1. American Landscape
1960s & 1970s

2. Election, 1960
John F. Kennedy (D)
Richard M. Nixon, R

3. 1960 Election Both candidates: Kennedy narrowly wins Young & energetic
Popular
Intelligent
Kennedy narrowly wins
In part, due to the 1st televised Presidential debate
Appears charismatic, youthful, & energetic
Wears sporty & fashionable clothing
Has a sense of humor
Is very charismatic

4. Kennedy’s New Frontier
Space Program
Equal Pay Act
Deficit Spending
Civil Rights Legislation

5. The Kennedy Administration
Flexible Response
Defense policy
Prepare U.S. to fight any size or type of conflict
Peace Corps
Volunteers sent to 3rd world countries
Goal: improve politically & economically
Bay of Pigs Invasion
CIA-led invasion of Cuba to overthrow Castro
Used Cuban exiles; failed; strengthened Castro

6. Kennedy-Khrushchev Years
Khrushchev demands America remove its troops from West Berlin & recognize the divided city.
Kennedy refuses
Khrushchev orders construction of the Berlin Wall to divide E. Berlin from W. Berlin
Becomes a symbol of the divide between communism and democracy

7. Cuban Missile Crisis A.
Soviets began building nuclear missile sites in Cuba B.
Kennedy demands their removal
Gives Khrushchev ultimatum C.
Nuclear war was a REAL possibility
“Hotline” installed to improve communication

8. Last days… JFK, assassinated at parade in Dallas by Lee Harvey Oswald
Conspiracy suspected
Warren Commission appointed to investigate
Lyndon B. Johnson becomes President

9. VIETNAM Hawks & Doves in Congress Johnson takes U.S. in deeper
Gen. Westmoreland, Robert McNamara order more ground troops
Pilots drop Napalm & Agent Orange
Vietcong & N. Vietnamese use guerilla warfare
Communist forces use “hit & run”, booby traps, nighttime ambushes
Hawks & Doves in Congress
Tet Offensive
Nixon becomes Pres., gradually pulls troops out
Vietnamization

10. Vietnam continued…
Tet Offensive=Counterattack by Vietnamese during month of Tet. Surprises Americans who thought we were winning war.
Vietnamization= Nixon’s gradual withdrawal of American troops. Sends supplies to S. Vietnam instead. Wants S. Vietnamese to fight their own war
The Draft= Average age: 18. College students exempt. Unfair to others
Students for a Democratic Society (SDS)=Formed to fight racism/poverty. Become a leading antiwar group
Kent State =Members of Nat’l Guard fire on group of student protesters killing four
My Lai Incident= American troops kill 400 Vietnamese

11. End of the War… A
Pentagon Papers=Showed the gov’t had been dishonest about the war B
Paris Peace Accords=Ended the war for America. N. Vietnam remained in S. Vietnam & eventually took control. C
War Powers Act=Restricted the President’s authority to commit Amer. Troops to foreign conflicts

12. Effects of the War: Communism spreads >58 thousand people dead
Veterans are not appreciated afterward
Americans have less trust in leaders
War Powers Act is passed
U.S. is less willing to intervene in foreign affairs