U.S. History 3.17.14 1. Review (1952-60) to Preview- Lesson Kennedy (1960-63) 2. History Channel– The Presidents (End of Ike and the presidency of JFK)

U.S. History 3.17.14• 1. Review (1952-60) to Preview- Lesson Kennedy (1960-63)• 2. History Channel– The Presidents (End of Ike and the presidency of JFK)• 3. America-The Story of US– Superpower (Tues/Wed)

• Mid Term Test is Thursday 1945-69 (during the 2nd half of class)

Post War America: Cold War, 1950s, Kennedy Years

• We will Start “We didn’t start the fire” project Thursday.• Turn in 1950’s Notes Today• Assignment Read-View Powerpoint Online- Kennedy Years 1960-63

U.S. History 3.18.14• 1. Finish Lesson Kennedy (1960-63) LBJ (1963-68)• 2. History Channel– The Presidents ( LBJ )• 3. America-The Story of US– Superpower (Wed)• Mid Term Test is Thursday 1945-69 (during the 2nd half of class)

Post War America: Cold War, 1950s, Kennedy Years

• We will Start “We didn’t start the fire” project Thursday.• RE-Turn 1950’s Notes Today• 1. Assignment Read-View Powerpoint Online- Kennedy Years 1960-63• 2. Assignment Read- View Powerpoint Online- Turbulent Sixties. • 3. Assignment- Kennedy Tapes and LBJ Tapes• Spring Break Assignment Johnson Chapter on Kennedy, LBJ and Vietnam etc.

• Kennedy• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaywOhIMluQ&list=PLE14CC689FDAFA721• LBJ• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZWERQevzms&list=PL577575CA9D485B41

JFK and the The Stormy Sixties

The Election of 1960 The economy was in a recession & The Soviet Union then gained strength JFK and Nixon faced off in the 1960 presidential election JFK Democratic senator from Massachusetts He won the election, but not by much 2 factors led him to preside….. 1. Television-the first presidential debate in history 2. JFK’s response to MLK Jr.’s arrest in October 1960- the Kennedy

campaign persuaded the judge to release King while he waited to appeal his sentence. This gained Kennedy widespread support from African Americans.

JFK supported the policy flexible response- called for the use of conventional weapons rather was a than nuclear weapons in the event of a war.

Theses weapons included: jets, tanks, missiles, and guns Kennedy increased defense spending

The Kennedy-Nixon TV DebateKennedy appeared very relaxed, Nixon uptight on

TV- Those who listened to the debate by Radio though Nixon had won. Those who watched it on

TV thought Kennedy had won.

What Went Wrong?

• Kennedy was elected by the slimmest margins. That made it difficult for Kennedy’s proposals to be passed.

• Because he lacked support, Kennedy rarely pushed hard for his bills.

• 34,220,984 49.72% JFK: Winner

• 34,108,157 49.55% Richard Nixon

34,220,984 49.72% JFK: Winner34,108,157 49.55% Richard Nixon

Kennedy’s ‘New Frontier’ Spirit• In 1960, young, energetic John F. Kennedy was elected as president of the United States• “President of The Sixtes”—the youngest man ever elected to that office.

• The 1960s would bring a sexual revolution, a civil rights revolution, the emergence of a “youth culture,” a devastating war in Vietnam, and the beginnings of a feminist revolution.

• JFK delivered a stirring inaugural address (“Ask not, what your country can do for you…”), and he also assembled a very young cabinet, including his brother, Robert Kennedy, as attorney general.

• Robert Kennedy tried to recast the priorities of the FBI, but was resisted by J. Edgar Hoover. – Business whiz Robert S. McNamara took over the Defense Department.

Kennedy with Peace Corps Volunteers 1962Who is that 14 year old shaking Kennedy’s hand?

“Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country”

The Peace Corps

Kennedy Presidency

The Camelot Years

• The Kennedy presidency was known as the Camelot years. Him and his wife loved the arts. They had many artists, musicians, and celebrities perform at the White House. In all of this though Kennedy was pushing for a new and improved United States.

What the New Frontier was About

• President Kennedy’s domestic program was called the New Frontier. The New Frontier was to boost the United States economy, to provide international aid, provide international defense, and boost the space program.

