Election of 1960-John F. Kennedy nominated by Democrats -Senator from MA -Irish, Catholic -Richard Nixon nominated by Republicans -Vice-president under Eisenhower -Had first televised debate (video) -JFK was better looking -JFK wins by less than 120K votes
The New Frontier -Nickname of JFK’s administration -Main goals: -Revive the economy -More gov’t spending (defense and space programs) -Reduce unemployment
JFK and the Cold War-Cold War reached climax under JFK -Bay of Pigs (April 1961) -Castro took over Cuba in 1959àmade it communist -JFK wanted to overthrow Castro -Recruited 1,500 Cubans to rebel -US would send in reinforcements -Rebels land at Bay of Pigs -US never sent in reinforcements -JFK was blamed for failure -Berlin Crisis (Summer of 1961) -USSR wanted US to remove troops from West Berlin -US says no -Soviets built barbed wire fence -Keep people from leaving East Berlin -Eventually built cement wall (Berlin Wall) (structure) -Cuban Missile Crisis -October 1962 -Castro (Cuba) asks the USSR for weapons -Not too big of a deal -Until we saw missile launch pads in Cuba -Could attack America -JFK orders to blockade Cuba -Keep more shipments out of Cuba -Kennedy orders missiles to be removed -USSR said “no” -Standoff for 2 days -Brink of nuclear war -Secret compromise (save face for both leaders) -USSR removes missiles from Cuba -USA removes missiles from Turkey November 22, 1963-Kennedy traveling around Texas to gain support for re-election -Still 2 years away, but needed to have TX -At 12:30pm, shots rang out from the Texas Book Depository -Where schoolbooks are stored -Kennedy dead -Lyndon B. Johnson takes over as president -Sworn in on Air Force One -Jackie Kennedy on board -Casket on board -Lee Harvey Oswald killed by Jack Ruby -Conspiracy? -Did Oswald and Ruby act alone? -Commission was set up to investigate the assassination -Warren Commission -Chief Justice Earl Warren was in charge -Spent 10 months reviewing evidence -No conspiracy |
