DCUSH S2 Unit 5

Election of 1960

Democrat John Kennedy defeated Republican Richard Nixon. Although Nixon was an intelligent, seasoned politician, Kennedy was helped by his poise/looks during the televised debates, the African American vote, and his young, attractive family.

John F. Kennedy

Winner of the 1960 election and 35th President of the United States. His domestic policies focused on Civil Rights and his New Frontier programs. He was assassinated on 11/22/63.

The New Frontier

Kennedy's domestic agenda to improve the economy, education, healthcare, civil rights and the space program.

Equal Pay Act (1963)

"Equal pay for equal work" for women and minorities. Act had many loophole/failed to change wage gap, but employment practices did become gradually fairer.

Space Race

With the U.S. a step behind the Soviets when he took office, Kennedy focused on this, promising to land a man on the moon by the end of the decade.

Lee Harvey Oswald

He assassinated President John Kennedy in Dallas, TX on 11/22/63. Two days later, he was killed by Jack Ruby.

Warren Commission

This report concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in the assassination of President Kennedy.

Lyndon Johnson

He became president after the assassination of President Kennedy. He was an ally of the Civil Rights Movement and his domestic program was called the Great Society. He also escalated the war in Vietnam and--in a televised address--told the American people he would not seek re-election from the Democratic Party in 1968.

War on Poverty

Under President Johnson, this included $1 billion to provide job training, education, and provide healthcare for those in need. Examples of legislation included the Economic Opportunity Act and Head Start.

The Great Society

These were Johnson's domestic reforms that were aimed at eliminating poverty and racism, creating opportunities for all.

Medicare

Government program to provide basic health insurance for Americans in the Social Security system ages 65 and older--the elderly.

Medicaid

Government program to provide basic health insurance to lower income/disabled persons.

Berlin Wall

Soviets began construction on this in 1961. The Soviet goal was to cutoff West Berlin to stop East Berliners, especially skilled workers, from fleeing to the West. It symbolized the divide between the Democratic West and Communist East.

Bay of Pigs Invasion

This was a failed invasion in April, 1961 of CIA-trained Cuban exiles to overthrow the new Communist government in Cuba (which was led by Fidel Castro). It was a "fiasco"—complete failure for Kennedy and strengthened Castro's position in Cuba.

Cuban Missile Crisis

This occurred in October of 1962 after Soviet missiles were discovered in Cuba. It brought the world to the brink of nuclear war. It ended when the Soviets agreed to remove the missiles from Cuba after Kennedy promised not to invade Cuba in addition to removing missiles from Turkey.

Blockade or Quarantine

Kennedy ordered this to prevent Soviets from shipping missiles to Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

"Hot Line"

This was established after the Cuban Missile Crisis to improve communication between D.C. and Moscow.

Nuclear Test Ban Treaty

Signed in 1963, this banned above ground, underwater, and outer space testing of nuclear bombs.

French Indochina

This included Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, established in 1887.

Ho Chi Minh

Most prominent Vietnamese nationalist who will become the leader of Communist North Vietnam.

Declaration of Independence of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam

This was issued at the end of World War II, with Vietnam seeking independence from the French.

Viet Minh

Armed Vietnamese revolutionaries fighting the French and ultimately becoming the army of North Vietnam after the French Indochina War.

The French Indochina War

This was fought between 1946-1954 between the Viet Minh and the French. The Viet Minh won.

Battle of Dien Bien Phu

This 1954 battle was the decisive victory of the Viet Minh over the French in the French Indochina War.

Geneva Accords

This was issued at the end of the French Indochina War in 1954. Vietnam gained its independence, but the country was split in two at the 17th parallel, with reunification elections planned to be held in 1956 (the elections will never be held).

Domino Theory

The theory that if one country in a region fell to communism, others would fall as well. As such, the U.S. policy of containment of communism was necessary.

17th Parallel

The division line of North Vietnam and South Vietnam.

North Vietnam

Communist Vietnam.

South Vietnam

Democratic Vietnam.

Ngo Dinh Diem

The president of South Vietnam. He was overthrown and assassinated in 1963.

