The Kennedy Years

US History

"No easy problem ever comes to the "No easy problem ever comes to the President of the United States. If President of the United States. If

they are easy to solve, somebody else they are easy to solve, somebody else has solved themhas solved them..""

"No easy problem ever comes to the "No easy problem ever comes to the President of the United States. If President of the United States. If

they are easy to solve, somebody else they are easy to solve, somebody else has solved themhas solved them..""

What makes a Great President?

10 Categories for Evaluating Presidents

Ranking of Presidents for Leadership

1960 Election

• Richard Nixon (VP) vs. John F. Kennedy

Only 120,000 votes apart!!!! – Role of Illinois?**Watch Commercials

1960 Election

Paris, 1961Paris, 1961

Khrushchev & JFK meet to discuss Berlin and Khrushchev & JFK meet to discuss Berlin and nuclear proliferation. Khrushchev thinks nuclear proliferation. Khrushchev thinks

that JFK is young, inexperienced, and can be that JFK is young, inexperienced, and can be controlled.controlled.

JFK – “One of theworst days of mylife”

The Berlin Wall Goes Up The Berlin Wall Goes Up (1961)(1961)

CheckpoinCheckpointt

CharlieCharlie

The Berlin Wall

• The wall was erected by the communist government of East Germany in 1961 to prevent people fleeing to the West

• The barrier around West Berlin was first barbed wire and then cinder blocks, 96 miles long.

• Around 5000 managed to cross between 1961 and 1989 and between 100-200 were killed as they tried to cross.

Berlin Wall

Berlin Wall

Khrushchev & Castro 1961Khrushchev & Castro 1961In 1959, Fidel Castro came to power in an armed revolt that overthrew Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista. The U.S. government distrusted Castro and was wary of his relationship with Nikita Khrushchev, the leader of the Soviet Union.

Containment Plan

• Train Cuban exiles for an invasion of their homeland (starting at the Bay of Pigs)

• The plan anticipated that the Cuban people and elements of the Cuban military would support the invasion.

• The ultimate goal was the overthrow of Castro and the establishment of a non-communist government friendly to the United States.

Bay of Pigs

Bay of Pigs Debacle Bay of Pigs Debacle (1961)(1961)

Castro versus 1500 CIA trained exiles

The Battle?• The Cuban-exile invasion force landed at

beaches along the Bay of Pigs and immediately came under heavy fire. Cuban planes strafed the invaders, sank two escort ships, and destroyed half of the exile's air support.

• Castro ordered roughly 20,000 troops to advance toward the beach, and the Cuban air force continued to control the skies.

• The invasion was crushed later that day. • Some exiles escaped to the sea, while the

rest were killed or rounded up and imprisoned by Castro's forces. Almost 1,200 members of surrendered, and more than 100 were killed.

CASTRO

Outcomes

• On December 1962, the Cuban government exchanged the 1,113 captured mercenaries for 53 million dollars worth of baby food and medicine

• US Cost = $42 million for training and supplies + $53 million for ransom

• **End result = Castro remains in power and Soviet Union strengthens Cuban relationship

Cuban Missile Crisis Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)(1962)

In October 1962, an American U-2 spy plane secretly photographed nuclear missile sites being built by the Soviet Union on the island of Cuba.

JFK’s Address to the Nation

Cuban Missile Crisis Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)(1962)

Kennedy decided to place a naval blockade, or a ring of ships, around Cuba. The aim of this "quarantine," as he called it, was to prevent the Soviets from bringing in more military supplies. He demanded the removal of the missiles already there and the destruction of the sites.

KHRUSHCHEV RespondsDear Mr. President,

Imagine, Mr. President, what if we were to present to you such an ultimatum as you have presented to us by your actions. How would you react to it? I think you would be outraged at such a move on our part. And this we would understand. Having presented these conditions to us, Mr. President, you have thrown down the gauntlet. Who asked you to do this? By what right have you done this? Our ties with the Republic of Cuba, as well as our relations with other nations, regardless of their political system, concern only the two countries between which these relations exist.