Peace Corps

• President Kennedy did the Peace Corps though. It sent volunteers to work in poor nations around the world. The goal of the program was to help end world poverty. By 1968 35,000 volunteers had served in 60 nations throughout the world. The Peace Corps was a big success and still is to this day.

The New Frontier at Home• Kennedy’s social program was known as the New

Frontier, but conservative Democrats and Republicans threatened to kill many of its reforms.

– JFK did expand the House Rules Committee, but his program didn’t expand quickly, as medical and education bills remained stalled in Congress.

– JFK also had to keep a lid on inflation to maintain a prosperous economy, but almost immediately into his term, steel management announced large price increases (after they said they wouldn’t), igniting the fury of the president.

– Big steel backed down, but JFK continued to earn fiery attacks from big business against his New Frontier policies.

• Kennedy’s tax-cut bill chose to stimulate the economy through price-cutting.

Kennedy with Peace Corps Volunteers 1962Who is that 14 year old shaking Kennedy’s hand?

U.S. History 3.18.14• 1. Finish Lesson Kennedy (1960-63) LBJ (1963-68)• 2. History Channel– The Presidents ( LBJ )• 3. America-The Story of US– Superpower (Wed)• Mid Term Test is Thursday 1945-69 (during the 2nd half of class)

Post War America: Cold War, 1950s, Kennedy Years

• We will Start “We didn’t start the fire” project Thursday.• RE-Turn 1950’s Notes Today• 1. Assignment Read-View Powerpoint Online- Kennedy Years 1960-63• 2. Assignment Read- View Powerpoint Online- Turbulent Sixties. • 3. Assignment- Kennedy Tapes and LBJ Tapes• Spring Break Assignment Johnson Chapter on Kennedy, LBJ and Vietnam etc.

• Kennedy• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaywOhIMluQ&list=PLE14CC689FDAFA721• LBJ• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZWERQevzms&list=PL577575CA9D485B41

Who Was JFK?

• Demographics:- Democratic Senator• Young- War Hero (Navy) Father figure to the baby boomers• Wealthy- Father Joe- bribed and intimidated journalists• Irish Catholic– Massachusetts, New England Voter Block

• Symbol of….Idealism and Public Service

• JFK– The New Frontier• Peace Corps- Volunteers- “toughest job you will ever love”• NASA- catch and pass up the Soviets• Education- College Federal Grants – The Young

Election of 1960

• Election of 1960: Dem Sen. JFK vs. Rep. V.P. Richard Nixon

• Stats: 49.72%, 000 to 49.55% or 303 to 219 Electoral College

 • Role of Television: The Debate• Kennedy was….confident, tanned, makeup, rested, etc.

• Nixon was….nervous, paranoid, shifty eyed, etc.

• Radio vs. TV Coverage: • Listeners said Nixon Won Listeners said Kennedy Won

JFK Space Race:- #1&2

• NASA- Vision…..• Man on the Moon by the end of the decade (1969)• Apollo Missions• John Glenn- Orbits the Earth• ICBM- Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles– carry nuclear

warheads

Cuban Missile Crisis

• Cuban Missile Crisis:#1-• Nuclear Missiles 90 miles from Florida•  Bay of Pigs Invasion- Failed 1961•  11 Days- Nuclear Brink• Soviet Premier Kruschev had to “save face”•  Quarantine of the U.S. Navy- Not a Blockade (Act of War)

• JFK and the Cuban Missile Crisis: #2• Oct. 1962- Nuclear Poker-• Soviets agree to dismantle the missiles in Cuba in exchange for• U.S. Agreement to dismantle our missiles in Turkey and agree NOT

to invade Cuba.

The Alliance For Progress• This program Kennedy started gave aid to

Latin American countries. One reason for this program was to keep Communism from spreading to these countries.

Man on the Moon

• In 1961 the space race began between the U.S and Russia. President Kennedy pledged that the U.S would put a man on the moon by the end of the decade. Unfortunately, he wasn’t here to see it happen.

Space Program

Kennedy and the Cold War

By: Tyler Greis

Cuban Missile Crisis

• Then, in 1962, U.S. spy planes recorded missile installations in Cuba. It was later revealed that these were, in fact, Soviet nuclear missiles aimed at America!

