The Election of 1960

2. The Election of 1960 The presidency changes drastically as the sixties began due to the innovation of television. It was estimated that 75 million watched the first ever televised debate. Both parties had spent 6 million dollars in radio and television adds.

3. Who do you love? Richard Millhouse Nixon John F. Kennedy Catholic Young ,wealthy War Hero From Massachusetts Quaker Vice President under Eisenhower From California Grew up with financial struggles

4. Up for Debate Portrayed himself as a cold warrior, who wanted to stop communism. Wanted to boost the economy Concerned with the missile gap, believed the U.S. lagged behind Russia in missile production Portrayed himself as a cold warrior, who wanted to stop communism. Wanted to boost the economy Believed Kennedy's plan would boost inflation Believed he was the only one with the foreign politics experience.

5. The result It was Kennedy’s optimism and charisma that won out leading to his election. Still the election was close as the country elected it’s youngest and first catholic President.

6. The New Frontier After Kennedy became President he pushed his campaign promises stating that he would: Stimulate the lagging economy Reform education Provide healthcare to the elderly Continue the struggle for civil rights As well as win the Space Race

7. JFK and Communism Kennedy felt the Eisenhower relied too much on Nuclear weapons. Kennedy instead increased funding to the special forces. Kennedy appointed a group of young minded forward thinking men for his cabinet.

8. Flexible response Kennedy’s policies started with building the military. In 1961 there was a 6 billion dollar jump in military spending. Termed by Robert McNamara as “Flexible Response” the growth of arms allowed the U.S. multiple options when containing communism.

9. Berlin Crisis During a conference in Vienna both Khrushchev and Kennedy had a longing for peace in Berlin. July 1 Kennedy speaks enlarging the military to bring about freedom for the world. August 13 the U.S.S.R. Sealed off their end of Germany with the Berlin Wall.

10. Containment around the world In fighting Communism Kennedy focused on aid as much as military. 20 billion dollars was spent in an alliance with Latin America, and South East Asia The money went to developing schools , housing and health care.

11. Peace Corps The most memorable being the Peace Corps. An organization that sent Americans to provide humanitarian services in less developed nations.

12. Cuba As Castro rose to power Kennedy backed the anti Castro movement The Eisenhower Administration had been a group of Cuban exiles in Guatemala since 1960. CIA planned to use this force to overthrow Castro

13. The Bay of Pigs Invasion April 1961 1400 Cuban Exiles moved ashore the Bay of pigs on the southern coast of Cuba Kennedy believed the action should remain covert. Holding back air support. Without air support the invasion was a failure In 48 hours 500 of the exiles had been killed, and the rest had surrendered.

14. The Cuban Missile Crisis With the failed invasion Castro went to the Soviet Union for aid. The Soviet Union began to build weapons for the delivery of Nuclear missiles in Cuba After sending aerial surveillance over Cuba the U.S. and Russia were in diplomatic stand still over the missiles.

15. The New Frontier moving forward

17. Civil Rights Kennedy had pushed him self as a backer of the civil rights movement during the campaign. Kennedy struggled in office in figuring out how t give rights to African Americans without alienating southern Democrats. Originally Kennedy was behind Congress's approval of Eisenhower's civil rights work.

18. Civil Rights movement Kennedy was able to appoint a number of African American's in high government positions. (Example Thurgood Marshall being appointed to the circuit court) Vice President Johnson was placed in charge of a bureau for the equal employment of African Americans.

19. Freedom Ride While had a laid back approach to achieving civil rights the movement itself would not accept his actions. The congress of racial equality sponsored a freedom ride. They attempted to test a supreme court ruling outlawing segregation in all bus and train stations. When arriving in Alabama the riders were attacked by a mob of angry whites. Kennedy sent a letter asking them to stop since he was busy with the Berlin crisis. Eventually the interstate commerce committee banned segregation.

20. The Martin Luther King effect Martin Luther king forced Kennedy to step up by starting a protest in Birmingham. Look to end the segregation of public facilities many of the protestors were put in prison where King spoke you through writing letters. After watching the violent actions Kennedy stepped in freeing the protestors and granting many of their demands. From this point on the Kennedy began to back the movement.

21. The march on Washington August in 1963 even though the government pleaded with them to stop the civil rights leaders scheduled a massive march on Washington. 200,000 marchers gathered for activities culminating in King’s “I have a dream speech”

22. Nuclear Test Ban Treaty After the close destruction during the Cuban missile crisis both sides decide to start consider the Nuclear crisis. The U.S. and the U.S.S.R. sign the nuclear test ban treaty: Which stopped the testing of nuclear weapons in the atmosphere.

