1960s Flashcards
Democrat candidate in 1960 election
JFK
Republican candidate in 1960 election
Nixon
Events that helped JFK win election
- Televised debates (charismatic)
- Kennedy brothers persuade Georgia judge to release MLK
- JFK has support from Eleanor Roosevelt
Mandate in 1960 vs. 1964
JFK only won the election by 1%. Therefore, he did not have the popular mandate.
Lyndon B. Johnson won the election by huge margins. He had the popular mandate
Strengths and Weaknesses of Kennedy
Strength: Charisma
Weakness: Inexperienced and Catholic
Strengths and Weaknesses of Nixon
Strength: Experienced, worked with Eisenhower
Weakness: Lacked charisma on TV
JFK’s cabinet
Very young
Incredibly smart (Harvard)
Aldai Stevenson and Robert Kennedy were on it
Public thought they were inexperienced
New Frontier
Kennedy’s legislative program for the USA to be new pioneers
Provisions of New Frontier
Medical care for the aged
Rebuild urban areas
Aid for education
Civil Rights
Problems JFK faced with the New Frontier
Lacked popular mandate
Conservative Republicans and Southern Democrats in Congress won’t support it
Camelot
The charisma of JFK captured the world
Made young people feel involved
Glamorous first lady
Jackie Kennedy in the White House
Focused on bringing an appreciation for fine arts by inviting prominent artists and musicians to social events
Alan Shepard
First American man to enter space
entire trip was only 15 minutes
John Glenn
First American to orbit Earth
Actually with Robert Kennedy when he was shot
Neil Armstrong
First man to walk on the moon
Kennedy and the Space Race
Approached Khrushchev twice about a joint space venture
Khrushchev turned him down the first time, but accepted in 1963
Then JFK died
Expansion of the space program
Universities expanded science programs
Massive amounts of federal funding for research and development led to new industries and technologies
Led to space and defense related industries (job creation)
Overview of JFK inaugural address
Spoke largely about international matters and stoping the spread of communism
Calls on fellow Americans to step up for their country
Does NOT address Civil Rights Movement
Flexible response
The build up of conventional troops and weapons to be able to fight a limited war without using nuclear weapons
Created the Special Forces
Mutually Assured Destruction
the understanding that each side has the power to counteract a nuclear attack, therefore leading to total destruction
Significance of the Peace Corps
Placed emphasis on volunteering for country
Alliance for Progress
Helped stop communist influence in Latin America
Two organizations Kennedy made for containment
Peace Corps
Alliance for Progress
Two organizations Kennedy made for containment
Peace Corps
Alliance for Progress
Johnson and the 88th Congress
During this time period more legislation was passed than any other congress
Johnson used “the Treatment” to convince congress to due what he wanted
Twisted arms, used political knowledge, and humor
Who was Johnson’s hero
Franklin Roosevelt
Johnson and Civil Rights
Civil rights act of 1964
Ratify the 24th amendment
The Revenue Act
1964
Tax reduction bill to help stimulate the economy
Great success
Economic opportunity act
1 billions towards increasing employment opportunities and training for the poor
Job Corps, Head Start, VISTA were produced as a result
Election of 1964 democrat
Lyndon B. Johnson
Election of 1964 republican
Barry M. Goldwater
Barry M Goldwater
Republican in 1964 election
Extremely conservative from Arizona
Voted against civil rights, social security, and welfare
Wanted US to withdraw from UN
Johnson’s Great Society
1965
Greatest REFORM agenda since Roosevelt’s new deal
Examples of Great Society
Medicare
Civil rights legislation
Federal aid to education
What did Johnson hope to accomplish right after being elected?
He wanted to push reform through congress quickly before he lost his mandate
Ho Chi Minh
Leader of Viet Minh in the North
National hero who fought Japanese and French
Took over French estates and distributed it to the poor
What was Ho Chi Minh’s involvement in the South
The North Vietnamese army supported the Vietcong
Fought Americans
NGO Dinh Diem
Corrupt government canceled free elections
Kept French estates for himself
Restricted buddhism cause he is a catholic
What did the public think of Diem?
He was hated by both communists and non-communists
Vietcong
South Communist opposition trying to overthrow the government and unite with Viet Minh in the north
Fought Americans with the support of peasants
What role did Kennedy have in the Vietnam war?
Kennedy expanded aid and military advisors in Vietnam
JFK didn’t want to back down in Asia after his failures with Bay of Pigs and the Berlin Wall
What happened to Diem?
