Chapter 20…New Frontier and the Great Society

Identifications

• 76. John F. Kennedy-35th President of U.S.-43 yrs old…2nd youngest president…Democrat…1st Roman Catholic

• 77. 1st TV debate-Sep.70-70M viewers…Kennedy’s success launched American politics into television age.

• 78. flexible response-increased military spending to build up conventional military forces + create Special Forces (Green Berets)…replaced Ike’s massive response policy.

• 79. Special Forces-elite branch of US Army…AKA the “Green Berets”.

• 80. Fidel Castro-Cuban revolutionary overthrew military dictatorship of Batista in 1959 and aligned Cuba with USSR and set up communist-style economy/government.

• 81. Bay of Pigs-Mar.60, Ike approved CIA plan to train Cuban exiles for invasion…though he doubted its success, Kennedy approved plan…April ’61, 1300-1500 invaders landed at Bahia de Cochinos…military disaster…Kennedy embarrassed…US paid $53M in food & medicine for ransom…

• 82. Cuban Missile Crisis-summer of ’62,

USSR supplied Castro with nuclear missiles…Oct-U-2 photos showed missile sites operational…air strike, invasion? US navy blockaded Cuba and “the other fellow just blinked”…Russian missiles withdrawn and US pledged not to invade Cuba…RK-”For a moment, the world stood still”.

• 83. Berlin Wall-’61…3M East Germans (20%) had fled to West Berlin…Khrushchev threatened to close roads to West Berlin…13.Aug.61, construction on Wall began-reduced flow of refugees but became symbol of Communist oppression.

• 84. “hot line”-dedicated phone line enabled leaders of US and USSR to communicate immediately should a crisis arise.

• 85. Limited Test Ban Treaty-US & USSR agreed to stop nuclear testing in the atmosphere.

• 86. New Frontier-JFK’s broad vision of progress…explore “uncharted areas of science and space…unconquered pockets of ignorance and prejudice, unanswered questions of poverty and surplus”…blocked in Congress (like Truman’s Fair Deal)…elected by slim margin, he lacked a

• 87. mandate-clear indication that voters approved of his plans.

• 88. Peace Corps-program of volunteer assistance to developing nations of Africa, Asia and Latin America…critics: “Kennedy’s Kiddie Korps” in reference young volunteers…success: ag advisers, teachers, health aides, etc…35T volunteers in 60 nations by 1968.

• 89. Alliance for Progress-offered economic and technical assistance to L.A. countries…’61-’69—US invested $12B in L.A. (in part to deter Castro)…no fundamental reforms.

• 90. Yuri Gagarin-12.Apr.61, Soviet cosmonaut became first human in space beginning the

• 91. “the space race”-one month after Gagarin, the US put a man in space and soon after “Telstar” (communication satellite) relayed live TV pictures from US-Europe…NASA built Cape Canaveral,FL for future launches & mission control center in Houston…US pride & prestige were restored...20.Jul.69, US astronaut Neil Armstrong took first step on moon.

• 92. JFK assassination-22.Nov.63 in Dallas…JFK, wife Jackie with Gov. John Connally and wife in car caravan…”You can’t say that Dallas isn’t friendly to you today”…rifle shots…Parkland Hospital…1:00 JFK pronounced dead.

• 93. Warren Commission-new president, LBJ created commission to investigate…concluded that

• 94. Lee Harvey Oswald-a former US Marine had shot JFK and acted alone.

• 95. “magic bullet theory”-the much-debated theory that was the center of the Warren Commission’s finding that Oswald acted alone…in ’79, a reinvestigation concluded that Oswald was part of a conspiracy and there may have been two assassins…theories included: Castro, the Soviet Union, the CIA, the mob.

• 96. Lyndon Baines Johnson-36th President of US…former New Deal Congressman who worked closely with FDR…’48, elected US Senator…master politician and behind-the-scenes maneuver…famous for the “LBJ Treatment”.

• 97. Civil Rights Act of 1964-voting rights measure that was 1st civil rights legislation since Reconstruction…prohibited discrimination based on race, religion, national origin and sex and gave Federal Govt powers to enforce the act.

• 98. Economic Opportunity Act-Aug’64, Congress passed-$1B for youth programs, antipoverty measures, small business loans and job training…created-Job Corps, VISTA, Project Head Start and Community Action Program.

• 99. Great Society-May’64, LBJ’s vision for America…end poverty & racial injustice, higher standard of living & equal opportunity and promote richer quality of life for all…206 bills passed.

• 100. El and Sec Ed Act of 1965-”key to unlock door to Great Society”—Congress provided $1B for purchase of textbooks and library materials…one of earliest federal aid packages for education.

• 101. Medicare-provided hospital insurance and low-cost medical insurance for Americans age 65+.

• 102. Medicaid-extended health insurance to welfare recipients.

• 103. Immigration Act of 1965-opened door for many non-European immigrants by ending quotas based on nationality.

• 104. Warren (Supreme) Court-’54, Brown v. Topeka B. of E.-school segregation unconstitutional; banned state-sanctioned prayer in schools; state-required loyalty oaths unconstitutional; limited communities’ power to censor books and films; change in federal/state reapportionment and criminal justice system.

• 105. reapportionment-way in which states redraw election districts based on the changing number of people in them…with fewer people living in rural areas than urban areas-rural areas had more representation and more power than urban areas.

• SUMMARY: Great Society and Warren Court CHANGED the US…pro and con---LBJ increased power of presidency, fueled activist era in all branches of govt…”War on Poverty” helped…# fell from 21 to 11%...massive tax cuts helped economy but funding G.S. contributed to growing budget deficit…conservative backlash in CA (Ronald Reagan) and the Viet Nam War…