Aim: How did Cold War tensions increase during the 1960s?Do Now: Read President’s JFK inaugural address and answer the following;1.How did President John F. Kennedy describe

the “new generation of Americans”? 2.What warning does JFK offer to America’s

foes? 3.What promises does Kennedy make in his

speech?4.What does JFK asks of Americans? Explain in

your own words.

John F. Kennedy

• 35th president • Wealthy Family.• 43 years old• Roman Catholic• Charismatic and highly

appealing to American Public.

• Lacked political experience

Nixon v. Kennedy Televised Debates• 1st ever

televised debate

• Million viewers

• Kennedy appeared confident and at ease.

JFK & Civil Rights

• MLK Jr. arrested at a sit-in and sentenced to hard labor.

• Kennedy and his brother, Robert, persuaded judge to release MLK.

• Captured the attention of many African Americans and won their vote

Kennedy’s New Frontier GOALS:

• Provide medical care for elderly• Rebuild urban areas• Education• Increase national defense spending• Expand space program• Increase international aid (*PEACE

CORPS)

Peace Corps• On March 1961, Kennedy issued an executive order establishing the

Peace Corps as a new humanitarian “army” made up of civilian volunteers who travelled to underdeveloped nations to help them in any way they could.

• During the 1960s and 1970s, thousands of Americans—especially young people—served in dozens of nations, particularly in Latin America, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Working side by side with the people of these nations, Peace Corps volunteers helped build sewer and water systems; constructed and taught in schools; assisted in developing new crops and agricultural methods to increase productivity; and participated in numerous other projects.

• Volunteers sometimes faced danger, and they were not always welcomed by foreign people suspicious of American motives. Overall, however, the program was judged a success in terms of helping to “win the hearts and minds” of people in the underdeveloped world.

Nikita Khrushchev John F. Kennedy

VS.

In the 1960s….

Cuban Revolution•In 1959 Fidel Castro, came to power in Cuba when he overthrew American-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista. Castro instituted a Cuban Revolution to turn Cuba communist. He further alienated the United States when he began confiscating property owned by American businesses and accepting aid from the Soviet Union.

• Beginning under President Eisenhower and continuing through the Kennedy administration, the CIA attempted to weaken Cuba. In addition to several failed plots to assassinate Castro, the CIA helped finance and implement an attack on Cuba by angry Cuban exiles.

•The Bay of Pigs Invasion began on April 17, 1961 when 1,300 armed exiles landed at Cuba's Bay of Pigs. The CIA had assumed that Castro was unpopular with the Cuban people, and that this invasion would spark a rebellion against him.

• Castro responded quickly killing or capturing the invaders. •Trying to conceal American involvement, Kennedy refused to provide air support for the Cuban exiles. Later Kennedy was forced to admit responsibility publicly.

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)

Prevents threats and further US national security objectives by collecting information, conducting effective covert action as directed by the President, and safeguarding the secrets that help keep our Nation safe.

• In the USSR, the KGB was the intelligence agency.

13

• May 1, 1960: CIA agent Francis Gary Powers’ U-2 plane, was shot down by Soviet missile.• Powers was unable to activate plane's self-destruct mechanism before he parachuted to the ground, right into the hands of the KGB.

– Plane crashed intact, – Soviets recovered its photography equipment– Captured Powers, whom they interrogated extensively for months before he made a "voluntary confession" and public apology for his part in US espionage 30

U-2 Incident

Berlin Wall• In the dark on August 13, 1961, a low, barbed-wire barrier rose between East and West Berlin. Within days, Soviet workers cemented concrete blocks into a low wall, dividing neighborhoods and families.• The USSR called the wall a barrier to Western imperialism, but it also was meant to keep its people going to the West where the standard of living was much higher and freedoms greater.

• The West Germans called it the "Wall of Shame.” Towers and guards with machine guns and dogs stood watch over no man's land. Anyone trying to escape was shot on sight.

The Cold War really gets HOT

Cuban Missile CrisisOn October 14, 1962, an American U-2 spy plane flying over Cuba took photographs that revealed the construction of missile launch sites capable of delivering nuclear warheads to targets throughout the U.S.

• It was clear that the Soviet Union was behind this. • Kennedy immediately called a meeting of several

key advisors and cabinet members. The group, which came to be called EXCOMM, immediately began to brainstorm possible responses to the Cuban missiles. The group outlined four possible alternatives

The result of the Cuban Missile Crisis

Kennedy’s Response to Khrushchev’s Proposal October 27, 1962

Dear Mr. Chairman (Krushchev):

I have read your letter of October 26th with great care and welcomed the statement of your desire to seek a prompt solution to the problem. The first thing that needs to be done, however, is for work to cease on offensive missile bases in Cuba and for all weapons systems in Cuba capable of offensive use to be rendered inoperable, under effective United Nations arrangements.

… As I read your letter, the key elements of your proposals--which seem generally acceptable as I understand them--are as follows:

1) You would agree to remove these weapons systems from Cuba…

2) We, on our part, would agree—(a) to remove promptly the quarantine measures now in effect and (b) to give assurances against an invasion of Cuba. […]

What did JFK chose to do? Do you agree with his decision? Why or why not?

The result of the Cuban Missile Crisis

1.Withdrawal of USSR’s nuclear missiles from Cuba

2.Withdrawal of US nuclear missiles from Turkey & Italy

3.Agreement that the US would never invade Cuba

4.Creation of nuclear hotline between the US & USSR.

Washington-Moscow “Hotline”

The Cold War gets COLD again

oHow did Cold War tensions increase during the 1960s?