US HIST 106: New Frontiers Flashcards
1
Q
1960 Presidential Election
A
John F. Kennedy vs. Richard Nixon
2
Q
Kennedy’s Foreign Policy
A
- Critical of Eisenhower
for capping defense
spending. - Called for assistance to
3rd world countries. - 1963 – Kennedy
approved South Vietnam
coup against Ngo Dinh
Diem
3
Q
Cuba
A
- Cuban Revolution 1957-59 led by Fidel Castro.
- April 1961- Bay of Pigs Fiasco – 1400 Cuban exiles,
supported by C.I.A., failed to foment an insurrection to
overthrow Castro. - Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev condemned U.S.
involvement.
4
Q
Cuban Missile Crisis
A
- Oct 1962 – U2 spy plane
uncovered missile sites and
Soviet troops in Cuba. - Kennedy called for Cuban
quarantine and demanded
removal of missiles already
on island – if not then U.S.
invasion. - Oct 22nd addressed nation
on Soviet and Cuban threat. - Oct 28th Soviet leader
backed down.
5
Q
New Frontier at Home
A
- 1960 campaign – called
for African American
rights. - May 1961- Congress of
Racial Equality sponsored
freedom rides. - Bus trips across South to
test segregation. - Sept 1961 – I.C.C.
banned segregation at
bus and train station
terminals.
6
Q
Birmingham,
Alabama
A
- Spring 1963 – massive protests by
CRM for equality. - Police Commissioner Eugene
“Bull” Connor used brutal tactics
to crush protests, horrifying the
nation and beyond. - June- JFK sponsored special civil
rights legislation on desegregation
and voting rights.
7
Q
March on
Washington
A
- August 1963 – 200,000 attended
political rally in capital. - MLK delivered his famous “I have a
dream speech”.
8
Q
George Wallace
A
- Southern Democrat
Alabama Governor who
was a populist and pro-
segregationist. - “In the name of the
greatest people that have
ever trod this earth, I draw
the line in the dust and
toss the gauntlet before
the feet of tyranny, and I
say segregation now,
segregation tomorrow,
segregation forever”
9
Q
George Wallace
A
- June 1963 – Wallace
attempted to block two
black students from
enrolling at Uni. of
Alabama. Threatened
with jail and yielded. - 1968 Presidential
Election – Got 13%
popular vote + carried 5
states. - Paralyzed by gunman in
1972 campaign.
10
Q
Birmingham Church Bombing
A
- September 15th, 1963- 4 young black girls were killed by a KKK bomb left on 16th street Baptist Church
- Bombings were intended to stall Civil Rights Movement, but ended up doing the opposite
11
Q
New Frontier Domestic policies
A
- Kennedy called for –
Improved jobless benefits.
Aid to children of unemployed.
Help for impoverished counties.
Increased Social Security payments.
Increased minimum wage.
Relief for farmers.
Home building and slum clearance
12
Q
Lyndon B. Johnson
A
- Nov 22nd, 1963 – Kennedy
assassinated in Dallas. - 1964 – Civil Rights Act – outlawed
segregation in public facilities and
established Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission.
13
Q
1964
Presidential
Election
A
- LBJ vs. Barry Goldwater – one of
largest landslides in history. - LBJ called for balanced budgets, war
on poverty and a Civil Rights Bill. - After election called for the building
of a “Great Society”. - June 1965 – Social Security Act
established Medicaid and Medicare. - Elementary and Secondary
Education Act - $1b aid to
impoverished schools. - Voting Rights Act – banned literacy
tests
14
Q
Cold War
A
- LBJ firm believer in
“domino theory”. - Increased support for
South Vietnam - 1964 Gulf of Tonkin
incident expanded the
war against North
Vietnam - Operation Rolling
Thunder – three year
aerial bombardment of
North.
15
Q
Vietnam
A
- 1968 – Tet Offensive alarmed the
American public and increased anti-war
demonstrations. - My Lai massacre caused further
discontent.
