Kennedy & the Cold War (p. 624 – 630) Ch. 21 (s.1) Kennedy & the Cold War (p. 624 – 630)

READ TO DISCOVER

1. How did television coverage influence the election of 1960? During the 1st (of 4) televised debates, Nixon appeared tired, sweaty & disheveled (brought on by non-stop campaigning & a serious knee injury) Kennedy, on the other hand, appeared fit, confident, & relaxed People who listened to the radio broadcast felt Nixon won this debate, but the millions that saw it on T.V. felt otherwise Kennedy edged out Nixon in a very close race (many felt it was the televised debate that put him over the top)

2. How did President Kennedy plan to stop the spread of communism? Unlike Eisenhower, JFK didn’t want to rely solely on the threat of nuclear weapons to block communist expansion He preferred to have a number of options (flexible response) such as… strengthening our conventional military forces & establishing special units (Green Berets) Introducing foreign aid programs designed to help countries in Africa, Asia, & Latin America that might fall victim to communist revolutions (this foreign aid could strengthen their dependence on the U.S. & block Soviet influence) (Peace Corps & Alliance for Progress)

3. Why did the Bay of Pigs Invasion of Cuba fail? Bay of Pigs Invasion – Failed CIA attempt to train/fund anti-Castro rebels (April 17th, 1961) The 1,500 rebels never received U.S. air/naval support & were quickly crushed (JFK canceled the air strikes at the last second)

4. How did the Cuban Missile Crisis almost lead to war? After Bay of Pigs, Castro asked Khrushchev for defensive weapons (Khrushchev supplied nuclear weapons as well) This didn’t sit well with the U.S. (these missiles could reach U.S cities w/no time to respond) On Oct. 22, JFK announced on national T.V. that any armed Soviet ships bound for Cuba would be turned back by the U.S. Navy & he demanded that the U.S.S.R. remove all nuclear missiles from Cuba We were on the brink of Nuclear war as the Soviets armed the Cuban missiles, our B-52’s prepared for battle, & armed Soviet ships headed for Cuba In an infamous game of ‘chicken’, Khrushchev ‘blinked’ at the last second recalling his fleet, and disarming/removing the Cuban missiles

DEFINE

FLEXIBLE RESPONSE JFK didn’t want to rely solely on the threat of nuclear weapons to block communist expansion He preferred a number of options that he called having a ‘Flexible Response’ Nukes; Conventional military; covert ops; foreign aid; diplomacy;

HOT LINE Scared by their brush w/nuclear war, JFK & Khrushchev sought to ease tensions through the creation of a teletype ‘hot line’ between the U.S. & U.S.S.R. where the 2 leaders could communicate directly during a crisis

IDENTIFY

JOHN F. KENNEDY Dem. Senator (Mass.) who became president in 1960 after a heated election with Republican candidate Richard Nixon Young, charismatic, WII vet, & a Roman Catholic

LYNDON B. JOHNSON Texas Senator who became JFK’s running mate in 1960 Many JFK supporters intensely hated LBJ JFK chose him because he could win over many southern voters (especially from Texas)

PEACE CORPS Providing foreign aid was one of JFK’s ‘flexible response’ strategies The Peace Corps sent American volunteers to work for 2 years in developing countries (why?) To combat the spread of communism (especially in Latin American & African countries who had just won their independence)

ALLIANCE 4 PROGRESS Another ‘flexible response’ strategy that offered billions of dollars in aid to participating countries in Latin America In exchange, these countries were expected to begin democratic reforms & encourage capitalism

FIDEL CASTRO Led a revolution in Cuba in 1959 against a U.S.-backed corrupt Batista regime Castro was backed by the U.S.S.R. Boasted of his threat to the U.S. & potential for Soviet nukes to be only 90 miles from Miami

BERLIN WALL After the failed Bay of Pigs Invasion, Khrushchev demanded that the West recognize the sovereignty of Soviet East Germany & demanded that we remove all NATO troops from West Berlin A barbed-wire, concrete wall was erected through central Berlin JFK was shocked (didn’t want a war, but didn’t want to back down) so he sent in U.S. troops to West Berlin A tense stare down ensued & the Wall became the iconic image of the Cold War

CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS You don’t have to write this… After the failed Bay of Pigs Invasion, Castro asked Khrushchev for missiles to defend his nation (Khrushchev responded by sending Nuke IMBMs) JFK responded by setting up a naval blockade around Cuba & warned Khrushchev that we would sink any Soviet ships heading for Cuba Khrushchev blinked & eventually removed all missiles from Cuba

LIMITED NUCLEAR TEST BAN TREATY Fearing a nuclear WW3, JFK & Khrushchev sought to ease tensions after the Cuban Missile Crisis In 1963, the U.S., Great Britain, & the U.S.S.R. signed this treaty to end the testing of nuclear bombs in the atmosphere & underwater