Chapter 20 Section 1 Kennedy & The Cold War

1960 Election John F. Kennedy vs. Richard Nixon Kennedy- Senator of Massachusetts; Nixon- VP TV changes election; Nixon more experienced but Kennedy looks better on TV 1 st presidential debate Kennedy is young and Catholic Civil Rights; MLK is arrested, Eisenhower does nothing, RFK talks to judge gets MLK released. Earns votes from African-Americans

Camelot Kennedy brings a new era to the White House; wit, charm, charisma. Press loved him, young and inspiring Artists, celebrities surround president Young wife & family fascinated the public Kennedy surrounds himself with “the best & the brightest” advisers including his brother Robert Kennedy (attorney general)

Kennedy

The Cold War Soviets are gaining favor with economically less-developed countries of Asia, Africa & Latin America (Cuba) Develops new strategy- flexible response- broadening the range of retaliation Using Nukes as the only response like committing suicide Increases spending on troops, artillery, ships (green berets)

Crisis over Cuba Eisenhower cuts off ties when revolutionary leader Fidel Castro comes into power Castro publicly declares he’s a communist; seeks aid of Soviet Union U.S. trusts Castro at first, but falls apart Seizes American & British oil refineries, American sugar companies- the U.S. erects trade barriers Many Cubans saw Castro as another tyrant, others liked him; 10% went into exile

Bay of Pigs U.S. supported invasion of Cuba by exiles Fails from the beginning: air raid is unsuccessful, advance troops never make it ashore, main commandos face heavy Cuban resistance Makes Kennedy look bad, embarrassed- but he takes responsibility Pays ransom for prisoners ($53 million in supplies)

Cuban Missile Crisis Khrushchev promises Castro support; begins to send weapons to Cuba summer of 1962 Nuclear missiles America wouldn’t tolerate offensive weapons Spy planes revealed nuclear missile bases in Cuba; missiles could reach U.S. in minutes Notifies Americans about what is happening U.S. Navy blocks Soviet ships coming into Cuba; works, ships stop Khrushchev says he’ll remove missiles

Cuba spy pictures

Crisis in Berlin Berlin Wall cuts the city in half; Kennedy stands strong on stopping spread of Communism 1961, 20% Berlin’s population fled to West Germany to flee Communist rule Khrushchev and Kennedy disagree about Germany; Kennedy won’t budge- wall erected

Berlin Wall

Try to ease tension Split-second decision making is the difference between nuclear war or peace Kennedy & Khrushchev establish a hot line- dedicated phone line between White House & Kremlin so they could communicate at once Later, U.S. & Soviets agree to a Limited Test Ban Treaty- barred testing in the atmosphere