1. Election of 1960: Kennedy v. Nixon  Economic recession hurt Republican Nixon (Eisenhower’s VP)  First televised debates (radio listeners thought Nixon won, TV viewers thought Kennedy won)  Kennedy first Catholic president

2. Mandate – The authority to act that an elected official receives from the voters who elected him or her. Since Kennedy had been elected by such a slim margin, he lacked a popular mandate. Therefore, many of his proposals did not get passed and he often tried to play it safe politically.

3. JFK Foreign Policy

4. Background: Student Palo Alto High School  Harvard  Stanford  US Navy WWII Harvard –Senior thesis: Why Britain failed to maintain a military force comparable to the Germans leading up to World War II –Traveled throughout Europe while his father Joseph was ambassador to Britain Stanford studied business; took courses in politics & international relations

5. Background: Senator “Foreign policy today, irrespective of what we might wish, in its impact on our daily lives, overshadows everything else. Expenditures, taxation, domestic prosperity, the extent of social sciences — all hinge on the basic issue of war or peace.” - JFK in Campaign Speech for Massachusetts Senate Seat, 1951

6. Cold War President Fought Communism in developing nations with Peace Corps Vowed to beat the Russians in the race to the moon Oversaw largest peacetime arms buildup in history

7. Bay of Pigs Weeks after taking office, informed of CIA plan to send Cuban exiles to overthrow Castro –Purpose to rid western hemisphere of 1st Communist regime April 17, 1961 - Cuban exiles trained by CIA landed at the Bay of Pigs in the south of Cuba –Over 100 exiles killed and 1,198 captured Publicly JFK accepted responsibility, privately blamed the CIA

8. Vietnam April 29, 1961 - Approved deployment of 400 Special Forces troops to South Vietnam Within two years, more than 16,000 American troops arrive in Vietnam U.S. involvement/aid in Vietnam increased – Aides to the president have said JFK wanted to avoid appeasement for political reasons, but planned to withdraw after re- election of ‘64

9. Berlin Wall May 1961 - Met with Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev in Vienna –Khrushchev wanted to close off the flow of refugees - threatened that if Kennedy intervened, there would be war –Meeting ended without resolution JFK increased the size of America’s combat forces and obtained billions of dollars for nuclear and conventional weapons Aug. 1961 - Russians built Berlin Wall –“A wall is better than a war.”- JFK

10. Cuban Missile Crisis Oct. 15, 1962 - American pilots photographed Soviet ballistic missile sites being installed in Cuba JFK formed the Executive Committee of the National Security Council (ExComm) –ExComm had no proof that there were nuclear warheads for the missiles on the island (although later declassified Soviet documents account for 134 nuclear warheads in Cuba)

11. Cuba Blockade “ Within the past week, unmistakable evidence has established the fact that a series of offensive missile sites is now in preparation on that imprisoned island. The purpose of these bases can be none other than to provide a nuclear strike capability against the Western Hemisphere…. We no longer live in a world where only the actual firing of weapons represents a sufficient challenge to a nation’s security to constitute maximum peril. Nuclear weapons are so destructive and ballistic missiles are so swift, that any substantially increased possibility of their use or any sudden change in their deployment may well be regarded as a definite threat to peace.” - Oct. 22, 1962 in JFKs address to the nation (first time Soviets knew they had been detected) announced a blockade of Cuba declared that an attack from Cuba would be understood as a Soviet attack requiring response stepped up American military readiness asked for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council

12. From Brinkmanship  Backing Down Soviet ships approached the blockade, slowed, turned back Khrushchev publicly agreed to remove the missiles in return for US not invading Cuba –JFK also promised to remove American missiles from Turkey –Fidel Castro gave a speech where he declared that Kruschev lacked “cojones” Seen as foreign policy success for JFK

13. JFK Foreign Policy Successes or Failures? Bay of Pigs Invasion Vietnam Berlin Wall Cuban Missile Crisis Brinkmanship Cuba Blockade

14. JFK’s Legislative Agenda

15. What did Kennedy believe the government could do to solve the problem? * Increased spending * Engage in deficit spending * lower taxes What programs, laws and, accomplishments resulted from Kennedy’s beliefs? Congress increased defense spending Increased the minimum wage Extended unemployment insurance Provided assistance to cities with high unemployment

