Identifications
Robert F. Kennedy “RFK” ran for president in 1968 and stirred a response from workers, African Americans, Hispanics, and younger Americans. He would have captured the Democratic nomination, but was assassinated by Sirhan Sirhan after a victory speech during the California primary in June 1968.
Robert S. McNamara Robert S. McNamara was the Secretary of Defense under John Kennedy. He helped develop the “flexible response” policy. He was against the war in Vietnam and was removed from office because of this. Charles de Gaulle – He was president of France and was suspicious of American plans for Europe. He wanted to recapture the feeling of the Napoleonic era—the waning glory of France. He constantly vetoed actions by or in the interest of the U.S. that would increase American influence in European affairs.
Martin Luther King, Jr “MLK” was the foremost leader in the civil rights movement in the 1950's and 1960's. He preached non-violent forms of revolting, such as sit-ins, civil disobedience, and peaceful protests. It’s often said he was influenced in these tactics by Henry David Thoreau and Gandhi. He was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee on April 4, 1968.
Lee Harvey Oswald On November 22, 1963, he assassinated President Kennedy who was riding through downtown Dallas, Texas. Oswald was later shot in front of television cameras by Jack Ruby. Barry Goldwater Goldwater was a Republican senator from Arizona who was nominated on the Republican ticket for the presidency in the election of 1964. He ran against Lyndon B. Johnson and lost the election.
Malcolm X He was a black Muslim leader who favored black separation and condemned the "blue-eyed white devils." His leadership had a decidedly more aggressive tone to the civil rights movement than Martin Luther King Jr. He was shot by a black gunmen while giving a speech in New York City.
Stokely Carmichael Carmichael was a black civil rights activist in the 1960's. He was the leader of the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee and did a lot of work with Martin Luther King Jr., but later changed his attitude. Carmichael urged giving up peaceful demonstrations and encouraged pursuing “black power.” He was known for saying, "Black power will smash everything Western civilization has created."
Eugene McCarthy McCarthy was a little known Democratic Senator from Minnesota. He represented the Democratic party in the 1968 presidential election. He was a devout Catholic and soft-spoken, sometimes poetic. He used a group of antiwar college students as his campaign workers. He, with the help of his "Children’s Crusade," got 42% of the Democratic votes, but lost the election to Richard Nixon.
Hubert H. Humphrey The democratic nominee for the presidency in the election of 1968. He was LBJ's vice president, and was supportive of his Vietnam policies. This support split the Democratic party, allowing Nixon to win the election for the Republicans.
George Wallace Wallace was a third party candidate for the American Independent party in 1968 that lost against Nixon. He was a former governor of Alabama and had stood in the doorway to prevent black students from entering the University of Alabama
Flexible response This was Kennedy's plan to deal with foreign powers by not always resorting to the threat of nuclear weapons (massive retaliation), but by using specialists like the Green Beret.
Credibility Gap This was the gap between the people and the government that grew as the people became disillusioned with the Vietnam War and Watergate scandal and specifically what they were told or not told about each.
New Frontier The New Frontier was the new program introduced by President Kennedy in the early 1960's. These programs included the space program and the Peace Corp. It appealed to younger Americans especially.
Peace Corps Kennedy proposed this program, which was an army of idealistic and mostly youthful volunteers to bring American skills to underdeveloped countries.
Alliance of Progress This plan was the “Marshall Plan for Latin America.” It was suggested by President Kennedy to help the Good Neighbors close the gap between the rich and the poor, and to help quiet the communist agitation. It was unsuccessful because there was little alliance and no progress.
Bay of Pigs Invasion Kennedy was told that there were enough people in Cuba that would support an uprising, so he sent American-trained Cuban exiles to the Bay of Pigs. When no one was there to support the raid, Kennedy withdrew air support. Therefore, Castro was able to defeat the uprising. This was Kennedy's largest failure in his foreign policy.
