American Landscape 1960s & 1970s

Election, 1960 John F. Kennedy (D) Richard M. Nixon, R

1960 Election Both candidates: Kennedy narrowly wins Young & energetic Popular Intelligent Kennedy narrowly wins In part, due to the 1st televised Presidential debate Appears charismatic, youthful, & energetic Wears sporty & fashionable clothing Has a sense of humor Is very charismatic

Kennedy’s New Frontier Space Program Equal Pay Act Deficit Spending Civil Rights Legislation

The Kennedy Administration Flexible Response Defense policy Prepare U.S. to fight any size or type of conflict Peace Corps Volunteers sent to 3rd world countries Goal: improve politically & economically Bay of Pigs Invasion CIA-led invasion of Cuba to overthrow Castro Used Cuban exiles; failed; strengthened Castro

Kennedy-Khrushchev Years Khrushchev demands America remove its troops from West Berlin & recognize the divided city. Kennedy refuses Khrushchev orders construction of the Berlin Wall to divide E. Berlin from W. Berlin Becomes a symbol of the divide between communism and democracy

Cuban Missile Crisis A. Soviets began building nuclear missile sites in Cuba B. Kennedy demands their removal Gives Khrushchev ultimatum C. Nuclear war was a REAL possibility “Hotline” installed to improve communication

Last days… JFK, assassinated at parade in Dallas by Lee Harvey Oswald Conspiracy suspected Warren Commission appointed to investigate Lyndon B. Johnson becomes President

VIETNAM Hawks & Doves in Congress Johnson takes U.S. in deeper Gen. Westmoreland, Robert McNamara order more ground troops Pilots drop Napalm & Agent Orange Vietcong & N. Vietnamese use guerilla warfare Communist forces use “hit & run”, booby traps, nighttime ambushes Hawks & Doves in Congress Tet Offensive Nixon becomes Pres., gradually pulls troops out Vietnamization

Vietnam continued… Tet Offensive=Counterattack by Vietnamese during month of Tet. Surprises Americans who thought we were winning war. Vietnamization= Nixon’s gradual withdrawal of American troops. Sends supplies to S. Vietnam instead. Wants S. Vietnamese to fight their own war The Draft= Average age: 18. College students exempt. Unfair to others Students for a Democratic Society (SDS)=Formed to fight racism/poverty. Become a leading antiwar group Kent State =Members of Nat’l Guard fire on group of student protesters killing four My Lai Incident= American troops kill 400 Vietnamese

End of the War… A Pentagon Papers=Showed the gov’t had been dishonest about the war B Paris Peace Accords=Ended the war for America. N. Vietnam remained in S. Vietnam & eventually took control. C War Powers Act=Restricted the President’s authority to commit Amer. Troops to foreign conflicts

Effects of the War: Communism spreads >58 thousand people dead Veterans are not appreciated afterward Americans have less trust in leaders War Powers Act is passed U.S. is less willing to intervene in foreign affairs