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Chapter 28
The Kennedy Presidency 1960-1963Personified self-confident
liberalBelieved activist state could
improve life at home and confront the communist challenged abroad
From a wealthy, political family
Served in WWII, Navy Despite bad back Always sick
Served in Congress, Senate 1958
Won Pulitzer Prize for “Profiles in Courage”
Believed in “The New Frontier”
1960 ElectionTelevised debates
Downfall of Nixon Pale and haggard vs. the
tanned and dynamic JFK Most imp. factor of
election
ElectionClosest since 1884Only separated by 120,000
popular votes
Inauguration“New Frontier”Surrounded himself with
intellectuals
JFKBenefitted from recessionVP Southern Protestant
Lyndon B. JohnsonReligion an issue
NixonBetter known
More experienceMiddle road RepublicanUnanimously elected at
Republican convention Eisenhower’s VP
Stood up to Khrushchev in the “Kitchen debate”
Kennedy’s Domestic RecordLittle significant social
legislationNew Frontier programs:
Education, health care, urban renewal
Civil rightsNew liberalism held back by
Congress All would be passed later by Johnson
Economic growth key to liberal agendaEconomic success
Faced down steel executives over inflationary prices and achieved rollback
Doubled rate of economic growth with defense spending, low-cost energy, and technical innovation
AccomplishmentsIncreased nuclear stockpileIncreased defense budgetEstablished Green Berets
Guerilla warfare“race to moon”
$25 billionFederal aid to educationMedical care to elderlyUrban renewalClean Air Act 1963
Inspired by Rachel Carson Regulated auto and industrial
emissions
Kennedy’s Domestic RecordCivil Rights
Lot of rhetoric = little actionFocus on foreign affairs, then
economyStraddled race issue
Balanced unprecedented # of African-Americans to federal jobs with appointment of racist judges
Kennedy “forced” to enforce desegregation of buses only after “Freedom Ride” of 1961
“forced” again to deal with issue after Birmingham embarrassment June 1963
WomenEstablished Presidential
Commission of status of Women
Kennedy’s Foreign Policy Cold War Activism
Launched a major buildup with military arsenal
Foreign policy top priority Congressional for liberal
programs of economic assistance for third world
1961 Peace Corps Missionaries of Democracy Young volunteers to give
technical aid to developing countries
1961 Alliance for Progress Organized to promote land
reform and economic development in Latin America
Trade Expansion Act of 1962 Passed by Congress
authorized tariff reductions with Western European countries
Laos Created by Geneva
agreement 1954 Civil war b/w US forces and
Laos rebels Compromise in July 1962
Restored neutralist government
Face-saving, about to lose to Communists
Cuba Spring 1961: Bay of Pigs
1st major foreign policy Gave CIA approval
1500 exiles stormed Cuba DISASTER
Failed to set off uprising Surrendered on beach
JFK takes blame Gave Castro more power
Kennedy’s Foreign PolicyBrink of Cold War
Summer 1961 JFK met Krushchev in Vienna Soviet Union wanted US troops out
of Berlin, Kennedy refused August 1961- Berlin wall built
JFK reassured West Germany of U.S support
Oct. 1962 Aerial photographs of missile bases
in Cuba Kennedy’s Response
Remove missiles “quarantine” Cuba until missiles
gone Naval blockade
Tense movements 180 US ships in Caribbean
250,000 troops in FL “I think the other fellow just
blinked” Most tense moment, Oct. 25, 1962 Missiles out if US doesn’t invade
Cuba Darkest Hour
Russia changes and adds Turkey US spy plane shot down over
Cuba Compromise
October 27, 1962 Original offer accepted “Hot-line” established
Signaled “détente” New phase in Cold War
Set off new race for missiles and warheads Result of Nuclear Test Ban Treaty
The Thousand Day Presidency JFK Assassination
Nov. 22, 1963 Dallas, TX
Legacy New Frontier, Liberalism
“held back” by Congress Barely existed for environment,
women, or slowing business Mixed International Record
Signed 1st nuclear-test-ban treaty, yet initiated build up
Compromised on Laos, but deepened Vietnam involvement
Increased power of executive branch Publicly
Fired imagination of Americans Gave liberals new hope Challenged young Stimulated social and political
activism Consequences
Assassination shattered illusions Warren Commision
Increasing # of Americans to lose confidence in government
Liberalism Ascendant, 1963-1968Lyndon B. Johnson
Substantial political assets Served in Washington
since 1932 Lots of political experience
Determined to prove himself And did!