Cuban Missile Crisis In Oct. of 1962, U.S. intelligence confirmed reports that the U.S.S.R. was constructing missile launching sites in Cuba. President Kennedy rejected a full-scale attack and, instead, delivered a public ultimatum to the U.S.S.R. to halt missiles. JFK ordered a naval blockade around Cuba to enforce this halting. The U.S.S.R. backed down and the U.S. promised not to overthrow the Cuban government.
Great Society The Great Society was President Johnson's domestic program. It was a continuation of the democratic ideals of FDR's New Deal and Truman's Fair Deal. It included war on poverty in which such issues as health care, education, and welfare were covered and increased in importance. Medicare and Medicaid exemplify this program.
Tonkin Gulf Resolution In August 1964, shots were allegedly fired at American navy ships by the North Vietnamese. LBJ quickly ordered an air raid on North Vietnamese bases, and pushed the Tonkin Gulf Resolution through Congress. This gave the president a blank check to use for further force in Southeast Asia. Because of this, LBJ had total control, and did not need the approval of Congress to enter the war.
Civil Right Act of 1964 Passed by Congress in 1964 in honor of the late President Kennedy, this act banned racial discrimination in places such as hospitals and restaurants. This act also gave the government the power to desegregate schools. It led to the creation of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Voting Rights Act This act, passed in 1965, outlawed literacy tests and sent federal voter registrars into several Southern states. This act did not end discrimination and oppression overnight, but it helped blacks get a foothold on change.
Tet Offensive Tet was the name given to a campaign in January 1968 by the Viet Cong to attack twenty-seven South Vietnamese cities, including Saigon. It ended in a military defeat for the Viet Cong, but at the same time, proved that Johnson’s "gradual escalation" strategy was not working. It shocked an American public that had been led to believe the Vietnam conflict was a sure victory
Guided Reading Questions
Kennedy's "New Frontier" Spirit
Know: John F. Kennedy, Jacqueline Kennedy, Bobby Kennedy, J. Edgar Hoover, Robert McNamara, Peace Corps
1. What was new about the New Frontier?
John F Kennedy was elected as president of the United States, the youngest in history. A sexual revolution, civil rights revolution, and a young culture began to develop. Kennedy’s brother became an attorney general. He tried to recast the priorities of the FBI but was resisted by J Edgar Hoover. Robert McNamara took over the Defense Department. The Peace Corps was proposed by JFK where an army of idealist and mostly youthful volunteers to bring American skills to underdeveloped countries.
The New Frontier at Home
2. Assess the effectiveness of New Frontier domestic policies.
JFK expanded the House Rules Committee but his program didn’t expand quickly, as medical and education bills remained stalled in Congress. JFK also had to keep a lid on inflation and maintain a good economy. Steel management announced great price increases, igniting the fury of the president, but JFK also earned fiery attacks by big business against the New Frontier. Overall, it was decently effective.
Rumblings in Europe
Know: Berlin Wall, Common Market, Trade Expansion Act, Charles de Gaulle
3. Describe Kennedy's relationship with Western Europe.
Soviets began building the Berlin Wall to separate East and West Germany. Western Europe was prospering after help from the Marshall Plan. American encouraged a Common Market in order to keep trade barriers and tariff low. Meanwhile, French leader Charles de Gaulle was one who was suspicious of the US, and he rejected Britain’s app into the Common Market.
Foreign Flare-ups and "Flexible Response"
Know: Congo, Laos, Robert McNamara, Flexible Response
4. Why did Kennedy believe that a policy of flexible response could better meet the foreign problems of the 1960s?
The African Congo got its independence from Belgium and then became violent, but the UN was able to keep peace. Laos was also free but was threatened by communism. Defense Secretary McNamara created the strategy of flexible response, which developed an array of military options that could match the gravity of whatever crises came to hand.
