The Kennedy and Johnson Years Ch. 19

The Election of 1960 Issues: Candidates: Televised debates spoken Keeping the Solid South on his side Catholic faith Lack of experience, especially in foreign policy Candidates: Richard Nixon John F. Kennedy Televised debates Kennedy calm, well spoken Nixon pale and exhausted Closest since 1884

John F. Kennedy 1961-1963

Kennedy’s Inaugural Address Mostly about foreign policy Outlines major parts of his foreign policy program

Kennedy and the Cold War New Communist Regime Led by Fidel Castro in Cuba “missile gap” between US and Cuba Kennedy felt the US needed to move forward with vigor Build up US armed forces “flexible response”- be prepared for nuclear or conventional wars

The “Camelot” Years

Foreign Policy Peace Corps Alliance for Progress American volunteers sent on “missions of freedom” to assist developing countries Technical, educational, and health services Alliance for Progress Promoted economic assistance to Latin America unsuccessful

Bay of Pigs 1500 Cuban exiles land at the Bay of Pigs CIA hoped to overthrow Castro Invasion easily repelled; exiles killed or imprisoned Results: US looks weak to Khrushchev US looks like a bully to the international community Kennedy seems foolish Kennedy now needs to seem “tough” on communism

Cuban Missile Crisis October 1962 photographs reveal Soviet missile bases in Cuba Could reach US cities in minutes

October 22 Kennedy orders a “quarantine” Blames Nikita Khrushschev, the Soviet premier for threatening world peace Demands that the Soviet Union remove the missiles

Panic in the US

Cuban Missile Crisis Results: US installs a “hot line” telephone system from Moscow to Washington DC Nuclear Test Ban Treaty US removes missiles from Turkey (secretly) US ends quarantine of Cuba Soviet Union removes missiles from Cuba US promises not to invade Cuba Khrushchev looks like a loser, Kennedy looks like a champ

Kennedy and Berlin Keep East and West Germany in one nation 1961 – increases US forces in Berlin in response to the building of the Berlin Wall

The New Frontier Kennedy’s legislative program Themes: Cold War policies and the space program A more sophisticated sense of economics Emphasis on social welfare programs (Michael Harrington- The Other America)

The New Frontier Goals: Increased federal aid for education. Defeated. Medical care for the elderly. Increase in the minimum wage. Passed. Urban reforms. Modest success. Civil rights. None. End to poverty. No. Major tax cuts. Cold War goals. Yes

Kennedy assassinated November 22, 1963 Warren Commission investigates

Lee Harvey Oswald

Jack Ruby shot and killed Oswald live on TV

Results of the Kennedy Assassination Prolonged the Vietnam War? Put Lyndon B. Johnson in office Implications for Civil Rights, social welfare programs Disillusionment among many young people The end of some innocence? A thriving conspiracy theory industry

LBJ and the Great Society

"The greatest American president ever for the poor and the Negroes" – Ralph Ellison

LBJ’s Legislative Priorities Civil Rights Legislation A Tax Cut to Stimulate the Economy An Unconditional “War on Poverty” The Great Society Abundance and liberty for all. An end to poverty. An end to racial injustice.

“The War on Poverty” Economic Opportunities Bill 1964 Job Corps- teach job skills to youth VISTA- a domestic Peace Corps Community Action Program- allowed poor people to administer their own programs Head Start- Pre-school for economically disadvantaged children Upward Bound- to prepare economically disadvantaged youth for college

1964 Election LBJ & Hubert Humphrey – D George Wallace- independent Barry Goldwater - R

The Great Society Medicare- health care for elderly Medicaid- health care for the poor Higher Education Act- Federal loans for college students Elementary and Secondary Education Act Housing and Urban Development program Economic Development and Housing Aid Minimum wage and Social Security increased Clean air and water legislation

Other Legislation National Endowment for the Arts- federal $$ for arts and cultural activities Highway Safety Act- Created automobile and highway standards Civil Rights Act of 1964 Voting Rights Act of 1965- prohibited discrimination in voting based on race 1st Black Supreme Court Justice- Thurgood Marshall

Warren Court Led by Chief Justice Earl Warren (1950s-1970s) Considered an “activist” court Most decisions expanded the rights of individuals

A Few Important Warren Court decisions All the Civil Rights cases Baker v. Carr “one man, one vote” Miranda v. Arizona The accused must be notified of their rights Gideon v. Wainwright Right to be provided with an attorney Engel v. Vitale Required school prayers unconstitutional