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Kennedy and the Cold War

This article explores the major events and decisions during the Kennedy presidency regarding the Cold War, including the Bay of Pigs invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis. It also discusses Kennedy's approach to the Berlin Wall and his implementation of a flexible response strategy.

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Kennedy and the Cold War

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  1. Kennedy and the Cold War

  2. Joseph Kennedy Sr • SEC • Ambassador to Court of St. James • Steel • Appeasement • Family ambitions

  3. Democrat – John F. Kennedy “get America running again” Republican – Richard M. Nixon Ike’s VP – ride coattails Election of 1960

  4. Televised Debate affects Votes • First televised debate between presidential candidates (Sept. 26, 1960) • 70 million viewers • Kennedy – well-coached and articulate • Kennedy attacked a “missile gap” – accurate?

  5. Civil Rights • Kennedy worked to get MLK, JR out of jail after demonstrating at a segregated lunch counter in ATL • Nixon took no public position • This gave Kennedy many Af. American votes

  6. Roman Catholic in the White House? • Kennedy wins, closest election since 1884 • Things working against him – age, religion • TX and IL political machines?

  7. Camelot • Americans began a love affair with the Kennedy family – Jackie, Caroline, John Jr.

  8. Eisenhower’s Warning • Military-industrial complex - military and industry would become too powerful, eclipsing the government.

  9. Kennedy’s Cabinet • John Kenneth Galbraith • Robert McNamara

  10. Flexible Response • Kennedy and Sec. of Defense (R. McNamara) – preparing for a variety of responses to internat’l crises other than nuclear war

  11. Cuba • Fidel Castro seizes power and turns Cuba into a communist country

  12. Communism in Cuba • Castro seizes oil refineries and turns commercial farms into communes

  13. Cuban exiles • Many Cuban exiles go to Miami

  14. Bay of Pigs • Eisenhower gave CIA permission to train exiles for invasion of Cuba. • Kennedy reluctantly went along with plan.

  15. FAILURE • Advance group never reached shore • Air strike failed to knock out Cuban air force • Some exiles killed, others imprisoned • Kennedy paid $53 million in food and medical supplies to ransom captives

  16. Effects of Bay of Pigs • U.S. was embarrassed • Cuba moved closer to the Soviets

  17. Cuban Missile Crisis • Soviets sent many weapons to Cuba (Nikita Khrushchev to Fidel Castro) • Kennedy warned that American would not tolerate nuclear weapons in Cuba

  18. October 1962 – US aerial photos showed Soviet missile bases in Cuba – ready to launch

  19. Cuban Missile Crisis (continued) • Kennedy warns that attack from Cuba on US will signal US nuclear attack on USSR • Soviet ships headed toward Cuba, while US ships and planes quarantined the island

  20. American military buildup in Miami • Soviet ships stopped suddenly, Khrushchev pulls missiles out of Cuba (in return for a promise to move outdated US missiles out of Turkey)

  21. Effects of Cuban Missile Crisis • Khrushchev’s prestige in USSR and world severely damaged • Kennedy criticized for practicing brinksmanship

  22. Berlin Wall • Khrushchev and Soviets have a wall erected between East and West Berlin. • Many refugees had been fleeing from East Berlin to West Berlin to escape communism

  23. Berlin Wall • US and Soviet Tanks face off • Kennedy calls up reserves • “we have never had to put up a wall to keep our people in…Ich bin ein Berliner” -1963

  24. Trying to ease tensions? • 1963 – hot line established between White House and Kremlin • Limited Test Ban Treaty – banned nuclear testing in atmosphere

  25. Flexible Response • Kennedy and McNamara move away from Dulles’ idea of massive retaliation and nuclear weapons • Increased spending on conventional (nonnuclear) weapons

  26. Flexible Response • Dealt with “brushfire” wars in Africa and Southeast Asia • Congo (Zaire) • Laos • Vietnam • Green Berets all over the world

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