Kennedy Presidency
1961- 1963
Election of Kennedy
- John F. Kennedy (Democrat) vs. Richard Nixon (Republican)
- Chose Lyndon B. Johnson as running mate
- Debated with Nixon on live television (won 3 out of 4 million votes from the television viewers)
- Voted for by 70% of the African American race in America
- In the end he won with 307 electoral votes beating out Nixon's 219
- New Frontier---> JFK's platform which promised to improve legislation over education, healthcare, and civil rights and also improve America's economy
Cold War
- Flexible Response----> an establishment of strategies and weapons to respond to whatever came their (United State's) way
- Vietnam---> -U.S. supported the Anti-Communist south and protested Diem (Vietnamese leader), also wanted Vietnam's government to start over with a clean slate
- Cuba----> U.S. had strategized over throwing Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, ordered the Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961, then the Cuban Missile Crisis put a halt on everything
- Berlin Crisis---> Kennedy met with Khrushchev to discuss the division of Germany but later felt threatened (led to the increase of military power)
- Berlin Wall--->built in 1961, JFK didn't protest its construction, he focused on nuclear testing instead
Kennedy and Civil Rights
- Supported Civil Rights
- Comforted MLK's wife after he was thrown in jail for peaceful protesting
- Promoted desegregation of schools
- Gave a few African Americans high-up jobs in administration
- Gave Johnson the responsibility of the President's Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity
Assassination
- November 22nd, 1963
- Shot in the head while riding in a car parade in Dallas Tx
- Parade was to promote his re-election
- Shot by Lee Harvey Oswald (who then was killed by Jack Ruby)