• The Cuban Missile Crisis lasted 13 nerve-racking days and put the U.S., the U.S.S.R., and the world at the brink of nuclear war.

Nuclear Brinkmanship

• In the end, Khrushchev blinked, backed off of a U.S. naval blockade, looked very weak and indecisive, and lost his power soon afterwards while the Soviets became even more determined to expand their military program.

• The Soviets agreed to remove their missiles if the U.S. vowed to never invade Cuba again; the U.S. also removed their own Russia-aimed nuclear missiles in Turkey.

• There was also a direct phone call line (the “hot line”) installed between Washington D.C. and Moscow, in case of any crisis.

• In June, 1963, Kennedy spoke, urging better feelings toward the Soviets and beginning the modest policy of détente, or relaxed tension in the Cold War.

Cuban Missile Crisis #2

Crises over Cuba Cuba’s leader-Fidel Castro

- he had seized power in 1959.

- soon after, he declared himself a communist

- he then formed ties with the Soviet Union Kennedy wanted Castro out of power

- the plan was to call in Cuban exiles to invade Cuba and overthrow Castro

- the US government would supply air support for the exiles

- this attack wasn’t successful. Many of the exiles were captured

- the failed attack gained the name “Bay of Pigs” A year later, the US and Cuba clashed again

- the Soviets were building nuclear missile bases in Cuba, ready to launch

- JFK demanded the missiles be removed.

- in 1969, he surrounded Cuba with US naval ships

- Nakita Khrushchev, the Soviet leader, removed the missiles The Americans either agreed or disagreed with Kennedy’s decision to surround Cuba

The Continuing Cold War In 1961, JFK faced a growing problem in Berlin

- the city was still divided, East Berlin was under Communist control

- West Berlin was under the control of Great Britain, France, and the US.

- by 1961, almost 3 million East Germans had fled into West Berlin Khrushchev threatened to black all air and land routes into West Berlin

- Kennedy warned the Soviet leader against this action

- as a result, Khrushchev changed his plans

- he built a large concrete barrier along the border between East and West Berlin

- it was then known as the Berlin Wall, it prevented any more East Germans from

fleeing to West Berlin Kennedy and Khrushchev attempted to reach agreements

- established a hot line between their two nations. They communicated by telephone

- they also agreed to a Limited Test Ban Treaty, this barred nuclear testing in the

atmosphere

1963 After Kennedy

The LBJ Brand on the PresidencyLyndon Johnson had been a senator in the 1940s and 50s, his idol was

Franklin D. Roosevelt, and he could manipulate Congress very well (through his in-your-face “Johnson treatment”); he was also quite vain and egotistical.

President Johnson proved to be much more successful than Kennedy at working with Congress.

As a president, LBJ went from mildly conservative to liberal, utilizing Kennedy’s death to pass a Civil Rights Act of 1964, which:

1. banned all racial discrimination in most private facilities open to the public, including theaters, hospitals, and restaurants.

2. Banned sexual as well as racial discrimination.3. Created the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), aimed at

eliminating discriminatory hiring.

Johnson’s program was dubbed the “Great Society,” and it reflected his New Deal inspirations.

Public support for the program was aroused by Michael Harrington’s The Other America, which revealed that over 20% of American suffered in poverty.

LBJ

• Demographics:• Older, Tall- Texan. Southern Democrat, Former Speaker of the House, • Was Kennedy’s V.P. – but NOT close to JFK (JFK needed Texas)• Type A Personality- Had to be the big guy in the room. (Dominant)

(Confrontational)

• Johnson Treatment:• Courteous to ladies• Intimidation toward everyone else- Crude, Political Gamesmanship• Got things done by physically and verbally confronting individual

Congress and Cabinet Members

LBJ and the Great Society

• Federal Grants for Schools– Education• War on Poverty– Target Regions like Appalachia (KY)• Create Medicaid Program

LBJ and Reform

LBJ and the Great Society– Social Reform

• 1964- 1/5 Americans lived below the Poverty Line• (Outskirts of Hope- Poverty and Race)• Unconditional War on Poverty in America• Economic Opportunity Act- $1 Billion

– Head Start– Job Corps– VISTA- Volunteers in Service to America (Domestic Peace Corps)

– Medicare (med care 65 & older)

– Medicaid (aid for poor and disabled)

• Landslide Election of 1964- America was Optimistic- “Peace Little Girl”

– Defeats Republican Barry Goldwater- (TV Negative Advertising)

The Great Society CongressOn election day, Johnson won a huge landslide over Goldwater to stay president.