Viet Cong

Communist revolutionaries in South Vietnam trying to overthrow the South Vietnamese government. Supplied by North Vietnam via the Ho Chi Minh Trail.

Ho Chi Minh Trail

Supply route through Cambodia to get supplies from North Vietnam to the Viet Cong in the South.

Gulf of Tonkin Incident

This occurred on August 2, 1964, when North Vietnamese patrol boats fired on the USS Maddox. There was a reported August 4 incident that--decades later--it was revealed never occurred.

USS Maddox

United States Ship fired upon by North Vietnamese patrol boats as part of the Gulf of Tonkin Incident. The ship remained intact and there were no American fatalities.

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

Congress passed this on August 7, 1964. It gave President Johnson the authority to "take all necessary measures" in Vietnam. Wide-ranging war powers.

The combatants in Vietnam.

Anticommunists (U.S. and South Vietnamese Army) VS. Communists (Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army).

Operation Rolling Thunder

A sustained bombing attack on North Vietnam, beginning in March 1965.

Napalm

Weapon used by the U.S., this was a jellied gasoline which was dropped in large canisters that exploded on impact, covering large areas in flames.

Agent Orange

Weapon used by the U.S., this was an herbicide sprayed in Vietnam to defoliate the forest that might be concealing Viet Cong fighters.

Guerrilla Warfare

The Viet Cong used these tactics, which included digging tunnels and hiding in trees, engaging in small ambushes, sneak attacks, night raids, booby traps.

War of Attrition

The type of war Vietnam was. The goal for the N. Vietnamese was to bleed the Americans until they left.

Hawks

Mostly conservative and supported the war effort. Believed strongly in the containment. Accepted cost of war in $ and lives lost.

Doves

Questioned the war on both moral and strategic grounds—it was a Civil War in Vietnam. They included liberals, students, pacifists, and others.

The Draft

Forced military service. This included conscripting higher number of poor people and minorities, especially African Americans, as these groups did not get college deferments in large numbers. Much of the antiwar movement was focused on ending this.

Draft Lottery

Introduced in 1969, this changed the draft to try to prevent the abuse of deferments and make the draft more fair.

Students for a Democratic Society (SDS):

Founded in 1960 at University of Michigan. It was a student organization that organized "teach-ins" and demonstrations against the war.

26th Amendment

This granted 18 year olds the right to vote in 1971.

Credibility Gap

The gap between the positive statements by the Johnson administration about the war…and the truth.

Tet Offensive

This took place on January 21, 1968 when the The NVA and Viet Cong launched major offensive against ARVN and U.S. troops, attacking major cities. Major impact in the U.S. was loss of morale and continued loss of trust in government.

Robert Kennedy

He became the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination in 1968 after Johnson told the nation he wouldn't run. He was assassinated in June, 1968, contributing to the mess of the Democratic Party in 1968.

Democratic National Convention

Held in Chicago in August of 1968. Elected Hubert Humphrey as the nominee.

Richard Nixon

A Republican who won the 1968 presidential election, having been elected by the so-called "silent majority." His victory was aided by Johnson's decision to not run for re-election, a divided Democratic Party, and a third-party candidate that pulled from Southern Democrats.

Police Riot

This broke out at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in 1968, when Chicago police clashed with protesters.

Vietnamization

Nixon's plan to gradually hand responsibility for the war to the ARVN (South Vietnamese Army) while pulling out U.S. troops.

Invasion of Cambodia

This took place on April 30, 1970, the goal of which was to break the Ho Chi Minh trail and raid Viet Cong bases.

Kent State University

4 students were killed here by the Ohio National Guard on May 4, 1970 during a protest against the invasion of Cambodia.

My Lai Massacre

This was the killing of 300-400 unarmed civilians by U.S. troops in March, 1968 during a "search and destroy" mission.

Pentagon Papers

Leaked by Daniel Ellsberg and published in the New York Times and Washington Post in 1971, these detailed U.S. involvement for over twenty years, revealing the American people had been lied to about the war.

Paris Peace Accords

Signed in January, 1973. Agreement for the U.S. to leave Vietnam.

Fall of Saigon

This event ended the Vietnam War for Vietnamese troops and precipitated the unification of North and South into a single Communist Vietnam.