Stepping into the Vietnam Quagmire
Know: Ngo Dinh Diem, Viet Cong
5. Why was it difficult to use flexible response to deal with the situation in South Vietnam?
The American-backed Diem government had shakily and corruptly ruled Vietnam for a while, but it was threatened by the communist Viet Cong along with Ho Chi Minh. JFK slowly sent more and more troops to Vietnam to keep peace but they usually fought and died, despite it being Vietnam’s problem. Thus, it was quite difficult to use flexible response.
Cuban Confrontations
Know: Alliance for Progress, Fidel Castro, Bay of Pigs, Cuban Missile Crisis, Nikita Khrushchev, Quarantine, Hot Line
6. How could Cuba be considered the low and the high of Kennedy's foreign policy?
Kennedy’s Alliance for Progress aimed to close rich-poor gaps in Latin America and control communism. The US aided invasion or the Bay of Pigs was a complete disaster as Kennedy failed to give enough support. Fidel Castro began to lean towards the communist camp. JFK took the blame and actually became more popular. The Cuban Missile Crisis was a 13 day event that put the US and Russia at the brink of war. However, in the end, Russia backed off and soon lost power. There was also a direct phone call line or the hot line installed between Washington DC and Moscow in case of any crises.
The Struggle for Civil Rights
Know: Freedom Riders, Martin Luther King Jr., SNCC, James Meredith, Birmingham, March on Washington, "I Have a Dream," Medgar Evers
7. Were Kennedy's civil rights actions more the cause of events or a reaction to events in the civil rights movement?
Freedom Riders chartered buses to tour through the South and try to end segregation but were often treated with disrespect. Martin Luther King Jr launched a peaceful campaign against discrimination in Birmingham but was treated viciously. The SNCC was formed to attempt to gain blacks to vote. JFK made a speech urging immediate action towards this moral issue in a passionate plea. It was more of a reaction to events in the civil rights movement.
The Killing of Kennedy
Know: Lee Harvey Oswald, Jack Ruby, Warren Commission
8. What was the reaction to Kennedy's assassination? Why?
The reaction to Kennedy’s death was of realization. Lyndon B Johnson took over as president and it was only after Kennedy’s death that America realized what a charismatic, energetic, and vibrant president they had.
The LBJ Brand on the Presidency
Know: Lyndon Baines Johnson, The Johnson Treatment, Civil Rights Act of 1964, Affirmative Action, War on Poverty, Great Society, The Other America
9. Did Johnson provide good leadership to the country in his first term? Explain.
Yes, his idol was FDR and he couple manipulate the Congress very well. He was seen as vain and egotistical but was overall good. He passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that banned all racial discrimination in most private facilities open to the public, including theatres, hospitals and restaurants. He also created the EOCC to eliminate discriminatory hiring. His Great Society helped reflect New Deal inspirations.
Johnson Battles Goldwater in 1964
Know: Barry Goldwater, Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
10. Your book says that the 1964 election was a contest between distinctly different political philosophies. Explain this idea?
Goldwater attacked the federal income tax, Social Security system, and the TVA, plus civil rights legislations, nuclear test-band treaties, and the Great Society. Meanwhile, Johnson used the Tonkin Gulf Incident where the Northern Vietnamese ships fired on American ships, where he eventually received a virtual blank check on what he could do in affairs in Vietnam. Johnson won in a landslide.
The Great Society Congress
Know: Department of Housing and Urban Development, Medicare, Medicaid, Entitlements, Immigration and Nationality Act, Head Start
11. In what ways could it be said that 1964-68 marked some of the most liberal years for government in American history?
The Department of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development were created, headed by Robert Weaver, who was the first black cabinet secretary in the United States history. Programs like Medicare and Medicaid were installed, giving certain rights to the elderly and the needy in terms of medicine and health maintenance. The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 abolished the nation origin quota and doubled the number of immigrants allowed to enter the US up to 290,000. The Project Head Start improved the performance of the underprivileged in education. It was “preschool” for the poor.
