1. John F. Kennedy and the Cold War

2. Lingering Issues Sputnik Launched in 1957
Long-range missile development in USSR
U-2 Spy Plane- 1960
Cuba aligns with Soviet Union
Sputnik 2 and Laika

3. Election of 1960 Richard Nixon (R) – Vice President
John F. Kennedy (D) – Senator MA
Issues:
Cold War, Economy, Civil Rights*
*The help of television, along with JFK’s stance on the CRM, won him the election

4. Civil Rights and the Election
As you know, JFK backed a Civil Rights Act which would be passed a year after his death
In 1960, JFK and brother/campaign manager Robert persuaded judge to release MLK on bail for sit-in
1 month before election day
Gained the approval of African Americans

5. Nixon-Kennedy Debates
First televised debate
70 million viewers
67 million in 2012; 43 million watched the Academy Awards
JFK wins by a slim margin
Who won the debates?- People felt differently depending on whether they heard or saw the debate. (1:46)
Youngest elected president (43)
Only Catholic president
Nixon hoped to uncover JFK’s inexperience as would-be second youngest president in history. However, JFK was coached and “spoke” better on TV.
“That night, image replaced the printed word as the natural language of politics.- Journalist

6. JFK’s New Frontier Kennedy’s Inaugural Address
“And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you– ask what you can do for your country”.
The American public took on a fascination for the Kennedy’s comparing them to the likes of Camelot

7. JFK’s New Frontier “Best and the brightest”
JFK’s cabinet: Harvard dean, Ford Motor Company president, president of Rockefeller foundation, etc.
Deficit spending for government programs:
Space race
Defense funding
“Flexible” response
Don’t rely on nuclear weapons
Expand Troops, ships, AND nukes
Defense funding for a “flexible response” that would better resolve issues that were not large enough to warrant even nuclear consideration.

8. Kennedy’s Flexible Response
Developed alternatives to nuclear war
Defense spending increased:
1940: 18%
1950: 32%
1960: 52%
2000: 16%
Green Berets created
“Special Forces”
Despite “alternatives”, JFK came closer than ever to an all-out nuclear war…

9. 1959 - Fidel Castro Takes Power
Led Cuban Revolution with promise of democracy
90 miles off coast of Florida
Batista fled in exile to Florida
“Revolutionaries are not born, they are made by poverty, inequality, and dictatorship.”- Castro
He would not let poverty, inequality, or a dictatorship come back.

10. Soviet Influence Castro openly declared to be a communist
Castro regime received Soviet Aid and nationalized US companies
The US cut off relations in 1961
Eisenhower (January)
JFK would enter office immediately after this
Castro then:
seized 3 American and British oil refineries
broke up commercial farms into communes worked by formerly landless peasants… sounds like?
Also used political repression, many people sought exile in the US (Miami, Florida- counterrevolution took place)
Link = useful article about nationalization

11. April 1961 – Bay of Pigs Invasion
Cuban exiles in Miami trained by CIA attempt an overthrow (approved by Eisenhower)
JFK learned of this 9 days after election, but approved.
1,500 exiles are met by 25,000 Cubans on 4/17/61 at the Bay of Pigs (Southern coast)
Advance mission to “distract” never made it
Air strike didn’t eliminate Cuban Air Force
Soviet tanks and air support met main unit
Failed US invasion of Cuba
JFK and US embarrassed
Exiles were killed or imprisoned. Cuban media sensationalized the defeat of “North American mercenaries”.
Americans “look like fools to our friends, rascals to our enemies, and incompetents to the rest.”- NY Times

12. Cuban Missile Crisis Soviet offensive nuclear weapons in Cuba
Oct Pictures showed bases with ready-to-launch missiles
Could reach U.S. in seconds (“Medium Range Ballistic Missiles”)
JFK warned that any attack from Cuba meant all-out attack on USSR

13. Cuban Missile Crisis For several days, nuclear war seemed imminent
Soviet ships continued to Cuba (carrying missiles?)
U.S. Navy prepared to “quarantine”- prevent any ships from coming within 500
Meanwhile, troops gathering in FLA for land invasion
Soviets eventually stopped

14. Results
“We are eyeball to eyeball, and the other fellow just blinked…”- Secretary of State
Compromise:
No land invasion (USA)
Khrushchev removes missiles
USA removes missiles from Turkey
“For a moment, the world had stood still, and now it was going around again.”- Robert Kennedy
Khrushchev's reputation takes a blow; Kennedy criticized for escalation without “peace talks”
Cuban crisis still unresolved, though the US-Cuban relationship may strides in the near future.

15. Berlin Crisis 1950-61: August 1961 – Berlin Wall constructed
3 million East Germans fled to West Germany
200,000 from East Berlin to West Berlin (Effect?)
The only way to stop them was by force
August 1961 – Berlin Wall constructed
East Germany sealed off by its leader
32,000 combat and engineer troops build the wall
Border police control the area
Fell in 1989
Became a canvas to “mock” communism using “dark” art.
5,000 successfully fled when wall was up; 200 shot
Escape and you’d be shot.

16. Tensions Slightly Eased
Hot line between USA and “The Kremlin” allowed two leaders to call immediately when an issue arose
Limited Test Ban Treaty barred nuclear testing in the atmosphere in 1963
Aka the “red phone,” though it wasn’t actually red.

18. Nov. 22, 1963: JFK killed in Dallas
Kennedy travels to Dallas to begin re-election campaign
Motorcade through Dealey Plaza, downtown Dallas
12:30pm shots fired
JFK killed – Texas Governor wounded
Sniper - 6th floor Texas School Book Depository
Lee Harvey Oswald arrested 2 hours later in a movie theater
Oswald killed 3 days later – Jack Ruby
LBJ sworn in on Air Force One
Oswald- dishonorably discharged from the Marines; lived in the SU for a while; supported castro
Jack Ruby- night club owner.
LBJ- sworn in.. Peaceful transition, whereas it wouldn’t be nearly the same in a dictatorship.

20. Warren Commission Pivotal Questions:
Did Oswald act alone?
Was this assassination a bigger conspiracy?
Established by Pres. Johnson to investigate
Headed by Chief Justice Earl Warren
Concluded Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone

21. House Select Committee on Assassinations
Established investigate MLK and JFK assassinations
Concluded Oswald killed JFK / most likely part of a conspiracy

22. Potential Conspirators
C.I.A - embarrassment from Bay of Pigs
Cuban exiles - upset over US turning their back after failed invasion
Mafia - Lost business in Cuba

23. Conclusion What were JFK’s biggest triumphs and failures?
Why is his death surrounded by so many questions?
In your opinion, was he a “good” president?