16. What did Kennedy believe the government could do to solve the problem? * Offer volunteer, economic, and technical assistance to developing nations. What programs, laws and, accomplishments resulted from Kennedy’s beliefs? Peace Corps – 2 yr volunteer program to help developing countries Alliance for Progress – 1961 aimed to establish economic cooperation between the U.S. and Latin America

17. October 14, 1960 University of Michigan Union. "I want to express my thanks to you, as a graduate of the Michigan of the East, Harvard University. I come here tonight delighted to have the opportunity to say one or two words about this campaign that is coming into the last three weeks. I think in many ways it is the most important campaign since 1933, mostly because of the problems which press upon the United States, and the opportunities which will be presented to us in the 1960s. The opportunity must be seized, through the judgment of the President, and the vigor of the executive, and the cooperation of the Congress. Through these I think we can make the greatest possible difference. How many of you who are going to be doctors, are willing to spend your days in Ghana? Technicians or engineers, how many of you are willing to work in the Foreign Service and spend your lives traveling around the world? On your willingness to do that, not merely to serve one year or two years in the service, but on your willingness to contribute part of your life to this country, I think will depend the answer whether a free society can compete. I think it can! And I think Americans are willing to contribute. But the effort must be far greater than we have ever made in the past. Therefore, I am delighted to come to Michigan, to this university, because unless we have those resources in this school, unless you comprehend the nature of what is being asked of you, this country can't possibly move through the next 10 years in a period of relative strength. So I come here tonight to go to bed! But I also come here tonight to ask you to join in the effort... This university...this is the longest short speech I've ever made...therefore, I'll finish it! Let me say in conclusion, this University is not maintained by its alumni, or by the state, merely to help its graduates have an economic advantage in the life struggle. There is certainly a greater purpose, and I'm sure you recognize it. Therefore, I do not apologize for asking for your support in this campaign. I come here tonight asking your support for this country over the next decade. Thank you." President John F. Kennedy October 14, 1960

18. Alliance for Progress “...we propose to complete the revolution of the Americas, to build a hemisphere where all men can hope for a suitable standard of living and all can live out their lives in dignity and in freedom. To achieve this goal political freedom must accompany material progress...Let us once again transform the American Continent into a vast crucible of revolutionary ideas and efforts, a tribute to the power of the creative energies of free men and women, an example to all the world that liberty and progress walk hand in hand. Let us once again awaken our American revolution until it guides the struggles of people everywhere-not with an imperialism of force or fear but the rule of courage and freedom and hope for the future of man.” – JFK 1961 establishment of democratic governments the elimination of adult illiteracy by 1970 price stability more equitable income distribution, land reform, economic and social planning US promised $20 billion within a decade (=$10 per capita) Lat. Am. Agreed $80 billion Plan dwindled after Kennedy

19. What did Kennedy believe the government could do to solve the problem? Set the goal of landing on the moon before the end of the 1960s Increase spending on the space program What programs, laws and, accomplishments resulted from Kennedy’s beliefs? U.S. astronauts orbited the Earth & finally landed on the moon Science programs expanded New industries New technological developments Rapid growth of Southern and Western states

20. 4. Rejected Proposals: What reform proposals did Kennedy make that were rejected by a conservative Congress? Medical care for the aged Rebuilding of blighted urban areas Federal aid for education

21. 5. Later Proposals: In 1963, what proposals did Kennedy make but never had the chance to guide through Congress? “National assault on poverty” Investigation of racial injustice in the South National civil rights bill Tax cut

23. Was Lee Harvard Oswald part of a conspiracy? 1963 - Warren Commission - group headed by Chief Justice Earl Warren that investigated the assassination of JFK & concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald was responsible and acted alone. 1979 – House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA) - Reinvestigation concluded that Oswald was part of a conspiracy. Theories range from 2 shooters to anti-Castro Cubans to Communist attack to plot by CIA 1991 – Oliver Stone movie JFK 1992 – JFK Act - “President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992” – released all previously secret records re: JFK assassination