JFK and the New Frontier [1960-1963]

After a close victory in the historic election of 1960, President John F. Kennedy leads an optimistic America into a decade of

struggle and disillusionment rocked by social, cultural, and political upheaval

The Fifties vs the Sixties

The Election of 1960

The incumbent president, Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower, was not eligible to run again. The Republican Party nominated Richard Nixon, Eisenhower's Vice-President, while the Democrats nominated John F. Kennedy, Senator from Massachusetts.

John Kennedy had two strikes against him, many thought.  First, he was a Catholic, and many remembered how Herbert Hoover had beaten another Catholic, Alfred E. Smith, in 1928.  Second, Kennedy faced a tough Republican opponent-Richard M. Nixon, who had been Vice President during the two Eisenhower Administrations.

But four TV debates-the firs ever for Presidential candidates-helped Kennedy defuse the religion issue and take some of the luster off Nixon’s image.  On TV, Nixon appeared nervous, sweaty, tired, defensive, and in need of a shave. 

Kennedy seemed calm, collected, sophisticated, and mature.  Political analysts feel that the debates gave Kennedy the edge he needed to squeak through to

victory.

The Election of 1960

The Peace Corps (1961) Proposed an "army" of young Americans to act as "missionaries of democracy."

La Sierra High PE-Past Lessons for Future Fitness

The Alliance for Progress (1961) "Latin American Marshall Plan"  JFK gave $20 billion in aid to Latin America  to help Latin American countries to close the gap between rich and poor thus quieting communist sympathies.''

Bay of Pigs (April 1961) - 1400 American-trained Cuban rebels were  promised U.S. air cover during an attempted overthrow of Castro’s government.  Many of the survivors were ransomed back to the U.S. for $64 million

Cuban Missile Crisis (October 1962)  After discovering that the Russians were building nuclear missile launch sites in Cuba, the U.S. announced a quarantine of Cuba, which was really a blockade, but couldn't be called that since blockades are a violation of international law. After 6 days of confrontation that led to the brink of nuclear war, Khrushchev backed down and agreed to dismantle the launch sites.

Space Program -  Kennedy promoted $24 billion project to land an American on the moon. ( Critics charge money could be better spent elsewhere)  1969, Apollo 11 mission transported two American astronauts successfully to the moon:  Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin