The Sixties: A Decade of Protest and Change

Baby Boomers

Generation born in the 1940s and 1950s.

Youth Culture

Rebellion against materialism by young people.

Establishment

Term for the dominant societal norms and values.

John F. Kennedy

Youngest U.S. President elected in 1960.

New Frontier

JFK's domestic policy promoting youth vigor.

Medicare

Federal health insurance program for seniors.

Civil Rights

Movement for racial equality and justice.

Peace Corps

Volunteer program promoting international service.

Space Race

Competition between U.S. and USSR for space exploration.

NASA

U.S. agency for space exploration and research.

Apollo Program

NASA's mission to land humans on the Moon.

John Glenn

First American to orbit Earth in 1962.

Apollo 11

Mission that landed first humans on the Moon.

Neil Armstrong

First person to walk on the Moon.

Bay of Pigs Invasion

Failed U.S. attempt to overthrow Castro in 1961.

Fidel Castro

Leader who overthrew Batista in Cuba.

Cuban Exiles

Cubans trained by U.S. to invade Cuba.

Berlin Wall

Barrier separating East and West Berlin, erected in 1961.

East Germany

Communist state losing citizens to West Germany.

U.S. Air Support

Military assistance that failed during Bay of Pigs.

Cuban Missile Crisis

Tense standoff over Soviet missiles in Cuba.

Cultural Diffusion

Spread of cultural beliefs and social activities.

Consumerism

Societal focus on acquiring goods and services.

Berlin Wall

Divided East and West Berlin for nearly 30 years.

Fall of Berlin Wall

Occurred on November 9, 1989, ending division.

Mikhail Gorbachev

Soviet leader who introduced reforms like glasnost.

Glasnost

Policy of openness in Soviet governance.

Perestroika

Economic restructuring policy in the Soviet Union.

Cuban Missile Crisis

13-day confrontation over Soviet missiles in Cuba.

Bay of Pigs

Failed U.S. invasion attempt in Cuba, 1961.

Naval Blockade

JFK's quarantine to prevent Soviet shipments to Cuba.

Khrushchev

Soviet leader during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Brinksmanship

Tense policy of pushing dangerous situations to the edge.

Hotline

Direct communication line between U.S. and USSR.

John F. Kennedy

Assassinated on November 22, 1963, in Dallas.

Lyndon B. Johnson

36th U.S. President, served 1963-1969.

Great Society

LBJ's initiative to eliminate poverty and racial injustice.

Civil Rights Act 1964

Legislation ending segregation and discrimination.

Voting Rights Act 1965

Outlawed literacy tests, enforced voting rights.

Medicare

Healthcare program for individuals over 65 years.

Medicaid

Healthcare program for low-income individuals.

Economic Opportunity Act 1964

Established social programs for impoverished Americans.

Vietnam War

Conflict from 1954 to 1975 involving U.S. forces.

Domino Theory

Belief that communism spreads to neighboring countries.

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

1964 Congress granted LBJ authority to escalate Vietnam War.

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

Congressional approval for escalating Vietnam War involvement.

LBJ

Lyndon B. Johnson, U.S. President during Vietnam escalation.

Napalm

Flammable jelly used in bombing raids.

Agent Orange

Chemical defoliant used to clear vegetation.

TET Offensive

Surprise attack by North Vietnam during New Year.

Vietnamese New Year

Holiday celebrated with ceasefire in previous years.

Television War

Vietnam War broadcast daily on American television.

Credibility Gap

Discrepancy between government claims and media reports.

Anti-War Movement

Protests against U.S. involvement in Vietnam.

Hawks

Supporters of U.S. military involvement in Vietnam.

Doves

Opponents of U.S. military involvement in Vietnam.

Richard Nixon

President who promised 'peace with honor' in Vietnam.

Vietnamization

Nixon's strategy to withdraw U.S. troops gradually.

Invasion of Cambodia

Nixon's bombing campaign to disrupt Viet Cong supply lines.

Henry Kissinger

Nixon's Secretary of State, key in Vietnam negotiations.

Kent State Shooting

1970 protest where National Guardsmen killed four students.

Silent Majority

Nixon's term for Americans who supported the war.

Pentagon Papers

Leaked documents revealing government deception about Vietnam.

Fall of Saigon

1975 event marking the end of the Vietnam War.

Legacy of Vietnam War

Over 58,000 U.S. deaths and loss of government trust.

War Powers Resolution

Limits presidential power to send troops without Congress.

26th Amendment

Lowered voting age to 18 years.

Roy Benavidez

Medal of Honor recipient for Vietnam War heroics.

Ho Chi Minh Trail

Supply route for North Vietnamese through Cambodia and Laos.