Battling for Black Rights
Know: Voting Rights Act of 1965, The Twenty-fourth Amendment, Freedom Summer, Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, Selma
12. What forward steps toward voting for African-Americans were made in the mid-1960s?
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 attacked racial discrimination and outlawed literacy tests and sent voting registrars to the polls. The 24th Amendment eliminated poll taxes and black and white students joined to combat discrimination and racism. The Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party was denied a seat. In Selma, MLK was assaulted with tear gas by state troopers. However, steps were made for voting rights.
Black Power
Know: Watts, Malcolm X, Elijah Muhammed, Black Panthers, Stokely Carmichael
13. Why did African-Americans turn from non-violence in the late 1960s?
African Americans felt that the non-violence campaigns did not have much effect. Malcolm X and people in the Watts area mocked MLK. Malcolm X was inspired by the Nation of Islam and Elijah Muhammad. They urged immediate action, even with violence. The Black Panthers brandished their weapons openly. Stokely Carmichael led the SNCC and urged an abandonment of peaceful demonstrations.
Combating Communism in Two Hemispheres
Know: Operation Rolling Thunder, Guerrilla Warfare
14. Why did President Johnson increase America's military presence in Vietnam?
Johnson sent more men to try to prevent more communisms from spreading. But, the more people he sent, the more people died. By 1968, he had sent more than 500,000 troops to Asia, with seemingly a never ending war.
Vietnam Vexations
Know: Six-Day War, Teach-ins, William Fulbright, Credibility Gap, Cointelpro
15. Describe the negative consequences of the Vietnam War.
There were many protests in America against the Vietnam War. Opposition was headed by the Senate Committee of Foreign Relations, headed by Senator William Fullbright. Johnson ordered the CIA to spy on domestic antiwar activists and he encouraged the FBI to use its Cointelpro against the peace movement.
Vietnam Topples Johnson
Know: Tet Offensive, Eugene McCarthy
16. Why did President Johnson decide not to run for re-election in 1968?
He did not want to run for a re-election because he was personally suffering from the American casualties. North Vietnam had almost taken over Saigon called the Tet Offensive. He was a challenge of Eugene McCarthy and that nation was beginning to split. He declared he would stop sending troops to Vietnam and dropped out of the reelection.
The Presidential Sweepstakes of 1968
Know: Hubert Humphrey, Robert Kennedy, Democratic Convention, Richard Nixon, George Wallace
17. Why was the 1968 presidential election an interesting one?
On June 5, Robert Kennedy was fatally shot and the Democratic ticket went to Hubert Humphrey. The republicans had Richard Nixon while a 3rd party candidate was George Wallace, a segregationist who wanted to bomb Vietnam repeatedly. Nixon won a nail biter.
Victory for Nixon
18. "Nixon had received no clear mandate to do anything [in the 1968 election]." Explain.
Nixon had not won by majority. He did not receive as many votes as thought.
The Obituary of Lyndon Johnson
19. It could be said that few presidents were as great a success or as great a failure as Lyndon Johnson. Assess.
Lyndon Johnson had great success after Kennedy had been assassinated. However, his decision to sent troops to Vietnam was quite controversial. He had committed Americans into Vietnam with noble intentions, and wasn’t really a bad guy. But he was stuck in a time where whatever he did could be seen as bad.
The Cultural Upheaval of the 1960s
Know: Berkeley, Sexual Revolution, Stonewall Inn, Students for a Democratic Society, LSD
20. Why did a 1960s counterculture develop and how was it expressed?
In the 60s, youth of America experimented with sex, drugs, and defiance. At Berkeley, the Free Speech Movement began. Kid tried drugs and did their own things. However, the counterculture of the 1960s did weaken existing values, ideas and beliefs.
Varying Viewpoints: The Sixties: Constructive or Destructive?
21. How do you answer the question in the title of this section? Explain.
This period of time was more constructive than destructive because of the great changes that America had created for the Civil Rights and with the war with Vietnam.