Johnson’s win was also coupled by sweeping Democratic wins that enabled him to pass his Great Society programs and begin his “War On Poverty”.

Congress doubled the appropriation on the Office of Economic Opportunity to $2 billion and granted more than $1 billion to refurbish Appalachia, which had been stagnant.

Johnson also created the Department of Transportation and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), headed by Robert C. Weaver, the first black cabinet secretary in the United States’ history.

LBJ also wanted aid to education, medical care for the elderly and indigent, immigration reform, and a new voting rights bill.

Johnson gave money to students, not schools, thus avoiding the separation of church and state by not technically giving money to Christian schools.

In 1965, new programs called Medicare and Medicaid were installed, which gave certain rights to the elderly and the needy in terms of medicine and health maintenance.

The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965

abolished the “national origin” quota and doubled the number of immigrants allowed to enter the U.S. annually, up to 290,000 – in effect, shifting our major sources of immigration to Latin America and Asia.

An antipoverty program called Project Head Start improved the performance of the underprivileged in education. It was “pre-school” for the poor.

The National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities was created to aid artists of all sorts

Johnson Battles Goldwater in 1964• In 1964, LBJ was opposed by right-wing Republican

Arizona senator Barry Goldwater who attacked the federal income tax, the Social Security system, the Tennessee Valley Authority, civil rights legislation, the nuclear test-ban treaty, and the Great Society.

• However, Johnson used the Tonkin Gulf Incident, in which North Vietnamese ships allegedly fired on American ships, to look tough on communism in Vietnam.

• Johnson received congressional approval for the Tonkin Gulf Resolution, which gave him a virtual blank check on what he could do in affairs in Vietnam.

LBJ and Vietnam

LBJ and the Vietnam War

• The Woman I loved??? (Besides Lady Bird) The Great Society• But to stop Communism- Johnson escalated the Vietnam War• The Old Domino Theory- John Foster Dulles

• Sent Troops from 1965 (16,000) Advisors to 1968 to 500,000 troops• Longest War in American History (10 Years) $150 Billion• 58,000 Americans Lost• Quagmire, Body Bag, Demoralization, Distrust, Divided Nation

Vietnam-Gulf of Tonkin Resolution- 1964• 3 N. Vietnamese Boats vs. the U.S.S. Maddox• President Johnson- painted a picture that the U.S. had been

attacked on the high seas- • So the military forces– Gulf of Tonkin Resolution- Presidential power

to take whatever measures necessary to protect the U.S. anywhere

• An Excuse to Escalate the Vietnam War

Vietnam Before Nixon (1968)

• Vietnam- A French Colony: Rubber Tree• 1954 Dien Bien Phu- French Colonists Deafeated• Geneva Accords- Separate Vietnam into 2 Zones- North and South

• Ho Chi Minh 1946- Approached the U.S for Aid, was refused- Then turned to the Soviets.

• U.S. Supported South Vietnam– • Communists (Soviets and China) supported North

Vietnam

Tet Offensive- 1968 Jan 30

• A simultaneous All Out Offensive by the N. Vietnamese on dozens of cities in S. Vietnam - even the U.S. Embassy on the Vietnamese Lunar New Year

• America is shocked– Westmoreland had led the Americans to believe we were winning the war- even with inflicting 10:1 losses

• Gave Rise to a Massive Anti -War Movement against Johnson• “I shall not seek, and I will not accept the nomination of my party

again as your President”

Vietnam Topples JohnsonJohnson was personally suffering due to the number of American casualties, as

witnesses viewed him weeping as he signed condolence letters. He even prayed with Catholic monks in a nearby church—at night, secretly.

