United States History

Chapter 30:The New Frontier and The

Great Society

Election of 1960 Richard Nixon (R) and John F. Kennedy (D) Very close race that came down a few thousand

popular votes However, television debates became the

deciding factor of the election• Nixon appeared nervous and tired in front of the camera• Kennedy appeared confident and relaxed• Television viewers thought JFK won, whereas radio

listeners thought Nixon won JFK became the youngest elected president at 43

• T. Roosevelt was younger (42), but became president after McKinley was assassinated

John F. Kennedy (1961-1963)

JFK’s Foreign Policy Continued anti-communist policies of

previous presidents• Did not rely solely on nukes• Created other response preparations for

communism (ex. Green Berets) Created the Peace Corps to aid developing

nations and hopefully deter communism Alliance for Progress created to help Latin

American nations economically • Proved a failure when money given to nations fell

into hands of corrupt politicians

Bay of Pigs In 1959, Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista was

overthrown by Communist sympathizer Fidel Castro and his followers

Concerned of a Communist nation so close to the US, Kennedy learned of a CIA based plan to overthrow Castro• Trained Cuban exiles would conduct the coup• US ships would aid the exiles

Commenced at Cuba’s Bay of Pigs on April 17, 1961• American aid was pulled at the last minute• Only took 72 hours for Cuba to crush the coup• Strengthened ties between Cuba and the USSR

Berlin The Bay of Pigs showed JFK to be weak Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev

demanded that the US recognize East German and pull all troops from the nation

Meanwhile, East Berliners streamed into West Berlin and more troops were sent

In August 1961, the Soviets helped to build a wall dividing Berlin

The wall stood until 1989, preventing people from escaping the Communist East Berlin

Cuban Missile Crisis The worst was to come when American spy

planes over Cuba discovered Soviet missile silos on the island• Castro asked for weapons to protect from invasion• The missiles were capable of hitting cities in the US

JFK announced, on October 22, 1962, that any ship bound for Cuba would be turned back

Also demanded that the Soviets remove the missiles

For the next two days, the world teetered• Soviet ships sailed for Cuba with American bombers

ready to go

Cuban Missile Crisis Neither side appeared to be backing down On October 24, the Soviet ships turned

around and headed back home On October 28, Khrushchev agreed to remove

the missiles• JFK promised not to invade Cuba• Also secretly dismantled US missile sites in Turkey

The crisis led to an easing of nuclear tensions• Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (1963) ended testing

above ground and underwater• Established a hotline so direct contact could be made

during a crisis

Bay of Pigs and Cuban Missile Crisis

The Kennedy White House JFK brought about a new view and love for

the presidency As a young man with a young family, their

love of athletics and fine arts, and his handsome looks made him very popular

His wife, Jackie Kennedy, was especially popular

He surrounded himself very highly educated advisors, including his brother, Robert Kennedy, as attorney general

The New Frontier JFK’s domestic program became known as

the New Frontier The economy was especially sticky during his

term, with high unemployment and inflation• Inflation was checked, but unemployment remained

high • He struggled to address taxes, aid to the poor and

elderly, and health care because of a divided Congress

However, Kennedy strived to address poverty and racism in his days in office

November 22, 1963 Preparing to campaign for the election of 1964, JFK

went to Dallas on 11/22/1963 Riding in an open limo with Jackie, the governor of

Texas and his wife, a sniper fired a fatal shot to JFK’s head along the route

Immediately, Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested in the murder• Oswald was killed days later by Jack Ruby, upset over the

assassination• Millions watched the funeral on TV, devastated by the murder

Lyndon Johnson was sworn in as president hours later• Appointed Chief Justice Earl Warren to investigate• Determined that one gunman fired the shots, with no conspiracy • Still debated today

JFK Assassination

Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-1969)

Johnson’s Presidency LBJ tried to continue JFK’s programs, but was

very different from the charismatic leader Some of his biggest ambitions were to address

poverty, women’s rights, minority rights, and healthcare• Declared a War on Poverty with created several

programs to address poverty Head Start: low income preschool program Volunteers in Service to America, a domestic version of the

Peace Corps Job Corps: job training for 16-21 year olds

Had to worry about reelection in 1964, but his ambition program became known as the Great Society

Johnson’s Presidency LBJ’s opponent in 1964 was Barry Goldwater Goldwater was considered too extreme,

promising to cut too much out, so LBJ won in a landslide

LBJ set out immediately to pass legislation• Medicare and Medicaid: health coverage for the elderly

and poor• Elementary and Secondary Education Act: provide money

to schools in low income areas• Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): provided

money to provide adequate housing • Corporation for Public Broadcasting: organization for

educational television (PBS)

Johnson’s Presidency Very instrumental in civil rights legislation Active in environmental legislation The Supreme Court of Johnson’s time also

interpreted law in a liberal, activist manner• Many cases protected individual rights and criminal

rights Also was committed to fighting Communism

• Sent troops to the Dominican Republic in 1965 to prevent an anti-American government establishment

• Escalated the Vietnam conflict to unprecedented levels, eventually outspending the Great Society programs

• Eventually led to Johnson not seeking reelection in 1968• However, many Great Society programs still exist today