Johnson
Rohan Panaparambil MPL
1. Election
Assassination of JFK
President Kennedy was assassinated when he was shot while visiting Dallas, TX
Johnson took the president's oath on the airplane back to Washington with the body of Kennedy
Johnson tried to honor Kennedy by keeping things almost the same
Election of 1964
Was the most liberal Democrat since Truman
His opponent, Barry Goldwater, was extremely conservative
- Johnson criticized his affection for a large military, while Goldwater tried to tear down the public organizations that Johnson supported
2. The Great Society
The Great Society
The Great Society was Johnson's anti-poverty domestic policy
Was extremely popular amongst the public since a large portion of people were impoverished
Created the Dept of Transportation and the Dept of Housing and Urban Development
Gave aid to students over schools
Established Medicare for the elderly and poor
Lightened immigration restrictions
- People said that he wasted too much money for social benefits, but the poverty rate went down during his administration
3. 24th Amendment
24th Amendment
Jan 23, 1964
removed the poll tax, allowing poor people to vote, especially blacks
People argued that it still didn't provide enough for the blacks
In 1966, the poll tax was removed after Harper v. Board
4. Tonkin and Vietnam
Tonkin Gulf Resolution
Happened in August 1962
The Navy secretly worked with S. Vietnam against the North
N. Viet ships fired on US, probably as self-defense, but Johnson said it was an offensive attack and fought back
- Johnson passed the Tonkin Gulf Resolution, giving him discretion to send troops into Southeast Asia
Vietnam War
VC began to ambush US bases
The North was able to match all the strength of the US and the South so the conflict went on longer than expected, resulting in a stalemate
Internationally, the idea of a superpower such as the US going to war versus Vietnam, a very poor country, was frowned upon
The Vietnam War was the longest and most publicly disapproved war in US history
Johnson's image was also tarnished due to the unpopularity of the war, had to choose between the military and the public
- The 1968 election was largely based on issues surrounding the war
5. Civil Rights
Civil Rights Act
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibited discrimination based on many different traits
Government was able to take an active role in desegregation
Voting Rights Act
The vote rate among blacks was very low due to Jim Crow laws and poll taxes
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 gave them the freedom to vote, and this significantly increased their turn out in the polls
- The black population was now an important part of campaigning
6. 1968
A Watershed Year
VC began to make offensive manuevers, delaying the war further
Johnson announces his decision to not run again
Assassination of Robert Kennedy
USSR invades Czechoslovakia
S. Vietnam decides to participate in the Paris Peace Talks