The most serious blow to LBJ’s foreign policy was the Tet Offensive of 1968 in which the communist Vietnamese attacked every U.S. base in South Vietnam simultaneously.

Though technically a victory, as the U.S. forces fought off the communists, it was a wakeup call to the American people that the war was far from over and was in fact NOT being won.

Johnson also saw a challenge for the Democratic ticket from Eugene McCarthy and Robert Kennedy, and the nation, as well as the Democratic party, was starting to be split by Vietnam.

Early in ‘68, LBJ refused to sign an order for more troops to Vietnam.

Then, on March 31, 1968, Johnson declared that he would stop sending in troops to Vietnam and that he would not run in 1968, shocking America.

The Obituary of Lyndon Johnson• Poor Lyndon Johnson returned to his Texas

ranch and died there in 1973. • In the final analysis, LBJ’s Great Society

programs won some noteworthy battles in education (ex. Head Start) and health care (medicaid, medicare).

• He had committed Americans into Vietnam with noble intentions, but he was stuck in a situation where he was darned if he did and darned if he didn’t.

VIETNAMMoving towards conflict

Why Did The U.S Get Involved?

• When the Vietnam rebelled against the French the rebelled in a in a communist party , the leader of the rebellion group was Ho Chi Minh

• In 1941 the Vietnamese communists combined with other groups to form an organization called the Vietminh.

• The U.S. did not want the Vietnames to spread communism.

VIETCONG!!!

• By 1957 a rebel group had formed in the south. The group was known as the Vietcong. It fought against Diem’s rule. Ho Chi Minh supported vietcong from the north. He supplied arms to the group along a network of paths that ran between the north and south vietnam. Together these paths became known as the Ho Chi Minh Trail.

TERMS AND NAMES

• HO CHI MINH- Leader of north Vietnam.• VIETMINH- Communist group led by Ho

Chi Minh. • Domino Theory- Eisenhower’s

explanation for stopping communism.• Dien Bien Phu- Major French outpost

captured by the Vietminh. • Geneva Accords- Peace agreements

that split Vietnam in two.

Terms And Names

• Ngo Dinh Diem- Leader of south Vietnam.• Vietcong- Communist rebel group in

south Vietnam.• Ho Chi Minh Trial- Network of paths

running between North and South Vietnam.

• Tonkin Gulf Resolution- Resolution that allowed president Johnson to fight in Vietnam.

United States History

Moving Towards Conflict

The Roots of American Involvement

From the late 1800’s until WWII France had ruled over Vietnam. Harsh treatment by the French led to many rebellions. Japan controlled Vietnam during most of WWII. After it had ended the French wanted to regain control. A communist party, the Vietminh, are claiming independence for their country. The French army came in and conquered the Southern half, while the North became communist.

The US supported the French in the war. Like many other nations they believed that they had to stop the spread of communism. They thought it was spreading in a domino kind of way. Like a set of dominos, if one falls, so will the next. The weak Asian nations being the dominos, if one fell to communism they thought the rest might fall one after another.

Domino Theory

The U.S supported France during the war. The U.S thought of the Vietnamese to be Commies.

The U.S was determined to stop Communism from spreading.

President Eisenhower came up with a new policy that is known as the Domino Theory.

Eisenhower compared the nations as domino’s. If one nation fell to communism, so would the rest of the world.

The Geneva Accords

The Vietminh defeated the French, the final blow came in 1954. That year, the Vietminh conquered the large French outpost at Dien Bien Phu. Several countries got together to negotiate a cease fire between the two. They came up with the Geneva Accords. It split the country in two. The Vietminh controlled the North, and the French controlled the South.

In 1956 the country would hold an election to unify the country under one government.

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

The United States Steps In

The Northern part of Vietnam was controlled by Ho Chi Minh, the South was controlled by Ngo Dinh Diem. When the election came around Diem refused to take part, he thought that Ho would win. The US backed his decision and sent him aid. They hoped he would turn the South into a great independent nation. They were wrong he ended up being a horribly corrupt, and a terrible leader.

Who were the Vietcong?

By 1957, a rebel group had formed in the South. The group was known as the Vietcong. They fought against Diem’s rule. Ho Chi Minh supplied the arms through a system of paths that ran through North and South Vietnam. The trails became known as Ho Chi Minh Trail.