The End of the Letter?• The Soviet government considers the violation of

the freedom of navigation in international waters and air space to constitute an act of aggression propelling humankind into the abyss of a world nuclear-missile war.

• We will then be forced on our part to take those measures we deem necessary and sufficient to defend our rights. To this end we have all that is necessary.

Cuban Missile Crisis Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)(1962)

We went eyeball-to-eyeball with the We went eyeball-to-eyeball with the Russians, and the other man blinked!Russians, and the other man blinked!

The Soviets agreed to dismantle the weapon sites in exchange for a pledge from the United States not to invade Cuba to remove its nuclear missiles from Turkey.

Long Term Outcomes of the Cuban Missile Crisis

• The establishment of a "Hotline" between the Kremlin and the White House and the signing of the Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.

• The SALT Treaties made a significant contribution to containing the dangers of the Cold War and provided a foundation for continuing arms control measures to reduce the risk of nuclear war.

JFK’s Trip to Dallas

Assassination of JFK

• Lee Harvey Oswald

November 22, 1963

Dallas, Texas

Jack Ruby Shoots Lee Harvey Oswald November 24, 1963

Warren Commission’s Report

• It is apparent, however, that Oswald was moved by an overriding hostility to his environment. He does not appear to have been able to establish meaningful relationships with other people. He was perpetually discontented with the world around him. Long before the assassination he expressed his hatred for American society and acted in protest against it. Out of these and the many other factors which may have molded the character of Lee Harvey Oswald there emerged a man capable of assassinating President Kennedy.

LincolnLincoln KennedyKennedy

Lincoln was elected to Congress in Lincoln was elected to Congress in 18461846

Kennedy was elected to Congress in Kennedy was elected to Congress in 19461946

He was elected President in 1860He was elected President in 1860 He was elected President in 1960He was elected President in 1960

His wife lost a child while living in the His wife lost a child while living in the White HouseWhite House

His wife lost a child while living in the His wife lost a child while living in the White HouseWhite House

He was directly concerned with Civil He was directly concerned with Civil RightsRights

He was directly concerned with Civil He was directly concerned with Civil RightsRights

Lincoln was shot in the back of the Lincoln was shot in the back of the head in the presence of his wifehead in the presence of his wife

Kennedy was shot in the back of the Kennedy was shot in the back of the head in the presence of his wifehead in the presence of his wife

Lincoln shot in the Ford TheatreLincoln shot in the Ford Theatre Kennedy shot in a Lincoln, made by Kennedy shot in a Lincoln, made by FordFord

He was shot on a FridayHe was shot on a Friday He was shot on a FridayHe was shot on a Friday

The assassin, John Wilkes Booth, was The assassin, John Wilkes Booth, was known by three names, comprised known by three names, comprised of fifteen lettersof fifteen letters

The assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, was The assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, was known by three names, comprised known by three names, comprised of fifteen lettersof fifteen letters

Booth shot Lincoln in a theater and Booth shot Lincoln in a theater and fled to a warehousefled to a warehouse

Oswald shot Kennedy from a Oswald shot Kennedy from a warehouse and fled to a theaterwarehouse and fled to a theater

Booth was killed before being brought Booth was killed before being brought to trialto trial

Oswald was killed before being Oswald was killed before being brought to trialbrought to trial

There were theories that Booth was There were theories that Booth was part of a greater conspiracypart of a greater conspiracy

There were theories that Oswald was There were theories that Oswald was part of a greater conspiracypart of a greater conspiracy

Lincoln's successor was Andrew Lincoln's successor was Andrew Johnson, born in 1808Johnson, born in 1808

Kennedy's successor was Lyndon Kennedy's successor was Lyndon Johnson, born in 1908Johnson, born in 1908

Coincidence???

• One more coincidence:– JFK was invited to speak at the

hundredth anniversary of the Gettysburg Address 11/23/1963

– Originally accepted but cancelled to attend a political meeting in Dallas

– Eternal flame for JFK was modified from the eternal flame at Gettysburg

1964 Candidates

• Lyndon B. Johnson • Barry Goldwater

1964 Campaign Commercials!!!!!

1964 Election

Why would the South become Republican? - Democrats passed Civil Rights Act