1. Kennedy Years

2. Election of 1960 - The Candidates Richard Nixon (R) John F. Kennedy (D)  More experience  Ike’s popularity  Face for Radio  Inexperienced  Charismatic  Youthful - Camelot similar positions on many issues 1st TV prez debate – NEW POLITICS Kennedy “wins” debate & election – controversy... youngest elected prez @ 43 - 1st Catholic New Frontier: policies of JFK - Peace Corps, Alliance for Progress, Tough on Communism.

3. The Cuban Dilemma ► 1959 Cuban Revolution – Castro overthrows Batista (US friendly Dictator) ► 1960 Fidel Castro: “I’m Communist”  Aligned with USSR- 90 miles from United States  Takes U.S. properties  US: Stop the spread of  communism

4. Counter Revolution in Cuba Operation Mongoose Operation Mongoose 1961 Cuban exiles/CIA plan invasion: GOAL….. Overthrow Castro- Bay of Pigs Invasion 1961 Cuban exiles/CIA plan invasion: GOAL….. Overthrow Castro- Bay of Pigs Invasion Plans go wrong – AIRPOWER Plans go wrong – AIRPOWER –exile forces killed/taken prisoner RESULT: Humiliation RESULT: Humiliation

5. The Berlin Crisis 1961: 20% of Germans flee to W. Berlin – Impact on East? 1961: 20% of Germans flee to W. Berlin – Impact on East? Khrushchev: close access roads to W.Berlin Khrushchev: close access roads to W.Berlin RESULT: USSR isolates W. Berlin from E. Germany w/ Berlin Wall RESULT: USSR isolates W. Berlin from E. Germany w/ Berlin Wall JFK did little JFK did little

7. A young woman and her boyfriend talking to the woman’s mother, who is on the east side of the Berlin Wall (1962).

8. Space Race!!  April 1961 - Yuri A. Gagarin (USSR): first in space  May 1961 - Alan Shepard (USA): first American in space  July 1969 Neil Armstrong (USA): 1 st to walk on moon