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