KENNEDY’S KENNEDY’S PRESIDENCYPRESIDENCY

DO NOWDO NOW

•How does TV influence society How does TV influence society

today?today?

•Provide two examples of how TV Provide two examples of how TV

could impact society.could impact society.

ELECTION OF 1960ELECTION OF 1960

• John F. Kennedy (Dem.) vs. Richard Nixon (Rep.)John F. Kennedy (Dem.) vs. Richard Nixon (Rep.)

• Kennedy: 43 yrs. Old & Nixon: 47 yrs. OldKennedy: 43 yrs. Old & Nixon: 47 yrs. Old

• Both served in WWIIBoth served in WWII

• Kennedy born into privilegeKennedy born into privilege

• Nixon had to work his way upNixon had to work his way up

• Issues: Cold War, Civil Rights & ReligionIssues: Cold War, Civil Rights & Religion

• Kennedy was CatholicKennedy was Catholic

TELEVISED DEBATETELEVISED DEBATE• 11stst ever debate televised (over 70 million viewers) ever debate televised (over 70 million viewers)

• KennedyKennedy• Good looking, charming, relaxedGood looking, charming, relaxed

• NixonNixon• Pale, exhausted, five o’ clock shadowPale, exhausted, five o’ clock shadow

• Advantage: KennedyAdvantage: Kennedy

KENNEDY WINSKENNEDY WINS

• Final Electoral Vote CountFinal Electoral Vote Count

• Kennedy: 303Kennedy: 303

• Nixon: 219Nixon: 219

• Largest voter turnout ever in US historyLargest voter turnout ever in US history

• ““Ask not what your country can do for you, ask Ask not what your country can do for you, ask

what you can do for your country”what you can do for your country”

NEW FRONTIERNEW FRONTIER• Kennedy’s domestic policyKennedy’s domestic policy

• Focus on education, healthcare, economy & civil Focus on education, healthcare, economy & civil

rightsrights

• Improve space programImprove space program

• Small victories in New FrontierSmall victories in New Frontier

• Social Security & minimum wage increaseSocial Security & minimum wage increase

• Equal Pay Act: abolish pay disparity amongst Equal Pay Act: abolish pay disparity amongst

sexes sexes

• Timid approach towards civil rightsTimid approach towards civil rights

SPACE RACESPACE RACE

• Kennedy: US & USSR competing in spaceKennedy: US & USSR competing in space

• Yuri Gagarin: 1Yuri Gagarin: 1stst human to orbit the earth human to orbit the earth

(Soviet)(Soviet)

• Kennedy’s goal: 1Kennedy’s goal: 1stst to land on moon to land on moon

• 1969: Neil Armstrong lands on moon1969: Neil Armstrong lands on moon

• Kennedy not alive to see event Kennedy not alive to see event

MILITARY & THIRD WORLD MILITARY & THIRD WORLD INITIATIVESINITIATIVES

• Flexible ResponseFlexible Response

• Defense policy to prepare US to fight any type of Defense policy to prepare US to fight any type of

conflictconflict

• Funded Army, Navy & Army Special ForcesFunded Army, Navy & Army Special Forces

• Peace CorpsPeace Corps

• American volunteers sent to developing nationsAmerican volunteers sent to developing nations

• Alliance for ProgressAlliance for Progress

• Improve relations with Latin AmericaImprove relations with Latin America

CUBA UNDER FIDEL CASTROCUBA UNDER FIDEL CASTRO

• 1959: Castro overthrows Cuban government1959: Castro overthrows Cuban government

• Created radical political reformsCreated radical political reforms

• Took away land from citizensTook away land from citizens

• Accepted aid from SovietsAccepted aid from Soviets

• Originally US wanted to work with CastroOriginally US wanted to work with Castro

• Became unrealistic Became unrealistic

BAY OF PIGS INVASIONBAY OF PIGS INVASION• Created under Eisenhower with the CIACreated under Eisenhower with the CIA

• Kennedy pressured into executing the planKennedy pressured into executing the plan

• Plan: Overthrow CastroPlan: Overthrow Castro

• Using Cuban exilesUsing Cuban exiles

• April 17, 1961: 1400 CIA-led exiles enter CubaApril 17, 1961: 1400 CIA-led exiles enter Cuba

• Plan fails horriblyPlan fails horribly

• All but 300 are killed or capturedAll but 300 are killed or captured

• Kennedy takes the blameKennedy takes the blame

CUBAN MISSILE CRISISCUBAN MISSILE CRISIS

• 1962: US discovers nuclear missile sites1962: US discovers nuclear missile sites

• Created by the SovietsCreated by the Soviets

• Many US cities would be targetsMany US cities would be targets

• Kennedy blames Nikita Khrushchev for reckless actionKennedy blames Nikita Khrushchev for reckless action

• US blockades CubaUS blockades Cuba

• Behind the scenes Kennedy & Khrushchev negotiatedBehind the scenes Kennedy & Khrushchev negotiated

• US would remove missiles from TurkeyUS would remove missiles from Turkey

• Soviets remove missiles from CubaSoviets remove missiles from Cuba

RESULTSRESULTS• After threat of nuclear war Kennedy & Khrushchev work After threat of nuclear war Kennedy & Khrushchev work

towards détente towards détente

• Create a “hot line” between Moscow & Washington Create a “hot line” between Moscow & Washington

D.C.D.C.

• Improve communicationImprove communication

• Nuclear Test Ban Treaty signedNuclear Test Ban Treaty signed

• US, Soviet Union, Great Britain & 36 other nations US, Soviet Union, Great Britain & 36 other nations

signsign

• Ended aboveground nuclear testingEnded aboveground nuclear testing

BERLIN CRISISBERLIN CRISIS• 1961: Kennedy & Khrushchev meet to discuss Berlin1961: Kennedy & Khrushchev meet to discuss Berlin

• Meeting ends abruptly Meeting ends abruptly

• Khrushchev responds with construction of Berlin WallKhrushchev responds with construction of Berlin Wall

• Separates West & East BerlinSeparates West & East Berlin

• Kennedy responds by increasing military spending Kennedy responds by increasing military spending

• Sends 1,500 troops to West BerlinSends 1,500 troops to West Berlin

SUMMARYSUMMARY

•Do you think Kennedy is a good Do you think Kennedy is a good

president? Why?president? Why?

•Think back to when we gave Think back to when we gave

characteristics of what makes a characteristics of what makes a

good presidentgood president

KENNEDY’S ASSASSINATIONKENNEDY’S ASSASSINATION

• November 22, 1963November 22, 1963

• Location: Dallas, TexasLocation: Dallas, Texas

• Lyndon B. Johnson takes over as president (JFK’s Lyndon B. Johnson takes over as president (JFK’s

V.P.)V.P.)

• Sets up Warren Commission to investigate Sets up Warren Commission to investigate

assassinationassassination

• Decision: Lee Harvey Oswald acted aloneDecision: Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone

CONSPIRACIESCONSPIRACIES• CIACIA

• LBJLBJ

• MafiaMafia

• KGB/RussiansKGB/Russians

• Castro/CubansCastro/Cubans

• FBIFBI

• Cuban ExilesCuban Exiles

• Secret ServiceSecret Service

• VietnamVietnam

• Secret Government/ “Illuminati”Secret Government/ “Illuminati”