24.1 – ELECTION OF 1960 JFK (D) vs. NIXON (R) JFK won EC 303 to 219; popular vote by only 119,000 votes out of 68 million This was a very close election Sept. 26, 1960 – first ever televised presidential debate Campaign Issues Economy Cold war Catholicism (JFK) Missile gap Fiscal policies Debate clip VS

24.2 – JFK – CONTAINING COMMUNISM The Cold War was the dominant issue when JFK entered office JFK’s plan to contain communism: 1.Weapons program/military flexibility 2. Economic aid to Latin America (Alliance for Progress) 3. Help developing nations (Peace Corps)

24.2 – JFK – MILITARY STRATEGY Flexible Response – JFK’s plan to deal w/communism Build up of troops and conventional weapons to help countries resisting Communist movements Not overdependence on nuclear weapons (Ike) Expansion of special forces to wage limited warfare

24.2 – JFK – FOREIGN POLICY Wanted to change the relationship in Latin America – why wasn’t it good at the time? Created the Alliance for Progress – good intentions, mixed results also created the Peace Corps (int’l); enduring legacy of JFKPeace Corps

24.2 – BAY OF PIGS 1959 – Fidel Castro overthrew the Batista gov’t in Cuba Some of Castro’s steps worried Americans Established a relationship with the USSR New land reforms Seized foreign owned businesses Eisenhower was very worried about Cuba becoming Communist, why? 1961 – JFK carried out the invasion; landed at the Bay of Pigs Total disaster; American looked weak, unorganized, imperialistic…. Fidel Castro

24.2 – CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS October 1962 – JFK announced that the Soviet Union had placed long-range missiles in Cuba Why was this terrifying news at the time? JFK took the following steps: 1.Naval blockade to prevent delivery of more missiles 2.Demanded existing missile sites dismantled - Verge of nuclear war?

24.2 – CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS DEAL 1. U.S. publicly agreed not to invade Cuba and privately agreed to remove its missiles from Turkey 2. USSR agreed to remove their missiles from Cuba CONSEQUENCES 1.U.S. and USSR agreed to a treaty that banned the testing of nuclear weapons in the atmosphere (1963) 2. Weakened NK’s power in the Soviet Union; lost power soon after 3. Spurred a massive Soviet arms build up (CMC made them look militarily inferior to the U.S.)

24.2 – SPACE RACE 1957 – Soviet Union launches Sputnik, the first satellite (we are losing the space race to the Reds!!!!) 1961 – Yuri Gagarin becomes first to orbit the Earth JFK announces plan to land a man on the moon by end of the 1960s 1962 – John Glenn becomes first American to orbit the Earth 1965 – launch of the Apollo 1969 – Neil Armstrong walks on the moon (we are winning now!!! Capitalist/Democratic technology is superior to Communist technology) Neil Armstrong

24.2 – BERLIN WALL Tensions in Germany increased by 1961; Khrushchev demanded: 1.Western powers “recognize” East Germany 2. Western powers withdraw from Berlin JFK refused so NK retaliated by building a wall through Berlin, dividing the city and blocking people from fleeing to the western part of the city Berlin Wall stood for 30 years a symbol of the Cold War Berlin Wall Youtube clip about the end of the wall Nikita Khrushchev

24.2 – ASSASSINATION OF JFK Nov. 22, 1963 Dallas, TX Shot twice while riding in a motorcade Lee Harvey Oswald was convicted; killed by Jack Ruby (cover up, conspiracy?) Warren Commission found that Oswald acted aloneOswald acted alone Top 5 conspiracy theories Lee Harvey Oswald

24.3 THE GREAT SOCIETY WHAT WAS IT? LBJ’s plan to help disadvantaged Americans He wanted to create a better American society; it was not limited to poverty More than 60 programs that addressed things such as poverty, health care, education, housing, immigration… See your three worksheets for the Great Society! LYNDON JOHNSON

THE GREAT SOCIETY: LEGACY 1.Touched many aspects of life, helped many people 2.Some programs were limited in success; grew too big and became unmanageable 3.Expectations of some were unrealistic (wanted immediate change) 4.Some opposed the huge growth of the federal government 5.Funding became an issue 6.Some programs are still with us today (ex. Medicare, Medicaid, HUD, Head Start) 7.The program itself raised important questions: a.How can the Federal Gov’t help the poor? b.How much federal help can be given without hurting the private sector? c.How much help is too much and causes people to lose motivation to improve their situation?