John F. Kennedy DiO: 1961-1963

1. John F. KennedyDiO: 1961-1963 PP: Democrat Born: May 29, 1917 Died: Nov 22, 1963 VP: Lyndon B.Johnson State: Mass. Pol. Plat: New Frontier Election and Foreign Policy

2. I. Election of 1960 The Candidates: - Democratic: John F Kennedy from Massachusetts (VP) Lyndon B Johnson from Texas - Republican: Richard Nixon from California (the current VP under IKE) (VP) Henry Cabot Lodge (MA)

3. I. Election of 1960 The Issues: • JFK was Catholic: - No Catholic had ever led! - Many wondered if JFK could separate his Catholic beliefs from his secular duties, but he announced his firm belief in separation of church and state! • The Cold War • The Civil Rights movement • Televised Debates

4. KENNEDY AND THE COLD WAR • The Democratic nominee for president in 1960 was a young Massachusetts senator named John Kennedy. • He promised to “get America moving again.” • Kennedy had a well-organized campaign and was handsome and charismatic. Senator Kennedy, 1958

5. REPUBLICAN OPPONENT: RICHARD NIXON • The Republicans nominated Richard Nixon, Ike’s Vice-President. • The candidates agreed on many domestic and foreign policy issues. • Two factors helped put Kennedy over the top: T.V. and Civil Rights. Nixon hoped to ride the coattails of the popular President.

6. TELEVISED DEBATE AFFECTS VOTE • On September 26, 1960, Kennedy and Nixon took part in the first televised debate between presidential candidates. • Kennedy looked and spoke better than Nixon. • Journalist Russell Baker said, “That night, image replaced the printed word as the national language of politics.”

7. JFK: CONFIDENT, AT EASE DURING DEBATES • Television had become so central to people's lives that many observers blamed Nixon's loss to John F. Kennedy on his poor appearance in the televised presidential debates. • JFK looked cool, collected, and presidential. • Nixon, according to one observer, resembled a "sinister chipmunk." • http://www.archive.org/details/1960_kennedy-nixon_2

8. JFK’S OTHER EDGE: CIVIL RIGHTS • A second major event of the campaign took place in October, 1960. • Police arrested Martin Luther King for conducting a “sit-in” at a lunch counter in Georgia. • King was sentenced to hard labor. Sit-ins were non-violent protests over the policy of whites-only lunch counters in the South.

9. JFK, NIXON REACT DIFFERENTLY TO KING ARREST • While the Eisenhower Administration refused to intervene, JFK phoned King’s wife and his brother, Robert Kennedy, worked for King’s release. • The incident captured the attention of the African-American community, whose votes JFK would carry in key states. King Kennedy

10. KENNEDY WINS CLOSE ELECTION

11. CLOSEST ELECTION SINCE 1884 • Kennedy won the election by fewer than 119,000 votes. • Nixon dominated the west, while Kennedy won the south and the east coast. RMN JFK

12. Foreign policy • JFK relied upon nuclear arms build-up along with flexible responseto ensure American safety during the Cold War. (3) JFK challenged Americans to think of ways they could serve, famously saying "Ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country.”

13. (4) Peace Corps: 1961 - Prompted individual citizens to work abroad and dedicate themselves to the development, progress, & peace of developing countries and cultures.(3rd World) Kennedy wanted to involve Americans more actively in the cause of global democracy, peace, development and freedom.

14. You Can Go! Peace Co r p “But if the life will not be easy, it will be rich and satisfying. For every young American who participates in the Peace Corps—who works in a foreign land—will know that he or she is sharing in the great common task of bringing to man that decent way of life which is the foundation of freedom and a condition of peace.“ -JFK

15. (11) Alliance for Progress: • U.S. assistance program for Latin America that began in 1961- Aimed to relieve the continent’s poverty and social inequities. Later included U.S. programs of military and police assistance to counter Communist subversion.

16. FOCUS ON THE COLD WAR • From the beginning of his term in early 1961, JFK focused on the Cold War (Soviet relations). • JFK tripled our nuclear capability, increased troops, ships and artillery, and created the (5)Green Berets (Special Forces) – theycould go anywhere at any time to help with anything. In 1962, JFK called the green beret "a symbol of excellence, a badge of courage, a mark of distinction in the fight for freedom."

17. CRISIS OVER CUBA

18. The Crisis over Cuba • Just 90 miles off the coast of Florida, Cuba presented the first big test of JFK’s foreign policy. • Openly Communist, Cuba was led by revolutionary leader Fidel Castro who welcomed aid from the USSR. • Relations between the U.S. and Cuba were deteriorating.

