JFK & LBJ 1960-1968

1960 Election Kennedy defeats Nixon by narrowest of margins Nixon assisted by Eisenhower’s popularity and moderate policies Better known (McCarthyism) More experienced Kennedy had a number of attributes Young and photogenic War hero Wife Jackie Issues Kennedy was a Catholic Economic recession/U-2 embarrassment Nixon Kennedy debate 1st televised presidential debate

New Frontier JFK’s legislative agenda Largely ineffective because of JFK’s passive leadership & international problems (Cuba) Faced with a recession in 1960 Attempted to stimulate economic growth through tax cuts Never successfully passed tax cuts Increased military spending aided economic growth Oversaw space race (20 billion to reach moon in 1969) Response to Soviet successes Weakly favored civil rights after election Pressured by protests and escalating violence Ends segregation in public transportation Sends federal officers to protect James Meredith (Ole Miss) Meets with MLK

Kennedy and the Cold War Favored “flexible response” over “massive retaliation” Attempted to assist third world countries in order to achieve containment The Peace Corps The Alliance for progress 1961 East Germany builds Berlin Wall 1963 Ich Bin Ein Berliner speech JFK escalates American involvement in Vietnam JFK’s most embarrassing moments are result of 1959 revolution in Cuba Fidel Castro establishes a seemingly pro Soviet government in Cuba

Cuba Bay of Pigs (1961) Eisenhower administration begins plans for CIA backed overthrow of Cuba Cuban exiles trained for an invasion JFK pulls air support fearing Soviet response Invasion is a failure and an international embarrassment Castro forced to seek aid from USSR Cuban Missile Crisis (1962) USSR establishes missile bases in Cuba Khruschev lies about missiles JFK blockades Cuba to prevent more missiles US troops prepare for an invasion Both sides come to brink of nuclear war before cutting a deal Kennedy finishes presidency as a foreign policy success

Why are the events in Cuba pivotal to JFK’s presidency?

JFK Assassination November 22, 1963 JFK is assassinated in Dallas, TX Visiting the South to rally support for Civil Rights Assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald (????) VP Johnson assumes the presidency LBJ benefits tremendously from JFK’s death Will pass sweeping Civil Rights and social legislation Easily elected in 1964 Myth of Camelot

LBJ as President Johnson is an extremely effective national leader Able to persuade members of Congress to support his programs The “Johnson treatment” LBJ able to pass his Great Society programs Dramatically impact American society Meaningful Civil Rights law Reduction of poverty Immigration reform Long term assistance to elderly and poor Draws criticisms from conservatives because of cost of programs LBJ’s effectiveness limited by mounting protest to American involvement in Vietnam

Why did the Great Society have such a major impact on the nation?