Robert F. Kennedy “RFK” ran for president in 1968 and stirred a response from workers, African Americans, Hispanics, and younger Americans. He would have captured the Democratic nomination, but was assassinated by Sirhan Sirhan after a victory speech during the California primary in June 1968.
Robert S. McNamara Robert S. McNamara was the Secretary of Defense under John Kennedy. He helped develop the “flexible response” policy. He was against the war in Vietnam and was removed from office because of this. Charles de Gaulle – He was president of France and was suspicious of American plans for Europe. He wanted to recapture the feeling of the Napoleonic era—the waning glory of France. He constantly vetoed actions by or in the interest of the U.S. that would increase American influence in European affairs.
Martin Luther King, Jr “MLK” was the foremost leader in the civil rights movement in the 1950's and 1960's. He preached non-violent forms of revolting, such as sit-ins, civil disobedience, and peaceful protests. It’s often said he was influenced in these tactics by Henry David Thoreau and Gandhi. He was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee on April 4, 1968.
Lee Harvey Oswald On November 22, 1963, he assassinated President Kennedy who was riding through downtown Dallas, Texas. Oswald was later shot in front of television cameras by Jack Ruby. Barry Goldwater Goldwater was a Republican senator from Arizona who was nominated on the Republican ticket for the presidency in the election of 1964. He ran against Lyndon B. Johnson and lost the election.
Malcolm X He was a black Muslim leader who favored black separation and condemned the "blue-eyed white devils." His leadership had a decidedly more aggressive tone to the civil rights movement than Martin Luther King Jr. He was shot by a black gunmen while giving a speech in New York City.
Stokely Carmichael Carmichael was a black civil rights activist in the 1960's. He was the leader of the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee and did a lot of work with Martin Luther King Jr., but later changed his attitude. Carmichael urged giving up peaceful demonstrations and encouraged pursuing “black power.” He was known for saying, "Black power will smash everything Western civilization has created."
Eugene McCarthy McCarthy was a little known Democratic Senator from Minnesota. He represented the Democratic party in the 1968 presidential election. He was a devout Catholic and soft-spoken, sometimes poetic. He used a group of antiwar college students as his campaign workers. He, with the help of his "Children’s Crusade," got 42% of the Democratic votes, but lost the election to Richard Nixon.
Hubert H. Humphrey The democratic nominee for the presidency in the election of 1968. He was LBJ's vice president, and was supportive of his Vietnam policies. This support split the Democratic party, allowing Nixon to win the election for the Republicans.
George Wallace Wallace was a third party candidate for the American Independent party in 1968 that lost against Nixon. He was a former governor of Alabama and had stood in the doorway to prevent black students from entering the University of Alabama
Flexible response This was Kennedy's plan to deal with foreign powers by not always resorting to the threat of nuclear weapons (massive retaliation), but by using specialists like the Green Beret.
Credibility Gap This was the gap between the people and the government that grew as the people became disillusioned with the Vietnam War and Watergate scandal and specifically what they were told or not told about each.
New Frontier The New Frontier was the new program introduced by President Kennedy in the early 1960's. These programs included the space program and the Peace Corp. It appealed to younger Americans especially.
Peace Corps Kennedy proposed this program, which was an army of idealistic and mostly youthful volunteers to bring American skills to underdeveloped countries.
Alliance of Progress This plan was the “Marshall Plan for Latin America.” It was suggested by President Kennedy to help the Good Neighbors close the gap between the rich and the poor, and to help quiet the communist agitation. It was unsuccessful because there was little alliance and no progress.
Bay of Pigs Invasion Kennedy was told that there were enough people in Cuba that would support an uprising, so he sent American-trained Cuban exiles to the Bay of Pigs. When no one was there to support the raid, Kennedy withdrew air support. Therefore, Castro was able to defeat the uprising. This was Kennedy's largest failure in his foreign policy.
