Kennedy and the Cold War

Chapter 20 section 1

Election 1960Democratic nominee

John KennedyPromised active leadership

Get America moving again

Republican nomineeRichard Nixon

John F. KennedyWell organized campaignWealthy familyHandsome and charismatic43 years oldRoman Catholic

InexperiencedHaving a Roman Catholic in the White House

would either:Have the pope be involved in American Policy Closer ties between church and state

TelevisionSeptember 26, 1960

First television debate70 million viewers

Nixon was an expert in Foreign PoliciesKennedy was coached by producersTelevision age

Civil RightsOctober Atlanta, GeorgiaPolice arrested Reverend Martin Luther King

Jr.Officially arrested on a minor traffic violation

Kennedy called Coretta Scott King

http://microsites.jfklibrary.org/presidentsdesk/#/secretTapes

CamelotNovember 1960

Closest since 1884Won by fewer than 119,00 votes

New era in the White HouseGraceEleganceWit

Critics said that his smooth style lacked substance

CamelotKing Arthur’s mythical court

Military PolicyFocused on the Cold WarCommunism was gaining loyalties

Asia, Africa, Latin AmericaCuba

Redefine the nation’s nuclear strategyEisenhower relied on massive retaliation to

deter Soviet aggression and imperialism

KennedyFlexible response

Increased spending in order to boost conventional military forces and to create an elite branch of army

Nonnuclear forces such as troops, ships, and artillery

Special forces/ Green Berets

CubaJanuary 3, 1961Fidel Castro

Revolutionary leaderOpenly declared himself a communistWelcomed aid from the Soviet Union

President Eisenhower cut off diplomatic relations

1956-1959Castro used guerrilla movement to topple

dictator Fulgencio BatistaUnited States recognized the new

governmentWere suspicious

Bay of PigsMarch 1960

Eisenhower gave permission to CIA to train exiles for a Cuban invasion

Kennedy learned of the plan 9 days after his electionHad doubts, but approved it

April 17, 19611300- 1500 Cuban Exiles

They had the support of the United StatesWas a huge disaster“Free Havana”

Cuban Missile Crisis1962

Soviets giving Cuba weapons increases Nuclear weapons

October 14Pictures taken of Soviet missiles in Cuba

http://microsites.jfklibrary.org/presidentsdesk/#/secretTapes

Soviets offered to remove the missiles in return for Americas pledge not to invade Cuba

KhrushchevDamaged prestige

KennedyCriticized for practicing brinkmanship

Berlin WallA concrete wall topped with barbed wire that

severed the city in two parts3 million East Germans went into West BerlinA symbol of Communist oppression

Easing TensionHot line

1963Between White House and Kremlin

Limited Test Ban TreatyBarred nuclear testing in the atmosphere

http://microsites.jfklibrary.org/presidentsdesk/#/secretTapes