Handled transition Landslide election in 1964
LBJ’s LiberalismTax Cut
$10 billion tax reduction Surge in capital investment
and personal consumption Shrank the budget deficit
Sparked increase in jobs, consumer spending, period of economic expansion
Civil Rights Memorial to JFK
1964 ElectionRepublicans
Barry Goldwater Product of 20th century West
Outsider of Washington Staunch conservative
Anticommunist Proponent of individual
freedomPlatform
Opposed big government Deficit spending Racial liberalism Social welfare Opposed liberalism
Wanted to end welfare, Social Security, and TVA
Wanted to use Nucs with Cuba and Vietnam Attacked Liberals “no-win”
strategySupport
Southern segregationists White backlash to civil rights
Blue-collar workers in Northern cities
LBJ VP: Hubert Humphrey Depicted Goldwater as an
extremist Had a clearly liberal agenda
Election 43 million votes to 27 million
Landslide victory 61% of popular vote
Democrats gained control of Congress
Consequences Goldwater launches modern
Republican conservative movement GOP became conservative,
Southern and Western party Mobilized support for future
leaders like Ronald Reagan New “Southern Strategy”
Triumphant Liberalism89th Congress
“Congress of fulfillment” Enlarged war on poverty Milestone Civil Rights
Ironic from Southern President Enacted Medicare and Medicaid Funds for public education,
housing, redevelopment of Appalachia, and revitalizing inner-city neighborhoods
Created new departments Transportation Housing Endowment for Humanities
New immigration law Abolishes Nat’l Origin Act 1924 Increase of Asian and L.A.
immigrants Environment
1964 Nat’l Wilderness Preservation Act Inspired by Rachel Carson’s “Silent
Spring” 1962 Lady Bird Johnson’s “Beautify
America Campaign” Safety standards
Highway Safety Act Thanks to Ralph Nader’s “Unsafe
at any Speed” 1965
Results Improved lives of millions Poor down from 22% to 13%
by 1969 IMR down by 1/3 Head start reaches 2 million
children African-American poverty
down from 40%-20% Critics
MLK Jr. “War on Poverty shot down over
the battlefields of Vietnam” 22% more spent on War than
poverty Election 1966
Democrats lost 47 seats in House Sealed Liberalism’s fate
Civil Rights MovementCore
Spring 1961 organized freedom rides in South to dramatize violence
Kennedy forced to send in Federal marshals
SNCCStudent Nonviolent
Coordinating committee Encouraged sit-ins Fall 1961 1962
University of Mississippi James Meredith
Use of troops
BombinghamPolice commissioner of
Birmingham Bull Connor“blood would run in streets
before segregation allowed”Letters from a Birmingham
jail- MLK Jr.Water hoses, violence
Vicious attacks horrified nation
August 28, 1963March on Washington, D.C.“I have a dream speech”
Civil Rights Act 1964
Riots and Black PowerCivil rights movement did
not revolutionize race relationsAugust 11, 1965
5 days after voting rights signed
Watts, LA 6 days, 50,000 participated 34 dead, 900 injured 4000 arrested Looting, fire-bombing white
shopsSummer 1966
Riots in Northern ghettoes Response to brutal police
Summer 1967 150 racial skirmishes, 40 riots
Most intensive and destructive period in US history
1964-1968 200 dead, 7000 injured
40.000 arrested $500 million in damage
Rise of new leaders“too little, too late”1966 “Black Power”
Malcolm X “wake up, clean up, and stand
up” Be proud of blackness, roots Critical of MLK Jr.
Called him “Uncle Tom” “If ballots won’t work, bullets
will” Assassinated Feb. 1965
By Nation of Islam
Cassius Clay Converted to Islam 1964 Muhammad Ali Draft evasion
Warren Court of the 1960’s Impact comparable to John
Marshall Supported and promoted
liberal agenda
Acted to expand individual rights to a greater extent
Johnson appoints 1st African-American justice: Thurgood Marshall
Major rulings: Prohibiting bible and prayer in school Limiting local power to censor books
and films Overturned state ban on
contraceptives One person, one vote Rights of the accused
Criticism: Miranda v. Arizona 1966 People called for his
impeachment