1. Chapter 15: Section 1 Kennedy & the Cold War
United States History
Ms. Girbal
Friday, May 15, 2015
Tuesday, May 19, 2015

2. Objectives
Explain the steps Kennedy took to change American foreign policy.
Analyze the causes and effects of the Bay of Pigs invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Assess the results of the Berlin Crisis and other foreign policy events of the 1960s.

3. John F. Kennedy won a close presidential election in 1960, defeating Richard M. Nixon.
VIDEO (JFK BIO) -

4. Televised Debates Make the Difference
Growing power and influence of television
Four televised debates
First debate on September 26 in Chicago
Four Debates (Winner):
September 26
October 7
October 13
October 21
Election Day: November 8th
Outcome: Kennedy (49.7%) vs. Nixon (49.6%)
VIDEO (DEBATES)-

5. Kennedy launched a new Cold War strategy.
New generation of Americans
He built up both conventional and special military forces.
He created a flexible response defense policy- ready to fight any type of conflict.
He created the Peace Corps- ambassadors of American goodwill, they sent American volunteers to developing nations to assist with such services as education and healthcare.
He developed the Alliance for Progress to improve relations with Latin American countries.
VIDEO (Inaugural speech) - 5

6. Communism in Cuba
Fidel Castro overthrew the regime of Fulgencio Batista in 1959
US tried to have good relationships with Castro however…
Castro wanted to nationalize land held by private U.S. citizens, enforce radical reform measures and accept Soviet economic and military aid
Thousands of Cubans left and moved to Florida.
Eisenhower allowed the CIA to plan an invasion to overthrow Castro but left office before executing it.

7. In April, 1961 the United States invaded Cuba’s Bay of Pigs.
Conceived by the CIA to overthrow Fidel Castro, the invasion involved Cuban exiles who had fled Castro’s rule and settled in the United States.
The Bay of Pigs mission failed.
The President said, however, that he would continue to resist efforts by the communists to control other countries in Western Hemisphere.
Kennedy took responsibility for the mission’s failure. 7

8. Cuban Missile Crisis
In 1962, American intelligence agencies photographed Soviet nuclear missile installations
in Cuba.
VIDEO-

9. The missiles at these Cuban sites threatened major cities in the United States.

10. To resolve the Cuban missile crisisennedy worked
In Public
Behind the Scenes
In a television address, Kennedy blamed Khrushchev for reckless action that threatened world peace.
Kennedy initiated a U.S. naval blockade of Cuba.
Kennedy told the Soviets that the United States would remove U.S. missiles from Turkey and Italy if the Soviets removed their missiles from Cuba. 10

11. After six tense days, the Soviets backed off.
Nikita Khrushchev agreed to honor the blockade and removed the missiles.
The crisis prompted the two leaders to establish a period of détente. They set up a hot line between Washington, D.C. and Moscow to improve communication.

12. This treaty ended above-ground nuclear testing.
In 1963 the United States, Great Britain, the Soviet Union, and thirty-six other countries signed the first Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.
This treaty ended above-ground nuclear testing. 12

13. Disagreement over Berlin led to the building of the Berlin Wall.
Kennedy refused.
Khrushchev insisted the U.S. end its military presence in West Berlin.
Khrushchev ordered the building of the Berlin Wall separating East and West Berlin. 13

14. In response to Khrushchev’s actions, Kennedy requested a large increase in military spending.
He also sent 1,500 more U.S. soldiers to West Berlin.
The Berlin Wall became a symbol of the gulf between
the democratic West
the communist East
and the communist East

15. President is assassinated
In office for just two and a half years
Went from politician to national leader
In foreign affairs he confronted Soviet challenges, made hard decision and won the respect of Soviet leaders and American citizens
Spoke eloquently about need to move towards a peaceful future
In domestic affairs he understood that federal government had to word towards civil rights
November 1963, he travelled to Dallas to get ready for his election but was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald.
VIDEO-