The Johnson Administration Chapter 28, Lesson 4

The Johnson Administration  Vision similar to that of Kennedy’s  War on poverty  Provide a good education for every child  Minimum health care for all Americans  End to racial injustice  “Great Society”

Election of 1964  Democrats nominate Lyndon Johnson  Republicans nominate Barry Goldwater Lyndon B. Johnson (D)Barry Goldwater (R) Federal programs to help people Advocated for increased government involvement in Americans lives Very conservative Advocated for the right of individual states to have the final say in their policies

Election of 1964  Johnson wins in a land slide receiving more votes than any President before him  Democrats win a majority in both houses of Congress

New Laws & War on Poverty  Medicare – health insurance for the elderly  Elem. & Secondary School Act - $1 Billion in funds to districts with needy children  Housing Act – built low-cost housing for low-income families

Debating the Great Society Pros of WelfareCons of Welfare Programs Funded by Contributions Culture of Dependency Social Safety NetPrograms too Expensive Benefits ChildrenFraud Provides Needed Medical Care Failure to Address Underlying Problems What do you think?

Vietnam War  Former French colony  North = Communist/South = non-Comm.  Eisenhower administration provided weapons & money  Kennedy administration provided military advisors  Johnson sends non-combat troops at first……

Tonkin Gulf  August of 1964 – reports that two American ships were attacked off the coast of North Vietnam  Johnson to Congress: Allow me to “take any and all measures” to protect American forces in the area  Gulf of Tonkin Resolution  Congress never declares war

Vietnam War  Communist North Vietnamese held rural sections of the south  U.S. was not winning war by 1968  North could quickly rebuild and replenish  LBJ sets up peace meeting in Paris before North & South Vietnam  Meeting produces no results