JFK to Vietnam War Flashcards

Flashcards covering key events, figures, and concepts from JFK's presidency through the Vietnam War.

What is 'Camelot' in the context of JFK's presidency?

Young and popular with Hollywood circles; also a reference to his family's wealth and charisma.

What were three key characteristics of Kennedy in the 1960 election?

Charming, eloquent, and Catholic

What was a major issue Kennedy addressed in the 1960 election?

Cold War concerns and the belief that America was falling behind.

When did Fidel Castro establish a communist government in Cuba?

1959 - Fidel Castro set up a communist government in Cuba.

Which US President initially planned the overthrow of Fidel Castro?

Eisenhower

What crucial support did Kennedy withhold from the Bay of Pigs invasion?

The U.S. refused to provide air support.

What prompted the Soviets to build the Berlin Wall?

East Germans fleeing to West Berlin.

What did the Berlin Wall symbolize?

A physical barrier representing the ‘Iron Curtain’.

What did U.S. spy planes discover in Cuba in 1962?

Cuba was secretly preparing missile sites for nuclear weapons supplied by the Soviet Union.

How did JFK initially respond to the Soviet missile threat in Cuba?

He ordered a naval blockade around Cuba.

What were the terms of the agreement that ended the Cuban Missile Crisis?

The U.S. agreed not to attack Cuba and would remove weapons from Turkey.

Why did JFK announce that America would put a man on the moon?

To counter the Soviet Space program (Sputnik 1957),

Who was arrested for the assassination of JFK?

Lee Harvey Oswald.

What was the official purpose of the Warren Commission?

To reassure the public that Oswald acted alone.

What was the purpose of the JFK Act of 1992?

Mandating the gathering and opening of all records concerned with the death of President Kennedy.

What did the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibit?

No discrimination based on Race, Color, Sex, Religion or National Origin

What did the Voting Civil Act of 1965 accomplish?

Enforced voting rights given by 14th and 15th Amendments, outlaws literary test.

What did the Medicare Act of 1965 accomplish?

Expanded Social Security to help those over 65 years of age.

Which country was a French colony since the 1880's?

Vietnam

Why did America believe that they need to stop Communism from expanding anywhere it pops up?

The concept is called containment

How was Vietnam split?

Established at the 17th parallel

What gave the president permission from Congress to take “all necessary means… to prevent further aggression”?

Tonkin Gulf Resolution

In what year did the Tet Offensive begin?

1968

What were members of the counterculture called?

Hippies

What music festival in NY that lasted 3 days can be described as a “profound religious experience”?

Woodstock

What caused the decline of Hippie subculture?

Drug use declined as the excitement faded and as more young people became addicted or died from overdoses

Who stated “Peace is at hand”?

Henry Kissinger’s “Peace is at hand”

What were the conditions of the “Agreement on Ending the war and restoring peace in Vietnam”?

• U.S. to remove all troops - North could leave troops already in South

What were the Pentagon Paper's about?

Confirmed the gov. Lied about the war

Which amendment lowered the voting age?

26th Amend

Which act mandated that the president inform Congress in 48 hrs if sending troops into hostile areas without declaration of war?

War Powers Act

What is a lesson learned for future presidents after the Vietnam war?

Wars must be of short duration