19. (9) BAY OF PIGS In March 1960, Eisenhower gave the CIA permission to secretly train Cuban exiles for an invasion of Cuba to overthrow Communist friendly gov. • Kennedy learned of the plan only nine days into his presidency. • JFK approved the mission. • It turned out to be a disaster when in April, 1961, 1,200 Cuban exiles “secretly” came ashore and were met by 25,000 Cuban troops backed by Soviet tanks and were defeated. “We looked like fools to our friends, rascals to our enemies and incompetents to the rest.” Quote from U.S. Commentator

20. (13) THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS • Fidel Castro, leader of now communist Cuba had a powerful ally in Moscow • Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev promised to defend Cuba with Soviet weapons • During the summer of 1962 the flow of Soviet weapons into Cuba – including nuclear – increased greatly

21. WHY DIDN’T WE JUST ENACT THE MONROE DOCTRINE and/or ROOSEVELT COROLLARY AND JUST KICK BOOTY?

22. KENNEDY RESPONDS American president John F Kennedy making his dramatic television broadcast to announce the Cuba blockade during the Cuban Missile Crisis  • Kennedy made it clear the U.S. would not tolerate nuclear weapons in Cuba • When surveillance photos revealed nukes ready to launch in Cuba, JFK said the U.S. would respond to any attack from Cuba with an all-out nuclear retaliation against the Soviets

23. 13 DAYS • When more Soviet ships headed for Cuba with weapons, JFK ordered a blockade • The first US break in the crisis occurred when the Soviets ships turned back • Finally, Khrushchev agreed to remove the nuclear weapons from Cuba in exchange for a U.S. promise NOT to invade Cuba • Is there more to the story? For 13 days in October, 1962 the world stood still as the threat of nuclear war gripped the planet

24. CRISIS OVER BERLIN • In 1961, Berlin, Germany was a city in great turmoil • In the 11 years since the Berlin Airlift, almost 3 million East Germans (Soviet side) had fled into West Berlin (U.S. controlled) to flee communist rule

25. (10)The Berlin Wall is built • The Soviets did not like the fact that East Berliners were fleeing their city for the democratic west • Their departure hurt the economy and the prestige of the USSR • Just after midnight on August 13, 1961 the Soviets began construction of a 90-mile wall separating East and West Berlin East Germany begins construction on the Berlin Wall, which becomes a primary symbol of the Cold War and Soviet oppression

29. EASING TENSIONS • On August 6, 1963, after more than eight years of difficult negotiations, the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union signed the Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. • Both Khrushchev and Kennedy began searching for ways to ease the enormous tension between the two superpowers In 1963 they established a hot line between the White House and the Kremlin (19) Later that year, the superpowers signed a Limited Test Ban Treaty that served to ban nuclear testing in the atmosphere and reduce tension in the world

30. “The two most powerful nations had been squared off against each other, each with its finger on the button.”  -Khrushchev: “It is insane that two men, sitting on opposite sides of the world, should be able to decide to bring an end to civilization.” - JFK:

31. (7) OPEC forms • Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries- The World’s 12 Oil Producing and Exporting Countries- 6 in the Middle East, 4 in Africa, and 2 in South America.

32. The Vietnam War 1954 - 1975

33. Background to the War • France controlled “Indochina” since the late 19th century • Japan took control during World War II • With U.S. aid, France attempted re-colonization in the postwar period

34. Background to the War • The French lost control to Ho Chi Minh’s Viet Minhforces in 1954 at Dien Bien Phu • President Eisenhower declined to intervene on behalf of France.

35. Background to the War • International Conference at Geneva • Vietnam was divided at 17th parallel • Ho Chi Minh’s nationalist forces controlled the North • Ngo Dinh Diem, a French-educated, Roman Catholic claimed control of the South

36. Background to the War • A date was set for democratic elections to reunify North and South Vietnam • Diem (the Catholic Southern Vietnam, non-communist US backed guy) backed out of the elections, leading to military conflict between North and South

37. US Gets Involved… • Repressive dictatorial rule by Diem • Diem’s family holds all power • Wealth is hoarded by the elite • Buddhist majority persecuted • Torture, lack of political freedom prevail • The U.S. aided Diem’s government • Ike sent financial and military aid • 675 U.S. Army advisors sent by 1960.

38. Early Protests of Diem’s Government- remember Diem was Catholic and didn’t approve of Buddhism Self-Emolation by a Buddhist Monk

39. (8) U.S. Military Involvement Begins • Kennedy elected 1960 • JFK Increases military “advisors” to 16,000 • 1963: JFK supports a Vietnamese military coup d’etat– Diem and his brother are murdered (Nov. 2) • Kennedy was assassinated just weeks later (Nov. 22)