Kennedy became president after Eisenhower. He continued to support the South Vietnamese army. He didn’t want communism to spread anymore.

Unstable GovernmentDiem’s government was steadily growing unstable.

The Vietcong were gaining mass support from the peasants. The Kennedy administration decided that Diem had to step down. In 1963, military leaders overthrew Diem. Against Kennedy’s wishes, they executed him. Two months later in Dallas, Kennedy himself was assassinated. The war in Vietnam was now Lyndon Johnson’s problem.

South Vietnam didn’t improve after Diems death. A string of military leaders tried to rule, each failed. The US still sent support, the president was determined not to lose Vietnam to the communists.

President Johnson Expands the Conflict

In August 1964, Johnson received reports of an incident in the Gulf of Tonkin off North Vietnam. A Northern patrol boat had allegedly fired torpedoes at a US destroyer. The President responded by bombing North Vietnam. He also asked Congress for special military powers to stop any future N. Vietnamese attacks on US forces. As a result Congress passed the Tonkin Gulf Resolution.

The resolution gave Johnson broad military powers in Vietnam. In February 1965 he used his power. He launched a major bombing attack on North Vietnam’s cities.

The French treated the Vietnamese very badly.

From the late 1800’s until WWII, France ruled Vietnam, as a result, the Vietnamese often rebelled.

A Communist Party was organized for many rebellions.

The groups leader was called “Ho Chi Minh”

In 1941, Japan conquered Vietnam. After that the Vietnamese Communists formed with other groups to form an organization called “Vietminh”.

Their goal was to achieve independence from Vietnam.

In 1945, Japan was defeated.

The Japanese left Vietnam as the result.

France wanted to retake control of Vietnam, so the French troops moved back into the country.

For the next 8 years the 2 sides fought for control of Vietnam.

U.S. History 3.18.14• 1. Finish Lesson Kennedy (1960-63) LBJ (1963-68)• 2. History Channel– The Presidents ( LBJ )• 3. America-The Story of US– Superpower (Wed)• Mid Term Test is Thursday 1945-69 (during the 2nd half of class)

Post War America: Cold War, 1950s, Kennedy Years

• We will Start “We didn’t start the fire” project Thursday.• RE-Turn 1950’s Notes Today• 1. Assignment Read-View Powerpoint Online- Kennedy Years 1960-63• 2. Assignment Read- View Powerpoint Online- Turbulent Sixties. • 3. Assignment- Kennedy Tapes and LBJ Tapes• Spring Break Assignment Johnson Chapter on Kennedy, LBJ and Vietnam etc.

• Kennedy• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaywOhIMluQ&list=PLE14CC689FDAFA721• LBJ• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZWERQevzms&list=PL577575CA9D485B41

Cuban Confrontation • Kennedy’s Alliance for Progress was dubbed the “Marshall Plan for Latin

America,” and it aimed to improve economic growth and democratic reforms in Latin American and thus stem the growth of communism.

• Still, too many Latin Americans felt that it was too little, too late.

• Kennedy reluctantly backed a CIA-planned U.S.- aided invasion of Cuba by Cuban exiles, but when the “Bay of Pigs” invasion occurred, on April 17, 1961, it was a disaster.

• Kennedy refused to get U.S. soldiers involved and would not bring in air support to aid the exiles. The military coup failed miserably.

• This event pushed recently imposed Cuban leader Fidel Castro even closer to the communist camp, and a full-blown alliance with the Soviet Union emerged quickly.

• Though it wasn’t even his idea, JFK took full responsibility for the attack, and his popularity actually went up.

The Struggle For Civil Rights

While Kennedy had campaigned for civil rights to appeal to black voters, when it came time to help them, he was hesitant and seemingly unwilling to take much action, mainly because he needed the support of southern legislators to pass his economic and social legislation.

Slowly but surely, Kennedy joined hands with the civil rights movement, encouraging the establishment of the SNCC, a Voter Education Project to register the South’s blacks to vote and by sending in federal marshals to protect the Freedom Riders.

