1. The 1960s: Kennedy, Johnson, and Vietnam

2. The Election of 1960: The Candidates Richard Nixon – CA Republican Congressman/HUAC and VP (1946 – 1960) Emphasized experience and anti-Communism Senator John F. Kennedy – MA Democrat Young (43), WWII veteran, wealthy family Promised a “New Frontier” at home and to fight Communism abroad Election more about appearances than issues

3. The Election of 1960: The Issues Religion  JFK’s Catholicism Voting for me, not my religion Cold War – Was the US losing? Space Race (1957) Cuba (1959) U2 Incident (1960) Civil Rights JFK’s support of MLK after his arrest in 1960  support of Af. Am. voters

4. The Election of 1960: Television First TV debate: September 26, 1960 Style vs. Substance  Style wins JFK = youthful, energetic, poised Nixon = ill, uneasy, tired http://www.history.com/videos/the-first-jfk- nixon-debate#the-first-jfk-nixon-debate http://www.history.com/videos/the-first-jfk- nixon-debate#the-first-jfk-nixon-debate

5. The Election of 1960

6. JFK’s Administration A new “mood” in Washington Youthful, energetic, optimistic  “Camelot” Inaugural Speech = inspiration and unity http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdTDcA4Ql TA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdTDcA4Ql TA

7. JFK’s Administration Domestic Agenda – “New Frontier” Little support in Congress for social programs (education, health care, etc.) Civil Rights Reluctant until 1963  Civil Rights Bill after Birmingham Federal enforcement (freedom riders, Ole Miss) A “moral issue” Space Race Yuri Gagarin – 1 st human in space (1961) Increased federal $  “Race to the moon” Neil Armstrong on July 20, 1969 Peace Corps and Alliance for Progress Fight poverty in Asia, Africa, S. America  Communism was less appealing

8. JFK’s Administration Cold War Policy  “Flexible Response” Maintain alliances Increase nuclear capabilities/ICBM’s Increase $ on non- nuclear options  Special Forces Berlin (June – August 1961) E. German refugees  Khrushchev threatened to block access to W. Berlin US and USSR posture for war Berlin Wall around W. Berlin (1961 – 1989)

9. Berlin Wall June 1963

10. JFK’s Administration US – Cuban History Spanish American War, Platt Amendment, Guantanamo Bay  US involvement since 1898 Castro’s overthrow of dictator Battista in 1959; NOT a Communist revolution  harmed American $ and politics in Cuba Growing Castro – USSR connections Bay of Pigs Invasion (April 1961) – covert action US trained 1400 Cuban exiles to invade Cuba and overthrow Castro  failure Castro sought closer USSR alliance for defense and aid in case of another US invasion

11. JFK’s Administration Assassination in Dallas: November 22, 1963 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNvjbVP31 D0 (7:00 – 12:00 minutes) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNvjbVP31 D0 Warren Commission  no conspiracy Does the image of JFK outshine the reality? What did happen? vs. What could have happened? Role of the media throughout his presidency? The power of “martyrdom” 1976: JFK = greatest of all Presidents LBJ used this to win big politically

12. LBJ takes the Oath of Office: November 22, 1963 on Air Force One

13. Johnson’s Administration LBJ – a (successful) political “bully” Texan, Protestant, middle class  balanced JFK in 1960 Proven Congressional leader (26 years) Senate Majority Leader in 1954 Issues: poverty and civil rights  Strong “New Dealer”  Experience as a teacher in a Mexican-American school in TX  Civil Rights Act of 1957 “Johnson Treatment”

14. Johnson and Congress Presidential Portrait of LBJ on display at the National Portrait Gallery (Peter Hurd, 1967) What does this portrait suggest about President Johnson’s relationship with Congress?

15. Johnson’s Administration Domestic Policies – “Great Society” “We have the opportunity to move not only towards the rich society and the powerful society, but upward to the Great Society. The Great Society rests on abundance and liberty for all. It demands an end to poverty and racial injustice…It is a challenge constantly renewed…So, I want to talk to you today about three places where we begin to build the Great Society – in our cities, in our countryside, and in our classrooms…” (May 1964 at Univ. of MI Commencement) Key goals and priorities? Tone: optimistic and activist Context: Era of Liberal Reforms What does this mean? Liberal vs. Conservative? Civil Rights Movement in 1964 Warren Court - an “activist” Court Brown vs. Bd. of Education Gideon vs. Wainwright and Miranda vs. AZ – rights of accused Engel vs. Vitale – no prayer in school Griswold vs. CT – sale of birth control/right to privacy

16. Johnson’s Administration Civil Rights Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965 “War on Poverty” Harrington’s The Other America (1962) “Affluence of 1950s” vs. “Culture of Poverty” for 40 million Americans (20%) Urban race riots TV Hopelessness Economic Opportunity Act (August 1964) Job Corps Head Start VISTA

17. Johnson’s Administration Election of 1964: LBJ vs. Goldwater Very conservative Goldwater portrayed as a dangerous radical “Daisy” campaign ad: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtYpnGZr6 TA&feature=fvst http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtYpnGZr6 TA&feature=fvst LBJ victory = popular mandate for reform Compare to JFK in 1960 60 Great Society programs passed between 1964 and 1968

18. Election of 1964

19. Johnson’ Administration Great Society – Key Priorities Education and Health Care A continuation of Progressive and New Deal social reforms Immigration Act of 1965 Abolished discriminatory quotas from 1920s  huge #’s of Hispanic and Asian immigrants in 1960s and 1970s