Cuban Missile Crisis In Oct. of 1962, U.S. intelligence confirmed reports that the U.S.S.R. was constructing missile launching sites in Cuba. President Kennedy rejected a full-scale attack and, instead, delivered a public ultimatum to the U.S.S.R. to halt missiles. JFK ordered a naval blockade around Cuba to enforce this halting. The U.S.S.R. backed down and the U.S. promised not to overthrow the Cuban government.
Great Society The Great Society was President Johnson's domestic program. It was a continuation of the democratic ideals of FDR's New Deal and Truman's Fair Deal. It included war on poverty in which such issues as health care, education, and welfare were covered and increased in importance. Medicare and Medicaid exemplify this program.
Tonkin Gulf Resolution In August 1964, shots were allegedly fired at American navy ships by the North Vietnamese. LBJ quickly ordered an air raid on North Vietnamese bases, and pushed the Tonkin Gulf Resolution through Congress. This gave the president a blank check to use for further force in Southeast Asia. Because of this, LBJ had total control, and did not need the approval of Congress to enter the war.
Civil Right Act of 1964 Passed by Congress in 1964 in honor of the late President Kennedy, this act banned racial discrimination in places such as hospitals and restaurants. This act also gave the government the power to desegregate schools. It led to the creation of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Voting Rights Act This act, passed in 1965, outlawed literacy tests and sent federal voter registrars into several Southern states. This act did not end discrimination and oppression overnight, but it helped blacks get a foothold on change.
Tet Offensive Tet was the name given to a campaign in January 1968 by the Viet Cong to attack twenty-seven South Vietnamese cities, including Saigon. It ended in a military defeat for the Viet Cong, but at the same time, proved that Johnson’s "gradual escalation" strategy was not working. It shocked an American public that had been led to believe the Vietnam conflict was a sure victory
Guided Reading Questions
Kennedy's "New Frontier" Spirit
Know: John F. Kennedy, Jacqueline Kennedy, Bobby Kennedy, J. Edgar Hoover, Robert McNamara, Peace Corps
1. What was new about the New Frontier?
John F Kennedy was elected as president of the United States, the youngest in history. A sexual revolution, civil rights revolution, and a young culture began to develop. Kennedy’s brother became an attorney general. He tried to recast the priorities of the FBI but was resisted by J Edgar Hoover. Robert McNamara took over the Defense Department. The Peace Corps was proposed by JFK where an army of idealist and mostly youthful volunteers to bring American skills to underdeveloped countries.
The New Frontier at Home
2. Assess the effectiveness of New Frontier domestic policies.
JFK expanded the House Rules Committee but his program didn’t expand quickly, as medical and education bills remained stalled in Congress. JFK also had to keep a lid on inflation and maintain a good economy. Steel management announced great price increases, igniting the fury of the president, but JFK also earned fiery attacks by big business against the New Frontier. Overall, it was decently effective.
Rumblings in Europe
Know: Berlin Wall, Common Market, Trade Expansion Act, Charles de Gaulle
3. Describe Kennedy's relationship with Western Europe.
Soviets began building the Berlin Wall to separate East and West Germany. Western Europe was prospering after help from the Marshall Plan. American encouraged a Common Market in order to keep trade barriers and tariff low. Meanwhile, French leader Charles de Gaulle was one who was suspicious of the US, and he rejected Britain’s app into the Common Market.
Foreign Flare-ups and "Flexible Response"
Know: Congo, Laos, Robert McNamara, Flexible Response
4. Why did Kennedy believe that a policy of flexible response could better meet the foreign problems of the 1960s?
The African Congo got its independence from Belgium and then became violent, but the UN was able to keep peace. Laos was also free but was threatened by communism. Defense Secretary McNamara created the strategy of flexible response, which developed an array of military options that could match the gravity of whatever crises came to hand.
