IN THE 1960’s

Dwight D. Eisenhower1953-1961Republican

He was not president for much during the 60’s.

Important dates:

May 1, 1960 U-2 reconnaissance plane piloted by Francis Gary Powers is shot down over the U.S.S.R.

January 12, 1961 Eisenhower sends his last State Of the Union address to Congress.

January 17, 1961 Eisenhower delivers Farewell Address warning the nation of the “Military-Industrial Complex.”

John F. Kennedy1961-1963Democrat

• Election of John F Kennedy:– He was very young– Only Catholic to ever be elected President– Television helped his campaigning – He won the election against Richard Nixon

by an electoral vote of 303-219

•Policies in the United States:

•“NEW FRONTIER”

•Federal aid for education

•Health Care

•Elderly

•Civil Rights

•June 11, 1963 speech

•Tax Cuts

•Minimum Wage increase

•Slum clearance

His policies were very liberal, which cause him difficulty in passing legislation through congress.

John F. Kennedy1961-1963Democrat

• Foreign Policy and Foreign Affairs– Flexible Response:

• Defensive Policy• He devised flexible response to contain communism. • It was the use of conventional forces and weapons instead of creating a nuclear war.

– The Peace Corps:• Send college graduates to foreign countries• Helped in areas of education, irrigation, etc.

– Bay of Pigs Invasion:• CIA plan to invade Cuba• Mistake!• Failed

– Cuban Missile Crisis Threat to the United States:• Missile bases were built in Cuba by the Soviets• A huge danger to the US

– Led to:» Blockade» Security Council Meeting» Speech

• John F. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963.

Lyndon B. Johnson1963-1969Democrat

• Because JFK was assassinated, LBJ was sworn in immediately.

• He was devoted to the policies of JFK.

• His goals:– 1. Space Program

– 2. Fight Communism

– 3. The Great Society

– 4. Civil Rights• Civil Rights Act of 1964

– This act outlawed major forms of discrimination against African Americans and women.

• Election of 1964– Won against Barry Goldwater

with an electoral vote of 486-52!

Lyndon B. Johnson1963-1969Democrat

• Space Program – He wanted to control space

• He claimed this was worth the budget sacrifices that would occur elsewhere

– He claimed the space race was for national security after “Sputnik”– When the space race was over, many Americans questioned if this was actually

just a race for “national prestige.”– Apollo Program

• Important Space Race Dates during LBJ administration– 1965

• Jun. 3 - America’s First Space Walk (Ed White) – 1965

• Dec. 4 - Two week stay orbiting Earth (Frank Borman and James Lovell aboard Gemini 7)

– 1966• Nov. 11 - Gemini 12, the last flight of the Gemini Program, launches with

James Lovell and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin aboard. – 1967

• Jan. 27 - Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee are killed when a fire ignites in their Apollo 1 capsule on the launch pad.

– 1969• Jul. 20 - Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin become the first men to

walk on the Moon.

Lyndon B. Johnson1963-1969Democrat

• Domestic Policy– The Great Society/War on Poverty

• Job Corps– Students receive skills needed in the work force

• Head Start– provides comprehensive education, health, nutrition, and parent

involvement services to low-income children and their families.• Medicare• Medicaid• Department of Education• Department of Housing and Urban Development

– (Continuing JFK’s idea of slum clearance)• Public Housing• Crime Prevention• Led to higher taxes• Inflation

Lyndon B. Johnson1963-1969Democrat

Fight Against Communism…

Vietnam War Overview• At the beginning, Americans thought they had to go to war.• Eventually, the realized problems with the war. • Protests (Note* Unrest of the 1960’s led up to this)

– Kent State• May 4, 1970• Ohio National Guard fired into a crowd of Kent State University• Killing four and wounding nine

– Jackson State• 10 days after Kent State killing• Police showed up at a student protest• Police open fired• Killing two and injuring four

• Americans did not understand why we were fighting– All Americans seemed to hear was the rising number of dead soldiers and

protests in various states– Loss of support

• Media played a huge role

Vietnam War Overview• Soldiers returned home…

– No thanks were given

• Spit and throw things at returning soldiers

– When the soldiers were fighting, they were not aware of the lack of support from the American public

• The War:

– Unfamiliar Territory• Jungles

– Guerilla Warfare:

• Rocket propelled grenades

• Recoilless rifles

• Booby traps

– Homemade in villages

– 2/3 of the men who served in Vietnam were volunteers

– 2,709,918 Americans served

– 58,148 Americans were killed in Vietnam

– 75,000 Americans were severely disabled

Vietnam War Events1960-1969

• 1960-Kennedy sends Special Forces to South Vietnam

• 1963-U.S. military advisors and Special Forces increase to 21,000

• 1964-U.S. destroyers “Maddox” and “Joy” are attacked by the North Vietnamese in the Gulf of Tonkin.

• 1964-Gulf of Tonkin Resolution• 1968-Communist forces conduct

Tet Offensive• 1969-Burden of war shifted away

from the U.S.