23. The Kennedy Era Ends Shortly after the passage of the test ban treaty Kennedy and his wife were visiting Dallas Texas. As the motorcade was moved down the street President Kennedy was shot once in the throat and head The believed gunman was Lee Harvey Oswald Oswald would later be killed in police custody

24. Johnson’s Reforms Johnson attempted to continue the reforms of Kennedy with some success. War on poverty: Trying to thin the number of poor citizens in the country Johnson used government money to provide: Adult remedial services Child care Consumer education classes

25. The Great Society As Johnson entered his first term as President congress accepted his push for what he called the Great society Program. Especially since he broke the conservative grip on congress.

26. Medicare and Medicaid Johnson pushed for two traditional reforms. Healthcare and aid to education. Medicare: mandated health insurance under the social security program for those over 65. Medicaid: Gave health care to those below the poverty line. The main argument was that they added to entitlements.

27. Civil Rights act of 1965

28. The Vietnam War

29. Dien Bien Phu In the interior of Northern Indo-China 10,000 French troops had been surround by the Vietnamese. The French turned for support from America As the U.S. lingered on action the French were pushed out of North Vietnam The U.S. would later take over for the French in south Vietnam

30. Vietnam Dilemma Vietnam during the Kennedy era fell into political upheaval. Kennedy sent economic aid along with military advisors. Johnson continued Kennedy's plan until………

31. The Gulf of Tolkien Resolution August 2, 1964 the Maddox was sunk by torpedoes. The ship was gathering information off the coast of North Vietnam. Two ships investigated the issue resulting in U.S. airstrikes on two shipyards. Johnson then asked congress to pass a resolution to authorize him to take all necessary measures to repel armed attacks on U.S. forces. Lead to the escalation of the war.

32. The early days The original plan was to use bombing and troop movements to cut off supplies to North Vietnamese rebels. Johnson was warned that he may be getting into something that can’t be finished in two t three years.

33. Stalemate The main supply line was known as the Ho-Chi- Minh trail. That ran through Laos and Cambodia. The U.S. bombed this area constantly but saw little results. In the south the search and destroy programs of General Westmorland went no better, as the Vietcong were supported by the North Vietnamese.

34. Cultural push back The war became a growing movement for youth protest. Across the country starting college campuses students began to speak out against the war. Starting at Berkeley. Full expression started in 1962 with Students for a democratic society.(Started in Port Huron Michigan)Group wanted to end poverty, violence, racism in the country.

35. Controversy Continues By 1966 1967 protest became only more tense. The students did not end the war but atleast gave protestors a voice.

36. Tet Offensive By 1968 the Tet Offensive would break the stalemate and drive Johnson from office. During the holiday known as Tet there was normally a lull in fighting. The Vietcong considered this a perfect time for a surprise attack. The attack struck 36 of the 40 important provincial cities including the capital Saigon 6 hours were caught on film.

37. Democratic party Problems Johnson decided to remove himself fro reelection The vice President Hubert Humphrey stepped in along with Robert or Bobby Kennedy. Bobby looked like he could be the winner until he was shot outside a California hotel. Humphrey got the nomination only to run against……

39. Nixon’s campaign plan Nixon ran by appealing to what became known as the “Silent majority” The idea that the student protestors may have had a loud voice but did not truly speak for America. Upon election Nixon said he would bring the country together.

40. Achievements Nixon was the first President to bring about Affirmative action The establishment of the EPA The lowering of the voting age The introduction of food stamps

41. Detente The policy in which Nixon tried to relax tensions with communist countries Opened trade with China Salt conference: Visit to Moscow agreed to arms control and reduction

42. Ending the war in Vietnam Nixon had a three scale tactic to end the war 1st renewed bombing including a secret order to bomb Cambodia 2nd slowly reducing troops 3rd Secret talks in Hanoi about ending the war

43. Water gate Scandal With Nixon’s detent policy he was afraid of leaks making him look weak on Communism. Develops a covert surveillance group Same group is caught and covered up during the 1972 election

44. Carter administration Carter hoped to simply balance the budget and expand the American economy. Iranian hostage crisis: In 1979 Americans were taken hostage in Iran Originally carter used economic constraints When that didn’t work there was a failed military rescue Eventually freedom was negotiated after lasting from the summer to fall of 1980

45. The Reagan administration Economics: Reagan cut taxes on the rich hoping for a trickle down affect Also began to deregulate the free market giving more strength to the private sector economy

46. Reagan Foreign Policy Increased arms funding to Afghanistan to halt a soviet invasion. Developed SDI which was an advanced laser based anti missile system Began the Nicaragua group the contra to fight the sandonistas.

47. Iran Contra Affair 1985 Robert McFarlane began to a new iniative to restore American influence in the Middle East When six American hostages were taken McFarlane proposed trading weapons for hostages Secondly after a congressional cut on abroad spending the administration began soliciting money from wealthy donors to buy weapons for the contras.