Some places desegregated painlessly, but others were volcanoes. • 29 year-old James Meredith tried to enroll at the University of Mississippi, but

white students didn’t let him, so Kennedy had to send some 400 federal marshals and 3,000 troops to ensure that Meredith could enroll in his first class.

• In spring of 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. launched a peaceful campaign against discrimination in Birmingham, Alabama, but police and authorities responded viciously, often using extremely high-pressured water hoses to “hose down” the sit-in protesters.

– The entire American public watched in horror as the black protesters were treated with such contempt, since the actions were shown on national TV.

– Later, on June 11, 1963, JFK made a speech urging immediate action towards this “moral issue” in a passionate plea.

• Still, more violence followed, as in September 1963, a bomb exploded in a Birmingham church, killing four black girls who had just finished their church lesson.

The 1963 March on Washington led by Martin Luther King Jr., provided critical support the civil rights bill to end segregation championed by Kennedy.

Rumblings in Europe• JFK met Russian Premier Nikita Khrushchev and was threatened, but didn’t back down.

• In August of the 1961, the Soviets began building the Berlin Wall to separate East and West Germany.

• Western Europe, though, was now prospering after help from the super-successful Marshall Plan. – America had also encouraged a Common Market (to keep trade barriers and tariff low in Europe), which later became the

European Union (EU). – The so-called Kennedy Round of tariff negotiations eased trade between Europe and the U.S.

• Unfortunately, French leader Charles de Gaulle was one who was suspicious of the U.S., and he rejected Britain’s application into the Common Market.

Foreign Flare-ups and Flexible Response

• There were many world problems at this time:

1. The African Congo got its independence from Belgium in 1960 and then erupted into violence, but the United Nations sent a peacekeeping force.

2. Laos, freed of its French overlords in 1954, was being threatened by communism, but at the Geneva Conference of 1962, peace was shakily imposed

3. Defense Secretary McNamara pushed a strategy of “flexible response,” which developed an array of specialized military options that could match the gravity of whatever crises came to hand. These are known as the ‘special forces units’

(Green Berets, Navy Seals, Rangers).

Stepping Into the Vietnam Quagmire• The American-backed Diem government had shakily and corruptly ruled South Vietnam since

1954, but it was threatened by the communist Viet Cong movement led by Ho Chi Minh north of the 17th parallel.

• JFK slowly sent more and more American military forces to Vietnam to “maintain order” and prevent Ngo Dinh Diem’s regime from falling to communists.

• Unfortunately, U.S. troops were often the ones who fought and died, despite the fact that it was “Vietnam’s civil war”.

Tragedy in Dallas

• On November 22, 1963, President Kennedy was assassinated. He was riding in the back of his car in the streets of downtown Dallas, and was shot. Lee Harvey Oswald was his suspected killer, but the case was never completely solved. Oswald was killed a couple days later.

The Killing of KennedyThe Killing of Kennedy• On November 22, 1963, while On November 22, 1963, while

campaigning in Dallas, Texas, campaigning in Dallas, Texas, JFK was shot and killed, JFK was shot and killed, allegedly by Lee Harvey Oswald, allegedly by Lee Harvey Oswald, who was himself shot by self-who was himself shot by self-proclaimed avenger Jack Ruby.proclaimed avenger Jack Ruby.

• To this day there is much To this day there is much controversy, scandal and controversy, scandal and conspiracy surrounding the conspiracy surrounding the assassination.assassination.

Lyndon B. Johnson became the new president of the United States as only the fourth president to succeed an assassinated president.

It was only after Kennedy’s death that America realized what a charismatic, energetic, and vibrant president they had lost.

Assassination of JFK

Warren Commission

• The Warren Commission determined that Oswald acted alone. However, many people continue to believe that Oswald was part of a conspiracy.

The Stormy Sixties

Kennedy’s ‘New Frontier’ Spirit• In 1960, young, energetic John F. Kennedy was elected as president of the United States—

the youngest man ever elected to that office.

• The 1960s would bring a sexual revolution, a civil rights revolution, the emergence of a “youth culture,” a devastating war in Vietnam, and the beginnings of a feminist revolution.

• JFK delivered a stirring inaugural address (“Ask not, what your country can do for you…”), and he also assembled a very young cabinet, including his brother, Robert Kennedy, as attorney general.