Stepping into the Vietnam Quagmire
Know: Ngo Dinh Diem, Viet Cong
5. Why was it difficult to use flexible response to deal with the situation in South Vietnam?
The American-backed Diem government had shakily and corruptly ruled Vietnam for a while, but it was threatened by the communist Viet Cong along with Ho Chi Minh. JFK slowly sent more and more troops to Vietnam to keep peace but they usually fought and died, despite it being Vietnam’s problem. Thus, it was quite difficult to use flexible response.
Cuban Confrontations
Know: Alliance for Progress, Fidel Castro, Bay of Pigs, Cuban Missile Crisis, Nikita Khrushchev, Quarantine, Hot Line
6. How could Cuba be considered the low and the high of Kennedy's foreign policy?
Kennedy’s Alliance for Progress aimed to close rich-poor gaps in Latin America and control communism. The US aided invasion or the Bay of Pigs was a complete disaster as Kennedy failed to give enough support. Fidel Castro began to lean towards the communist camp. JFK took the blame and actually became more popular. The Cuban Missile Crisis was a 13 day event that put the US and Russia at the brink of war. However, in the end, Russia backed off and soon lost power. There was also a direct phone call line or the hot line installed between Washington DC and Moscow in case of any crises.
The Struggle for Civil Rights
Know: Freedom Riders, Martin Luther King Jr., SNCC, James Meredith, Birmingham, March on Washington, "I Have a Dream," Medgar Evers
7. Were Kennedy's civil rights actions more the cause of events or a reaction to events in the civil rights movement?
Freedom Riders chartered buses to tour through the South and try to end segregation but were often treated with disrespect. Martin Luther King Jr launched a peaceful campaign against discrimination in Birmingham but was treated viciously. The SNCC was formed to attempt to gain blacks to vote. JFK made a speech urging immediate action towards this moral issue in a passionate plea. It was more of a reaction to events in the civil rights movement.
The Killing of Kennedy
Know: Lee Harvey Oswald, Jack Ruby, Warren Commission
8. What was the reaction to Kennedy's assassination? Why?
The reaction to Kennedy’s death was of realization. Lyndon B Johnson took over as president and it was only after Kennedy’s death that America realized what a charismatic, energetic, and vibrant president they had.
The LBJ Brand on the Presidency
Know: Lyndon Baines Johnson, The Johnson Treatment, Civil Rights Act of 1964, Affirmative Action, War on Poverty, Great Society, The Other America
9. Did Johnson provide good leadership to the country in his first term? Explain.
Yes, his idol was FDR and he couple manipulate the Congress very well. He was seen as vain and egotistical but was overall good. He passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that banned all racial discrimination in most private facilities open to the public, including theatres, hospitals and restaurants. He also created the EOCC to eliminate discriminatory hiring. His Great Society helped reflect New Deal inspirations.
Johnson Battles Goldwater in 1964
Know: Barry Goldwater, Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
10. Your book says that the 1964 election was a contest between distinctly different political philosophies. Explain this idea?
Goldwater attacked the federal income tax, Social Security system, and the TVA, plus civil rights legislations, nuclear test-band treaties, and the Great Society. Meanwhile, Johnson used the Tonkin Gulf Incident where the Northern Vietnamese ships fired on American ships, where he eventually received a virtual blank check on what he could do in affairs in Vietnam. Johnson won in a landslide.
The Great Society Congress
Know: Department of Housing and Urban Development, Medicare, Medicaid, Entitlements, Immigration and Nationality Act, Head Start
11. In what ways could it be said that 1964-68 marked some of the most liberal years for government in American history?
The Department of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development were created, headed by Robert Weaver, who was the first black cabinet secretary in the United States history. Programs like Medicare and Medicaid were installed, giving certain rights to the elderly and the needy in terms of medicine and health maintenance. The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 abolished the nation origin quota and doubled the number of immigrants allowed to enter the US up to 290,000. The Project Head Start improved the performance of the underprivileged in education. It was “preschool” for the poor.
