Camelot and the New Frontier: The Kennedy Years

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Camelot and the New Frontier The Kennedy Years
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I. The 1960 ElectionNixon vs.
Kennedy(after long, brutal primary between JFK
LBJ (including accusations of Addisons and
possibility of death in office))
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The Issues Foreign Policy

• Nixon
• Contends that "American prestige is at an
  all-time high," thanks to the efforts of the
  Eisenhower administration.

• Kennedy
• Citing a loss of prestige, declares that America
  needed a more activist and imaginative approach
  to international affairs.

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The Issues Economy

• Nixon
• Urges economic growth through a combination of
  private enterprise and individual initiative.

• Kennedy
• Calls for increased government intervention to
  stimulate the economy.

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The Issues Defense

• Nixon
• Asserts that the U.S. has maintained military
  standing with the Soviet Union, and that military
  spending should be watched carefully for excess

• Kennedy
• Argues that a "missile gap" favoring the Soviet
  Union makes an increase in defense spending
  necessary

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Issues Other

• Kennedys Catholicism (servant to the Pope?)
• Americas spiritual and cultural malaise
  (indefinite feeling of uneasiness)
• JFKs image vigor, glamour, etc.
• Skillful in his use of media, especially TV
  (first televised debate radio vs. TV)

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Election Results

• Hotly contested very close
• Kennedy wins by 113,000 out of 68 million cast
• Claims of voter fraud
• Illinois, Texas
• Nixon publicly claims that he will not contest
  for good of nation
• Has others file lawsuits, write articles, etc.
• Pattern he ( others) will use later in
  Presidency
• Swift Boat Vets for Truth
• AARP is gay-loving troop-haters

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Kennedy the Cold Warrior

• McCarthy era vision (Dems soft on communism)?
  Kennedy über-Cold Warriorstronger than
  Eisenhower (missile gap)
• ? Bay of Pigs and escalation in Vietnam
• Would he have continued?

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• Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well
  or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any
  burden, meet any hardship, support any friend,
  oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival
  and the success of liberty.

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II. Soviet-American Tensions

• JFK an ardent Cold Warrior, but over time
  displayed caution/ pragmatism
• Alliance for Progress (LA Marshall Plan
  peaceful revolution) Peace Corps (1961)
• Build pro-USA nations in Third World
  counterinsurgency (Green Berets) to defeat
  revolutionaries Congo (19601), Brazil (1964
  ITT and Joao Goulart Nixon ITT and Allende
  1974)
• Few successes aid goes through native elite?
  resent attempt to impose US models

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• JFK test ban to halt nuclear proliferation (1963)
• JCS test behind the moon
• Arms race accelerates largest, fastest defense
  buildup in peace time
• JFK increase nuclear weapons by 150 (1964)
• Accepts Berlin wall (1961) to avoid war a wall
  is a hell of a lot better than a war
• I am a jelly donut!
• But not really

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III. Bay of Pigs Invasion (1961)

• JFK cont. Ikes plan for exile invasion
• Invasion quickly falters (no air support)
• Key Cubans not support exiles
• Compare Iraq
• In response, Castro moves closer to USSR? JFK vow
  topple Castro
• US seen as weak, anti-LA
• CIAs Op Mongoose (sabotage, assassination)
• JCS plan for invasion

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IV. Cuban Missile Crisis (Oct. 1962)

• Castro Soviet help deter US
• Khrushchev missiles will deter invasion, improve
  USSR position in arms race (missile gap), improve
  USSR position LA
• When U-2 reveal missiles, JFK rejects quiet
  diplomacy? demands removal of missiles
• Some suggest air strike JCS want full invasion
• JFK naval quarantine

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• Announce it on TV put military on high alert
• After days of brinkmanship, a compromise
• Secret deal USSR remove Cuban missiles USA
  pledge no invasion remove Turkey missiles
• Still debate on JFKs actions during crisis
  McNamara JFK caused crisis impact Vietnam
• After crisis, Test Ban Treaty (1963) hot line
• Tensions in Europe cool, but Cold War continue in
  arms race Third World (Vietnam)
• New book Cuba? JFK et.al. create theory of
  uberCommunists? Papa Doc in Haiti, Trujillo in
  Dominican Republic

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V. Domestic Policies

• New Frontier Reps conservative Dems stall it
  in Congress (lack of mandate)
• JFK put less effort into domestic issues pushed
  to Civil Rights by RFK
• BUT extension Social Security, water pollution,
  expansion increase min. wage, free trade,
  reform welfare (decrease dependence), Area
  Redevelopment, tax cuts (Keynesian demand-side)
• Despite few legislative successes, JFK able to
  inspire idealism (Peace Corps, moon mission)
• Assassination? Johnson, CRM, Great Society
  (achievement Kennedy goals )