– Robert Kennedy tried to recast the priorities of the FBI, but was resisted by J. Edgar Hoover.

– Business whiz Robert S. McNamara took over the Defense Department.

• Early on, JFK proposed the Peace Corps, an army of idealist and mostly youthful volunteers to bring American skills and goodwill to underdeveloped countries.

• A graduate of Harvard and with a young family, JFK was extremely vibrant and charming to everyone.

The New Frontier at Home• Kennedy’s social program was known as the New

Frontier, but conservative Democrats and Republicans threatened to kill many of its reforms.

– JFK did expand the House Rules Committee, but his program didn’t expand quickly, as medical and education bills remained stalled in Congress.

– JFK also had to keep a lid on inflation to maintain a prosperous economy, but almost immediately into his term, steel management announced large price increases (after they said they wouldn’t), igniting the fury of the president.

– Big steel backed down, but JFK continued to earn fiery attacks from big business against his New Frontier policies.

• Kennedy’s tax-cut bill chose to stimulate the economy through price-cutting.

Rumblings in Europe• JFK met Russian Premier Nikita Khrushchev and was threatened, but didn’t back down.

• In August of the 1961, the Soviets began building the Berlin Wall to separate East and West Germany.

• Western Europe, though, was now prospering after help from the super-successful Marshall Plan. – America had also encouraged a Common Market (to keep trade barriers and tariff low in Europe), which later became

the European Union (EU). – The so-called Kennedy Round of tariff negotiations eased trade between Europe and the U.S.

• leader Charles de Gaulle was one • Unfortunately, French who was suspicious of the U.S., and he rejected Britain’s application into the Common Market.

Foreign Flare-ups and Flexible Response

• There were many world problems at this time:

1. The African Congo got its independence from Belgium in 1960 and then erupted into violence, but the United Nations sent a peacekeeping force.

2. Laos, freed of its French overlords in 1954, was being threatened by communism, but at the Geneva Conference of 1962, peace was shakily imposed

3. Defense Secretary McNamara pushed a strategy of “flexible response,” which developed an array of specialized military options that could match the gravity of whatever crises came to hand. These are known as the ‘special forces units’

(Green Berets, Navy Seals, Rangers).

Stepping Into the Vietnam Quagmire• The American-backed Diem government had shakily and corruptly ruled South Vietnam since

1954, but it was threatened by the communist Viet Cong movement led by Ho Chi Minh north of the 17th parallel.

• JFK slowly sent more and more American military forces to Vietnam to “maintain order” and prevent Ngo Dinh Diem’s regime from falling to communists.

• Unfortunately, U.S. troops were often the ones who fought and died, despite the fact that it was “Vietnam’s civil war”.

U.S. History 4.17.13• 1. Review and Preview– IKE (1952-60) to Kennedy (1960-63)• 2. History Channel– The Presidents (End of Ike and the presidency of JFK)• 3. Overview of ‘McCarthyism”, Election of 1960 and the 1950’s Life• Mid Term Test is WEDNESDAY (Today) 1945-63 (during the 2nd half of class)

Post War America: Cold War, 1950s, Kennedy Years• I will return “We didn’t start the fire” project Wednesday.• Thursday= MAP Testing

Cold War Vocabulary• Appeasement• Containment• Soviet Bloc• Missile Gap• Nuclear Proliferation• Brinkmanship• Red Scare– McCarthyism• Domino Theory• White Flight to Suburbia• Sun Belt Migration• Truman Doctrine• Marshall Plan

• Didn’t work with Hitler to stop tyranny• Stop the Spread of Communism• Eastern Europe “Puppet Govts” Poland

• The Soviets are building faster than us• Fast Buildup of the Nuclear Arsenal• Diplomacy using the threat of nuclear war• Hysteria: Fear of the Spread of Communism

• If South Korea Falls, South Vietnam falls as all nations will if we don’t stop them

• Middle Class moving to Suburbia takes well educated and good paying jobs with them– California /Arizona

(like the Dodgers and Giants)

• U.S. will help any nation that wants to oppose communism

• The U.S. Industrial Arm will help rebuild Europe and GI Bill for returning VETS