed with prior to his assassination

24. LBJ and Great Society • In 1964 election – LBJ ran against Barry Goldwater (R) who was seen as a strong Conservative (voted against Civil Rights Act, welfare increases, social security, and believed conflict with USSR inevitable) • LBJ won and announced to country that we would build a Great Society which would increase government involvement in citizens lives more than any President other than FDR • (LIBERAL APPROACH TO DOMESTIC ISSUES)

25. LBJ and Great Society • Great Society - Medicare 1965 - Medicaid help poor with health care - $1.3 billion for aid to education - abolish Immigration / Quota Acts - Wilderness Act - set aside 9 million acres of national forest - Mass Transit Aid - $375 million to help cities with development of mass transit - $1.4 billion to state hospitals/med centers - dramatic increase in food stamp program LIBERAL APPROACH TO DOMESTIC ISSUES

26. LBJ and The Great Society • Ultimate irony is that LBJ’s increased involvement in Vietnam War forced him to cut many ideas of The Great Society • **IRONIC BECAUSE THIS WAS MORE MORE CONSERVATIVE TYPE THINKING