He was assainated in 1963
Peasants were being removed from homes and relocated to government run farms
Led Buddhist monks to set themselves on fire
Kennedy and Diem
Kennedy supported the Catholics in South Vietnam during the 1963 coup
Thought this might help us negotiate
Kennedy’s plans prior to death
Stated that he was strongly considering pulling out of Vietnam
What announcement did Johnson make to the American people before Vietnam?
Three north Vietnamese gunships attacked the USS Maddox in the gulf of Tonkin
Gulf of Tonkin resolution
Congress gave Johnson the power to repel any aggression towards the United States
The was not a declaration of war
Considered a mistake to give Johnson this power
Why started the Americanization of the war?
Gulf of Tonkin resolution
Johnson commits ground forces
Rolling thunder
Mass bombing of the North Vietnamese targets
Challenges faced by the United States in Vietnam
Fighting for the abstract idea of containing communism
Fighting using guerrilla tactics
In unfamiliar jungle territory
Why was the US not popular with the South Vietnamese?
Search and destroy missions (used body count to determine success)
My Lai (South Vietnamese commanded on death missions)
What weapons did we use in Vietnam?
Napalm (firebombing)
Agent Orange (herbicide used to kill vegetation and expose the enemy)
What tactics did VC use
Geurilla warfare
Underground tunnels
Credibility Gap
Johnson deceived the American public by saying the Vietnam war was improving
The body count and media showed a different story
Living room war
Vietnam was the first war that Americans watched on the their televisions
Tet Offensive
North Vietnamese and VC stage surprise attacks
Turning point in the war. Vietnamese control 26 cities
Realized that body count cannot be used to determine success
3 Steps taken by Nixon to remove the United States from the Vietnam war
- Peace talks begin in Paris
- Scaled back US involvement
- Vietnamization
Vietnamization
1969
Withdraw of US troops in order for the South Vietnamese to become more involved in combat
Vietnam 1975
Saigon fell to the North Vietnamese
Vietnam is united under communism
What happened at Kent state
Shooting of unarmed student protesters at Kent State University
Pentagon papers
Leaked Documents said to show unconstitutional behavior surrounding a series of presidents during the Vietnam war
Outcomes of the Vietnam war
Many US casualties
Killed Great Society
Divided American society
Tarnished america’s global image
War Powers Act
1973
Limits power of president to wage war without approval of congress
Bay of Pigs
Failed military attempt to use a guerilla army of Cuban exiles to overthrow Castro
Cause of Bay of Pigs
Castro was developing ties with the Soviet Union
Why did Bay of Pigs fail?
The airstrike completely failed ahead of time leaving foot solidiers alone
Paratroopers land in wrong place
Cuba knows what is going on
Exiles surrender
Outcomes of Bay of Pigs
Kennedy will never committ to Americans going into Cuba
Operation Mongoose started
Set the stage for the Cuban Missile crisis
Cause of Berlin Crisis and date
Krushchev delivers a speech in which he demands that Western powers pull out of West Berlin
1958
Outcome of Berlin Crisis
NEED TO FIND OUT
Cause of Cuban Missile Crisis
USSR didn’t like that we had missiles in Turkey
Installed missiles in Cuba
What option did Executive Committee present for Cuban Missile Crisis?
Airstrike and remove Castro from power
What option did Kennedy pursue for Cuban Missile Crisis?
Quarantine on shipments from USSR
October 22, Cuban Missile Crisis
Kennedy addressed the American people and said that any attack from Cuba will be linked with the Soviets and we will counterattack
What was Krushev’s response to Kenney’s October 22 speech?
The missiles were defensive only
Not going to be used to attack
How was military preparing incase Cuba launched missiles?
Armed forces placed on alert
US subs stationed off coasts
Nuclear warheads in air 24/7
Marines ready to invade
Significant outcomes of Cuban missile crisis
Vindicated Flexible response
Kennedy and US gained new prestige
Khruschev replaced by BREZHNEV
Hotline established giving direct communication between White House and the Kremlin
Prevent nuclear war
Warren Commission
Investigates Kennedy’s death
States that Lee Harvey Oswald is lone killer
Three shots (magic bullet)
1963 Major Events
Children’s March
Medgar Evers
March on Washington
Nuclear Test Ban Treaty
1963
USSR and USA suspended nuclear testing
Result of Cuban Missile Crisis
Truman and Eisenhower and Vietnam
French indochina
They give money to the French
Don’t sign Geneva Accords and recongize Diem
Worried about Domino effect
SHITTY ANSWER ASK IN CLASS
