President Eisenhower and 1960 Election Overview

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Questions and Answers

What was President Eisenhower's approval rating at the end of his terms?

Good (correct)

Poor

Average

Excellent

Who were the candidates for president in the 1960 election?

John F Kennedy and Richard Nixon

Who won the 1960 presidential election?

John F Kennedy

What effect did advertising have in the 1960 election?

Television affected the election results because Kennedy appeared young, attractive, and athletic while Nixon appeared tired from campaigning. Signup and view all the answers

What approach did Kennedy take towards foreign policy?

Kennedy followed Cold War policies and continued the nuclear arms buildup begun by Eisenhower. Signup and view all the answers

What special units did Kennedy create to help countries struggling against communism?

Green Berets Signup and view all the answers

What was the Peace Corps?

Volunteer groups designed by Kennedy to help developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Signup and view all the answers

What was the Alliance for Progress?

Economic aid provided to Latin America in exchange for those countries beginning democratic reforms and encouraging capitalism. Signup and view all the answers

Who rose to power in Cuba in 1959?

Fidel Castro Signup and view all the answers

What country did Castro establish ties with when he rose to power?

Soviet Union Signup and view all the answers

What was the CIA doing during the Eisenhower presidency?

Training and financing a group of Cuban refugees to invade Cuba. Signup and view all the answers

What did Kennedy do with Eisenhower's plan to invade Cuba?

Kennedy followed through on it. Signup and view all the answers

What was the Bay of Pigs?

An unsuccessful invasion of Cuba in 1961, sponsored by the United States. Signup and view all the answers

What was the result of the Bay of Pigs failure?

Kennedy took control over foreign affairs. Signup and view all the answers

What did the Bay of Pigs failure convince Khrushchev of?

President Kennedy was weak. Signup and view all the answers

What ultimatum did Khrushchev give Kennedy?

Remove troops from West Germany. Signup and view all the answers

Why did East Germans build a barbed-wire barrier?

To divide the two Germanys. Signup and view all the answers

What was the U.S. response to the barbed-wire barrier?

Sent more troops to Berlin. Signup and view all the answers

What structure replaced the barbed-wire barrier?

Berlin Wall. Signup and view all the answers

What was Cuba's response to the invasion?

Asked the Soviet Union to provide them with defensive weapons. Signup and view all the answers

What type of defensive missiles did the Soviet Union give to Cuba?

Nuclear missiles that could reach the U.S. Signup and view all the answers

What was Kennedy's demand on October 22, 1962?

Any armed ships bound for Cuba be turned back and demanded the Soviets remove the missiles from Cuba. Signup and view all the answers

What did Khrushchev agree to do on October 28, 1962?

Dismantle the military bases in Cuba. Signup and view all the answers

What did Kennedy agree to do on October 28, 1962?

Not to invade Cuba and remove U.S. missiles from foreign sites. Signup and view all the answers

What were the characteristics of Kennedy's cabinet?

Intellectual scholars with little political experience. Signup and view all the answers

What was the focus of Kennedy's New Frontier?

Less unemployment and lower inflation. Signup and view all the answers

What did Kennedy threaten to do if the Steel Industry strikes were not able to negotiate fair wages?

Cancel government contracts. Signup and view all the answers

What acts did Kennedy's Republican-controlled Congress reject?

Medical care for older Americans and federal aid for education. Signup and view all the answers

What was the Area Redevelopment Act of 1963?

Federal assistance to economically disadvantaged areas. Signup and view all the answers

Who assassinated President Kennedy in 1963?

Lee Harvey Oswald Signup and view all the answers

What did Lyndon Johnson's presidency focus on?

Civil rights legislation. Signup and view all the answers

How many women did Lyndon Johnson hire for government positions?

27 Signup and view all the answers

How did Lyndon Johnson start the war on poverty in 1964?

Creating the Office of Economic Opportunity. Signup and view all the answers

What social programs did Lyndon Johnson start?

Job Corps, Head Start, and Domestic Peace Corps. Signup and view all the answers

What was Johnson's domestic reform policy called?

Great Society. Signup and view all the answers

What was established by Congress in 1965?

Medicare (elderly insurance program) and Medicaid (health care for low income). Signup and view all the answers

What did the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 provide aid to?

