John Fitzgerald Kennedy
35th President of the United States, from 1961-1963
Election of 1960
- Democratic Party: John F. Kennedy with Lyndon B. Johnson
- Republican Party: Richard Nixon and Henry Cabot Lodge Jr.
- Kennedy was unpopular because he was a Roman Catholic
- This cost him votes, especially from the Sun Belt
- The Democrats thought the US needed to catch up as it had fallen behind in the world economy
- The Republicans thought the US was fine and just needed a little push
- Kennedy used the television to broadcast his views, making him a popular image, whereas Nixon used the radio. Each became popular in his respective area
- Kennedy barely won the popular vote and the electoral vote
- Johnson's influence in Texas helped Kennedy win in a few states
- Kennedy, at 43, was the youngest person to become president
- Appointed many leaders into government, including his younger brother Robert
The Cold War
- "Flexible Response"
- Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara suggest a policy where the military could adapt, causing more military spending
- Veitnam War
- US decided not to get involved militarily
- President of South veitnam attained his position unfairly
- used the US Aid he received for his own benefit
- Became a right-wing dictatorship, which the US didn't want
- US encouraged a coup to overthrow Diem
- Cuba
- 1,200 exiles arrive at the "Bay of Pigs" wanting help defeating Fidel Castro
- US offers supplies and support
- Air Support is denied by congress
- Castro sides more with USSR after Exiles surrender
- Standoff occurs when the US realizes USSR moved nuclear missiles to cuba
- causes Cuban Missile Crisis, a week of quarantine in response
- Khrushchev accepts agreement and removes weapons
- Berlin Crisis
- USSR demands West Berlin be cleared of Western troops
- France, Britain, and US reject conditions
- USSR builds Berlin Wall around West Berlin instead, not letting anyone in or out
- Erected in 1961, destroyed in 1989
Kennedy and Civil Rights
- Kennedy promises to make civil rights acts
- Calms violent protests by sending federal troops when local police refused to do their job
- friend to Martin Luther Kind Jr. a clergyman famous for his Montgomery bus boycotts
- King led a peaceful March on Washington to support Kennedy's civil rights proposal
- Proposed new civil rights movements before his death
Kennedy's Assassination
- Assassinated in Dallas, Texas whilst visiting, on November 22, 1963
- Killed by Lee Harvey Oswald former US Marine and USSR Defector
- Oswald was never sent to trial because he was killed by Jack Ruby on the way
- Because there was no hard evidence for anything, many conspiracy theories still exist