JOHN F. KENNEDY AND THE NEW FRONTIER

Kennedy Entering the 1960 Election• Embodiment of youth (42 years old)• Elected to the House in 1946, the

Senate in 1952.• Won the Democratic nomination, not

part of the group of insiders that dominated the Senate.

• Gained financial strength from friends and family.

• Stressed his war hero status and intellect.

The Election of 1960• Kennedy Vs. Nixon• TV used for the first time to air Presidential debates.

• Helped Kennedy, hurt Nixon.

• Nixon stressed Republican success and his experience.• Kennedy promised stronger leadership and a separation

of Church and State.• Kennedy wins in close election (100,000 votes)

• Poorly in the south, strong in the North, Midwest and Catholic.• Turned the position of the President into celebrity status.• “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for

your country.”

New Frontier Liberalism• Included-

• Higher minimum wage, greater federal aid for education, increased Social Security, medical care for the elderly, public housing support, antipoverty protection.

• Issues with getting his agenda passed.• Slim margin of victory.• Conservative Southern Democrats in Congress.

New Frontier Successes• Moderate improvement on some of Kennedy’s proposals.• The Peace Corps was created.• The Commission on the Status of Woman.

• Led by Eleanor Roosevelt.• Documented on going discrimination against women.• Called for more women in policy making positions.• Called for end of discrimination in hiring, unemployment

compensation and Social Security programs.• Equal Pay Act of 1963.

• Emphasized new jobs and the goal of full employment.• The Revenue act of 1962, lowered taxes on buisiness.

NASA• National Aeronautics and Space

Administration was established under Eisenhower.

• Wanted to beat the Soviets to the moon.

• Goal of landing an American on the Moon by the end of the decade.• $33 Billion later, a man landed on the moon

in 1969

• Space exploration really appealed to the public.

Kennedy’s strengthening of the Executive Branch

• Took back control of certain details that Eisenhower left to his advisors.

• White House staff assumed many decision making and advisory tasks previously left to Cabinet members.

• White House aides were as strong as their connections to the President.

• Began a pattern of Presidents working with a small group of close advisors.

Kennedy’s Aggressive Approach to the Cold War

• Initially wanted to confront communism around the world.• Surrounded himself with like-minded people.

• Secretary of State- Dean Rusk.• Secretary of Defense-Robert McNamara• Director of the CIA- Allen Dulles.

• Thought Eisenhower excepted the stalemate of the Cold War.

• Kennedy wanted to win it.

Military Build Up• Built up conventional and

Nuclear Weapons.• Increased Military Spending from

$43 to 56$ Billion.• Expanded CIA Covert

Operations.• Deployed the Army Elite

Soldiers, under the direct orders of the President.• The Green Berets.

Kennedy and Vietnam• Vietcong (Mihn) launches civil war on South Vietnam

(Diem.)• United States sends Aid and backs corrupts Diem

Government.• Poor public support of this.

• Buddhist Monks set themselves on fire to protest Diem.• American causalities began to pile up.

• South Vietnamese Coup happens with CIA and US forces approval.

The Alliance for Progress• Goals were-

• Greater industrial and agricultural growth, more equitable distribution of income, improved health care and housing.

• United States committed $20 Billion.• Intended it to be like the Marshall Plan.• Raised some growth rates, but didn’t challenge dictators

in charge or foster Democracy.

Cuban Revolution• America controlled much of Cuba’s economy.

• All of the oil, 90% of the mines, half of railroads, sugar and cattle.

• Shared crime profits with dictator Fulgencio Batista.• Peasant based revolution led by Fidel Castro began.• Castro initially viewed as a hero, admired by many.• Castro’s land reform made him an enemy of America.• US began an economic ban, turned to Soviets for aid.

• Began trading sugar with them, Castro not yet part of the Cuban Communist Party.

• 1960- Eisenhower established economic boycott and cut diplomatic ties with Cuba.

Bay of Pigs• Kennedy inherited plans to arm, train and help Cuban

exiles overthrow Castro.• 4/17/1961- a poorly trained, CIA led army Invades Cuba.• Castro’s loyal army easily put the coup down.• Great embarrassment for the USA, Kennedy took blame.• Showed that the USA misunderstood the Cuban

Revolution.• Kennedy kept the economic boycott on Cuba.• Castro became more popular among the poor.• Many Cuban professionals and intellectuals fled to

America.

The Cuban Missile Crisis• A scared Castro asks the Soviets for help.• Khrushchev sends intermediate weapons, including mid

range nuclear bombs to Cuba.• US reconnaissance planes spot the missiles.• New threat in America’s own backyard.• Debate: Bomb them, or is the threat just for show?

• Vulnerable to Intercontinental ballistic missiles since 1957.

Stand Off• JFK goes on TV and announces the missiles have been

found.• Puts a full military blockade on all military equipment

shipped to Cuba.• The world wonders if this will be the start of a Nuclear War• A week later, Khrushchev calls back 25 Soviet ships.

Impact of the Missile Crisis• Soviets removed all weapons from Cuba, but began

largest weapons build up in their history.• USA removed Jupiter missiles in Turkey.• USA promised not to invade Cuba, respect their

government.• Kennedy softens stance on Cold War.• Washington-Moscow Hotline• Limited Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty was signed.

• Americans, Soviets, English signed it.• Banned testing of nucs above ground, underwater and in space.

Assassination of JFK• JFK was shot on 11/22/1963 in Dallas.• Became a Martyr, shocked America.• As in life, TV was a huge part of his death.• Conspiracy theories began to rise that Lee Harvey

Oswald didn’t act alone.• The country was left to wonder what great things he may

have accomplished if he had served the full term.• Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson took over as President.

• Many of JFK’s goals of the New Frontier would be realized in Johnson’s Great Society.