Schools in poor areas. Signup and view all the answers

What did the Omnibus Housing Act in 1965 do?

Provided housing assistance for low income families and established the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Signup and view all the answers

What type of programming did the Corporation for Public Broadcasting offer?

Educational TV. Signup and view all the answers

What environmental acts were passed from 1965-1968?

Water Quality Act Signup and view all the answers

Warren Court decision that affected people accused of a crime stated that (Match the following statements):

States must provide lawyers at public expense = 1. Lawyers must be present during police investigations = 2. Accused people must be informed of their rights = 3. Signup and view all the answers

What is a Green Beret?

Elite anti-guerrilla military units expanded by Kennedy as part of his doctrine of 'flexible response'. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

President Eisenhower and the 1960 Election

Eisenhower's approval rating was high at the end of his presidency.
John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon were the primary candidates in the 1960 presidential election.
John F. Kennedy emerged victorious in the 1960 presidential election.
Advertising played a crucial role; Kennedy's youthful image outshined Nixon's tired appearance during televised debates.

Kennedy's Foreign Policy Initiatives

Kennedy adhered to Cold War policies and continued nuclear arms buildup from Eisenhower's era.
Established the Green Berets, special units aimed at assisting nations combating communism.
Created the Peace Corps, which sent volunteers to aid development in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Launched the Alliance for Progress, offering economic aid to Latin American countries contingent on democratic reforms.

Cuban Relations and the Bay of Pigs

Fidel Castro took power in Cuba in 1959, establishing ties with the Soviet Union.
During Eisenhower’s administration, the CIA trained Cuban exiles to invade Cuba.
Kennedy endorsed the CIA’s plan for the Bay of Pigs invasion in April 1961, which ended in failure.
Post-Bay of Pigs, Kennedy assumed greater control over foreign affairs, leading to perceptions of weakness by Khrushchev.

Cold War Escalation and the Berlin Crisis

Khrushchev issued an ultimatum for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from West Germany.
East Germany constructed a barbed-wire barrier to separate East and West Berlin.
The U.S. responded by deploying more troops to Berlin.
The barbed-wire barrier was eventually replaced by the Berlin Wall.

Cuban Missile Crisis

In response to the invasion, Cuba sought defensive weapons from the Soviet Union, receiving nuclear missiles capable of reaching the U.S.
On October 22, 1962, Kennedy demanded the removal of missiles and ordered armed ships bound for Cuba to be turned back.
Khrushchev agreed to dismantle military bases in Cuba on October 28, 1962, while Kennedy promised not to invade Cuba and to remove U.S. missiles from Turkey.

Domestic Policy of Kennedy and Johnson

Kennedy's cabinet consisted of intellectuals with minimal political experience.
The New Frontier aimed to reduce unemployment and inflation.
Kennedy threatened to cancel government contracts if the steel industry failed to negotiate fair wages.
His Republican-controlled Congress rejected proposals for medical care for older Americans and education funding.

Lyndon Johnson's Administration

Johnson’s presidency emphasized civil rights legislation and included the appointment of 27 women to government roles.
Launched the War on Poverty in 1964 through the creation of the Office of Economic Opportunity.
Johnson's social programs included Job Corps, Head Start, and the Domestic Peace Corps.
His domestic reform initiatives were collectively known as the Great Society.

Healthcare and Education Reforms

Medicare and Medicaid were established by Congress in 1965, providing insurance for the elderly and healthcare for low-income individuals.
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 offered financial aid to underfunded schools.
The Omnibus Housing Act of 1965 facilitated housing assistance for low-income families and founded the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Environmental and Legal Reforms

Environmental acts passed between 1965 and 1968 included the Water Quality Act and the Air Quality Act to oversee pollution.
The Warren Court made significant decisions enhancing the rights of the accused, ensuring access to public defenders and informing individuals of their rights during police investigations.

Special Military Units

The Green Berets were elite military units created by Kennedy to enable flexible responses to guerrilla warfare and conflict situations.

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Description

Explore the key events surrounding President Eisenhower's final years in office and the pivotal 1960 presidential election. Discover how candidates John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon influenced the political landscape and the role of media in shaping public perception. Additionally, examine Kennedy's foreign policy initiatives and significant events like the Bay of Pigs invasion.