1. 19.1 KENNEDY AND THE COLD WAR

2. EISENHOWER’S CANDIDACY 8 years of general peace + prosperity overall BUT Sputnik I Cold War + the U-2 Spy plane incident Montgomery Bus Boycott Brown decision There were unsolved deep-rooted issues in America

3. ELECTION OF 1960 Candidates: John F. Kennedy (D) Richard M. Nixon (R) Both had served in the HOR and Senate Both supported a stop to communism + were passionate about foreign affairs Both wanted to be the 1 st in their generation to lead the country

4. ELECTION OF 1960 Differences: Senator John F. Kennedy : Son of a wealthy Boston businessman Family history in politics Went to Harvard Catholic (concerned Protestant Americans) Vice President Richard Nixon: From Cali Grew up modest-poor Whittier College (and Duke Law) VP for Eisenhower

5. TELEVISED DEBATES MAKE THE DIFFERENCE 4 televised debates during the campaign = helped enhance the charismatic qualities of Kennedy versus Nixon First debate: watched by 70 million Nixon was also overcoming a knee infection, was pale and refused makeup JFK tan from open air campaigning in Cali, looked healthy + confident

6. TELEVISED DEBATES MAKE THE DIFFERENCE BUT those who listened to the debate on the radio believed Nixon won Those who watched thought JFK was clear winner Nixon never able to come back from the loss https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QazmVHAO0os

7. KENNEDY WINS A CLOSE ELECTION Kennedy understood how to work the media After MLK arrested, JFK reached out to his wife + expressed his condolences Worked on getting King out of jail + gained the black vote One of the closest elections in history! JFK won by less than 120,000 votes

9. KENNEDY LAUNCHES NEW COLD WAR STRATEGIES JFK pointed to Fidel Castro the communist leader of Cuba JFK noted that the U.S. was behind in the arms race w/ the Soviet Union aka a “ missile gap ” 1 st goal = build up American armed forces JFK no where near as cautious in foreign affairs as was Ike “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”

10. BUILDING THE NATION’S MILITARY JFK: Massive retaliation + wanted to be prepared for traditional war & war against guerilla fighters Called “ flexible response ” defense policy “Green Berets”: All US Army Special Forces + Unconventional Warriors were ordered these hats

11. PURSUING NEW INITIATIVES IN THE “THIRD WORLD” “Third World” : Developing nations in Africa, Asia, + Latin America that did not align w/ either U.S. or S.U. JFK created the Peace Corps (successful) Sent on “ missions of freedom ” around the world to assist developing countries Belief that democracy + prosperity would help to contain communism Alliance for Progress : (not successful) Created to bring back America’s Good Neighbor Policy w/ Latin America + offer economic assistance to them

12. CONFRONTING COMMUNISM IN CUBA Cuban Revolution: Guerrilla Leader Fidel Castro overthrows US-supported Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista in 1959. Castro Turns to Communism: Castro started to seize private businesses (including American owned) on the island Middle class Cubans fled to Miami Accepted military + financial aid from Soviet Union and made anti-American speeches

13. CUBAN TRADE Soviet Union opens up a trade agreement with Cuba. President Eisenhower had cut off all trade with Cuba.

14. ASSASSINATION ATTEMPTS CIA with Mafia hit men try to assassinate Castro (including an attempt with an exploding cigar)

15. BAY OF PIGS Ike broke diplomatic relations w/ Cuba in 1961 Authorized the CIA to plan a secret mission to overthrow Castro CIA trained Cuban exiles in Guatemala JFK pressured to carry out the plan

16. BAY OF PIGS Bay of Pigs Invasion : April 17, 1961 CIA-led force of Cuban exiles attacked Cuba Very badly managed: Forces poorly equipped Landed w/ no backup cover Only 300/1,400 were not killed/captured Turned Cubans against Kennedy (exposed by old U.S. airplanes + strengthened Castro

17. Results Kennedy publically took personal responsibility for the failure but pledged to continue to fight communism. Especially in the Western Hemisphere Castro strengthens his ties to Khrushchev for protection https://www.awesomestories.com/asset /view/Bay-of-Pigs-Invasion-A-Perfect- Failure-https://www.awesomestories.com/asset /view/Bay-of-Pigs-Invasion-A-Perfect- Failure-

18. THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS August & September 1962: U.S. discovered the S.U. were building nukes in Cuba that could reach mainland America Oct 22: JFK publically blamed Khrushchev on TV for a “reckless and provocative threat to world peace”

19. THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS Nuclear war seemed a REAL possibility JFK orders a blockade of Cuba Behind the scenes: Soviets would have to remove missiles from Cuba then the U.S. would take its out of Turkey ∴ S.U. takes nukes out of Cuba + war averted “Remember, when you report this, that, eyeball to eyeball, they [Soviets] blinked first.”

20. THE RESULTS OF THE CRISIS In the S.U., Khrushchev lost prestige In the U.S., Kennedy emerged as more mature + thoughtful Both wanted to now move toward détente Hotline : telephone b/w D.C. & Moscow to improve communication Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (1963): ended above ground nuclear tests Signed by U.S., S.U., + 36 other countries https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5ZzL9KsyPY

21. THE BERLIN CRISIS Khrushchev wanted a treaty that gave control of western Berlin to East Germany JFK held firm + refused Wanted to protect the rights of West Germany + W. Berlin Khrushchev wished to test the new president Problem for the Soviets: East Berliners defecting into West Berlin. Soviets positioned troops in East Berlin to demonstrate a potential armed takeover of the city

22. BERLIN WALL After a June 1961 meeting doesn’t go in his favor: Khrushchev orders the construction of a wall separating the two cities aka the Berlin Wall JFK answers by bringing US troops into West Berlin = American + Russian troops face to face for the first time