Kennedy / Cold WarKennedy / Cold War

Chapter 20Chapter 20

KennedyKennedy

1960’s1960’sEconomy in recessionEconomy in recession

American military falling behind the SovietsAmerican military falling behind the Soviets

Alignment of Cuba with the SovietsAlignment of Cuba with the Soviets

Were we winning the Cold War??Were we winning the Cold War??

Election of 1960Election of 1960

First televised debate --- Sept. 26, 1960First televised debate --- Sept. 26, 1960KennedyKennedy v. v. NixonNixon

John KennedyJohn KennedyWell organized campaignWell organized campaignBacking from wealthy familyBacking from wealthy familyHandsome – CharismaticHandsome – Charismatic4343Roman CatholicRoman CatholicLooked / Spoke better than NixonLooked / Spoke better than Nixon

Kennedy and Civil RightsKennedy and Civil Rights Atlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta, Georgia

Martin Luther King, Jr.Martin Luther King, Jr. --- --- arrestedarrested 33 Demonstrators33 Demonstrators Sitting at a segregated lunch counterSitting at a segregated lunch counter Sentenced to months of hard laborSentenced to months of hard labor

Kennedy phoned King’s wifeKennedy phoned King’s wife Robert Kennedy persuaded the judge to release King on bailRobert Kennedy persuaded the judge to release King on bail

Pending an appealPending an appeal

African American Community now backed Kennedy in African American Community now backed Kennedy in electionelection Helped carry key statesHelped carry key states

Kennedy MystiqueKennedy Mystique Referred to CamelotReferred to Camelot Everyone loved himEveryone loved him

““Ask not what your country can Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do do for you – ask what you can do for your country”for your country”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1PbQlVMp98

Brought together “the best and Brought together “the best and the brightest”the brightest” Robert Kennedy Robert Kennedy

Attorney GeneralAttorney General 35 years old35 years old

Military PolicyMilitary Policy Focused on the Cold WarFocused on the Cold War Redefined the nation’s nuclear strategyRedefined the nation’s nuclear strategy

Flexible ResponseFlexible Response Increased defense spending in order to boost Increased defense spending in order to boost

conventional military forcesconventional military forces Non-nuclear forcesNon-nuclear forces

Troops, ships, artilleryTroops, ships, artillery Create an elite branch of army Create an elite branch of army

Special Forces (Green Berets)Special Forces (Green Berets)

Tripled the overall nuclear capabilities of the U.S.Tripled the overall nuclear capabilities of the U.S.

CubaCuba

January 3, 1961January 3, 1961 Eisenhower cut off diplomatic Eisenhower cut off diplomatic

relations with Cubarelations with Cuba

Fidel CastroFidel Castro Declared himself a communistDeclared himself a communist Welcomed aid from the SovietsWelcomed aid from the Soviets Gained power with a promise of Gained power with a promise of

democracydemocracy

Cont.Cont.

CastroCastro Seized 3 American and Seized 3 American and

British oil refineriesBritish oil refineries Congress erected trade Congress erected trade

barriers against Cuban sugarbarriers against Cuban sugar

10% of Cuba’s population 10% of Cuba’s population went into exilewent into exile FloridaFlorida

Bay of PigsBay of Pigs

March 1960March 1960 Eisenhower gave the CIA permission to secretly Eisenhower gave the CIA permission to secretly

train Cuban exiles for an invasion of Cubatrain Cuban exiles for an invasion of CubaOverthrow CastroOverthrow Castro

Kennedy learned of plan 9 days after Kennedy learned of plan 9 days after electionelection Had doubts --- but approved planHad doubts --- but approved plan

Cont.Cont.

April 17, 1961April 17, 1961 1,300 to 1,500 Cuban exiles l1,300 to 1,500 Cuban exiles landed at the Bay of Pigsanded at the Bay of Pigs Nothing went as plannedNothing went as planned

Air strike failed to knock out the Cuban air forceAir strike failed to knock out the Cuban air force

Faced 25,000 Cuban troopsFaced 25,000 Cuban troops Backed by Soviet tanks and jetsBacked by Soviet tanks and jets failedfailed

Secretary of State ---Secretary of State --- ““look like fools to our friends, rascals to our enemies, look like fools to our friends, rascals to our enemies,

and incompetents to the rest”and incompetents to the rest”

Cuban Missile CrisisCuban Missile Crisis Nikita KhrushchevNikita Khrushchev

Promised to defend Cuba with Promised to defend Cuba with Soviet armsSoviet arms

19621962 Soviet weapons set up at CubaSoviet weapons set up at Cuba

Nuclear missilesNuclear missiles

October 14October 14 Photographs taken by U.S. Photographs taken by U.S.

planes planes Ready to launchReady to launch

Cont.Cont.

Kennedy warned that America would not tolerate Kennedy warned that America would not tolerate offensive nuclear weapons in Cubaoffensive nuclear weapons in Cuba ““Any missile attack from Cuba would trigger an all-out Any missile attack from Cuba would trigger an all-out

attack on the Soviets”attack on the Soviets”

6 days --- possibility of nuclear war6 days --- possibility of nuclear war Soviet ships headed towards CubaSoviet ships headed towards Cuba

U.S. prepared to U.S. prepared to QuarantineQuarantine Cuba Cuba 100,000 troops waited in Florida100,000 troops waited in Florida

Cont.Cont. Soviet ships suddenly stoppedSoviet ships suddenly stopped

Few days later Few days later Khrushchev offered to remove the missiles in return for an Khrushchev offered to remove the missiles in return for an

American pledge not to invade CubaAmerican pledge not to invade Cuba

U.S. also secretly agreed to remove missiles U.S. also secretly agreed to remove missiles from Turkeyfrom Turkey

““For a moment, the world had stood still”For a moment, the world had stood still” Robert KennedyRobert Kennedy

BerlinBerlin19611961

11 years since Berlin airlift11 years since Berlin airlift 3 million East Germans – 20% fled into West 3 million East Germans – 20% fled into West

BerlinBerlinWeakened East BerlinWeakened East Berlin

KhrushchevKhrushchev Wanted to close all the access roads to West Wanted to close all the access roads to West

Berlin because many people were leaving east Berlin because many people were leaving east Berlin.Berlin.

Kennedy refusedKennedy refused

Cont.Cont. KhrushchevKhrushchev

““I want peace. But, if you want war, that is your problem.”I want peace. But, if you want war, that is your problem.”

KennedyKennedy ““We cannot and will not permit the communists to drive us out We cannot and will not permit the communists to drive us out

of Berlin”of Berlin”

August 13, 1961August 13, 1961 East German troops began to unload concrete posts / barbed East German troops began to unload concrete posts / barbed

wirewire Within days the Within days the Berlin WallBerlin Wall was erected was erected

Ease TensionsEase Tensions

19631963Hot LineHot Line

Direct telephone line between the White House Direct telephone line between the White House and the Kremlinand the Kremlin

Communicate at onceCommunicate at once

Limited Test Ban TreatyLimited Test Ban TreatyBarred nuclear testing in the atmosphereBarred nuclear testing in the atmosphere