JFK: the US by 1963

Question 1

Kennedy’s Death

Answer 1

• 22nd November 1963
• JFK and wife in Dallas for campaign trip
• 24th November, thousands filed past Kennedy’s coffin and observed the funeral

Question 2

US as a World Superpower by end of Kennedy’s presidency

Answer 2

• victory in cuban missile crisis = changed Cold War
• relations with Khrushchev improved = led to signing of Partial Test Ban Treaty, by congress October 1963 (banned testing nuclear weapons)
• US had NATO troops removed by President de Gaulle of France in 1966: felt Kennedy had not consulted him about the Cuban Missile Crisis
• October 1964: Khrushchev replaced with Brezhnev

Question 3

The Peace Corps

Answer 3

• 1961: K established this using young volunteers to help poorer nations through teaching and technical aid
• used to improve US image against soviets damaging propaganda
• chose Sargent Shriver to head thousands who volunteered
• 1961-63: PC sent volunteers to 44 developing countries that requested aid
• 71% of Americans approved
• both parties voted to finance it for the next 50 years

Question 4

Kennedy improving the US image

Answer 4

• K concerned with rebuilding relationships with Latin America = set up alliance alongside peace corps
• signed in Uruguay 1961, promised $20bn USD of US aid over next 10 years
• goal to increase capita income by 2.5%, establish democratic gov, eliminate adult literacy and promote land reform
• saw positive effects but underfunded - Nixon reduced drastically

Question 5

Trade

Answer 5

• becoming key element of superpower rivalry
• kennedy sought to improve it
• ‘food for peace’ built on Eisenhowers 1954 agricultural trade development act
• food for peace had wider humanitarian goals - continues today and has helped over 3 billion people in 150 countries

Question 6

The Space Race

Answer 6

• gave televised speech asking extra $1,700 milion for landing american man on moon
• previously told James Webb, NASA chief, not interested in space just beating the soviets
• 21st July 1969 Niel Armstrong landed on moon

Question 7

Economic prosperity

Answer 7

• GNP expanded by 20%
• industrial production by 22%
• income rose by 15%
• benefitted from recessions of 1958 and 1960 - damaged republican reputation
• inherited slow recovery and 6.8% unemployment
• relationship with business was difficult
• public dispute with president of US

Question 8

Economic problems

Answer 8

• end of 1962: economic issues main area of weakness for campaign of re-election
• unemployment remained 6%
• stock market failed to recover
• kennedy enforced tax cuts, which 60% favoured
• Allen Matusow (historian): argued K’s tax cuts changed future economic policies for both parties, medicare programmes had unintended consequences, medical costs increased by hospitals

Question 9

Economic growth

Answer 9

• CEA (set up 1946) encouraged k to adopt new deal spending programme - feared large deficit
• instead new frontier encouraged employment without spending heavily on major public works
• brought unemployment down to 6%
• employment boom
• stocks soaring
• kennedy continued eisenhower’s spending on highways
• federal budget deficit shrunk
• 1962-66: Dow Jones Average (stock market performance of top 30 companies) doubled