Lecture Notes: Unit 13 - The 1960s and the Vietnam War

Introduction

Unit 13 focuses on the 1960s era and the Vietnam War.
The unit discusses political events and notable happenings of the 1960s, with a detailed examination of the Vietnam War.

Election of 1960: John F. Kennedy is elected as the youngest elected President at 43.
New Frontier: Kennedy's administration moved away from "deals" and introduced the concept of the "New Frontier."
Characteristics:
- Known for his youthful energy, intelligence, and wit.
- Popular in media due to his comfort with press conferences and quippy remarks.
Major Accomplishments:
- Space Program: Advocated for the U.S. to land a man on the moon by the end of the 1960s, which was achieved in 1969.
- Civil Rights: Played a role in civil rights promotion, notably during the racial tensions and university desegregation events.

Initiated by Eisenhower, continued by Kennedy.
Meant to overthrow Fidel Castro with the help of Cuban exiles.
Failure of the invasion was a significant embarrassment, highlighting mismanagement and lack of support once the plan unraveled.
Led to a slight recovery in public opinion for JFK due to his ownership of the failure in a national address.

Erected by the East German government to prevent East Germans from fleeing to the west.
Kennedy couldn’t prevent its construction but condemned it, symbolizing Cold War tensions.

Background: Soviets placed nuclear missiles in Cuba, posing a severe threat to U.S. security.
Outcome: After intense negotiations, USSR agreed to remove missiles from Cuba in exchange for U.S. removing its missiles from Turkey secretly.
Regarded as a critical moment where direct nuclear confrontation was narrowly avoided.

His assassination in Dallas marked a pivotal moment in U.S. history.
Sparked widespread national mourning and is considered an end to the potential greater achievements Kennedy might have accomplished.

"Great Society": Aimed at eliminating poverty and racial injustice.
Significant legislation passed under his administration, including the Voting Rights Act and Civil Rights Act.

The late 1960s saw major social upheavals, including intense objections to the Vietnam War and significant shifts towards liberalism among the youth.

Marked by intense political and social turmoil.
Republican Richard Nixon won, promising to restore law and order and end the Vietnam War.

The lecture detailed pivotal events and figures of the 1960s, particularly focusing on how these shaped modern American society and its political landscape.

Future lectures will delve deeper into the complexities of the Vietnam War, examining its causes, progression, and profound effects on American society and foreign policy.