JFK’s New Frontier US History Objectives: **Explain how the Cold War influenced foreign aid and the space program SOL – VUS. 13 Timeline – 1961-1964
The Election of 1960 John F. Kennedy Young (43) Energetic Catholic Democrat WWII Vet
Kennedy (D) vs. Richard Nixon (r) First televised debates **Nixon came off as old, sweaty Kennedy looks cool, calm, collected
JFK JFK wins close election “Ask Not What Your Country Can Do For You…Ask what you can do for your country”
Kennedy’s Pledge Pledges to support democracy/freedom against the advances of communism around the world. The United States would “pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty.”
The Vietcong (V.C.) Attack (early 1960s) N. Vietnam invades South Vietnam to unify under one communist govt. Pres Kennedy sends military advisors to help S. Vietnam (Containment - Truman Doctrine)
Fidel Castro (1926-????) Led Communist takeover in Cuba Many Cubans fled to Florida USA
The Bay of Pigs (April 17-19, 1961) CIA plan to - **arm Cuban exiles **send them to Cuba and led people’s uprising against Cuba Invasion crushed by Castro’s army Bay of Pigs = FAILURE Side # fought # of casualties Cuban Exiles 1,500 1,300 Castro’s Army 225,000 176
The Cuban Missile Crisis Day 1 – 7 Oct 14, 1962 USA finds out USSR is building missile sites in Cuba to aim at America
Cuban Missile Crisis Day 8-12 – October 22, 1962 USSR sending more ships with nukes to Cuba USA puts a naval blockade around Cuba World was on the brink of nuclear war
Cuban Missile Crisis Day 13 - October 27, 1962 USSR “blinks” and turns ships around **USSR removes missiles from Cuba **USA promises to leave Cuba alone
The Space Race Star Trek To Boldy Go Where No Man Has Gone Before JFK increases support to NASA JFK promised to put a Man on the Moon by end of 1960s (race to the moon)
John Glenn (February 20, 1962) First American to orbit the Earth (Circled Earth 3 times for 5 hours)
First Moon Landing (July 20, 1969) Neil Armstrong (Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins) “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”
Tragedy in Dallas 11-22-1963 ** Lee Harvey Oswald shoots JFK during parade