Battling for Black Rights
Know: Voting Rights Act of 1965, The Twenty-fourth Amendment, Freedom Summer, Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, Selma
12. What forward steps toward voting for African-Americans were made in the mid-1960s?
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 attacked racial discrimination and outlawed literacy tests and sent voting registrars to the polls. The 24th Amendment eliminated poll taxes and black and white students joined to combat discrimination and racism. The Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party was denied a seat. In Selma, MLK was assaulted with tear gas by state troopers. However, steps were made for voting rights.
Black Power
Know: Watts, Malcolm X, Elijah Muhammed, Black Panthers, Stokely Carmichael
13. Why did African-Americans turn from non-violence in the late 1960s?
African Americans felt that the non-violence campaigns did not have much effect. Malcolm X and people in the Watts area mocked MLK. Malcolm X was inspired by the Nation of Islam and Elijah Muhammad. They urged immediate action, even with violence. The Black Panthers brandished their weapons openly. Stokely Carmichael led the SNCC and urged an abandonment of peaceful demonstrations.
Combating Communism in Two Hemispheres
Know: Operation Rolling Thunder, Guerrilla Warfare
14. Why did President Johnson increase America's military presence in Vietnam?
Johnson sent more men to try to prevent more communisms from spreading. But, the more people he sent, the more people died. By 1968, he had sent more than 500,000 troops to Asia, with seemingly a never ending war.
Vietnam Vexations
Know: Six-Day War, Teach-ins, William Fulbright, Credibility Gap, Cointelpro
15. Describe the negative consequences of the Vietnam War.
There were many protests in America against the Vietnam War. Opposition was headed by the Senate Committee of Foreign Relations, headed by Senator William Fullbright. Johnson ordered the CIA to spy on domestic antiwar activists and he encouraged the FBI to use its Cointelpro against the peace movement.
Vietnam Topples Johnson
Know: Tet Offensive, Eugene McCarthy
16. Why did President Johnson decide not to run for re-election in 1968?
He did not want to run for a re-election because he was personally suffering from the American casualties. North Vietnam had almost taken over Saigon called the Tet Offensive. He was a challenge of Eugene McCarthy and that nation was beginning to split. He declared he would stop sending troops to Vietnam and dropped out of the reelection.
The Presidential Sweepstakes of 1968
Know: Hubert Humphrey, Robert Kennedy, Democratic Convention, Richard Nixon, George Wallace
17. Why was the 1968 presidential election an interesting one?
On June 5, Robert Kennedy was fatally shot and the Democratic ticket went to Hubert Humphrey. The republicans had Richard Nixon while a 3rd party candidate was George Wallace, a segregationist who wanted to bomb Vietnam repeatedly. Nixon won a nail biter.
Victory for Nixon
18. "Nixon had received no clear mandate to do anything [in the 1968 election]." Explain.
Nixon had not won by majority. He did not receive as many votes as thought.
The Obituary of Lyndon Johnson
19. It could be said that few presidents were as great a success or as great a failure as Lyndon Johnson. Assess.
Lyndon Johnson had great success after Kennedy had been assassinated. However, his decision to sent troops to Vietnam was quite controversial. He had committed Americans into Vietnam with noble intentions, and wasn’t really a bad guy. But he was stuck in a time where whatever he did could be seen as bad.
The Cultural Upheaval of the 1960s
Know: Berkeley, Sexual Revolution, Stonewall Inn, Students for a Democratic Society, LSD
20. Why did a 1960s counterculture develop and how was it expressed?
In the 60s, youth of America experimented with sex, drugs, and defiance. At Berkeley, the Free Speech Movement began. Kid tried drugs and did their own things. However, the counterculture of the 1960s did weaken existing values, ideas and beliefs.
Varying Viewpoints: The Sixties: Constructive or Destructive?
21. How do you answer the question in the title of this section? Explain.
This period of time was more constructive than destructive because of the great changes that America had created for the Civil Rights and with the war with Vietnam.