JFK Notes

U-2 Incident

A diplomatic crisis in 1960 when an American spy plane was shot down over Soviet territory, leading to the failure of Eisenhower's diplomacy.

Flexible Response Doctrine

Kennedy's strategy to replace mutually assured destruction with a flexible approach to nuclear conflict, allowing room for negotiations.

Alliance for Progress

A program announced by Kennedy in 1961 promising $20 billion in aid to Latin America aimed at preventing revolutions.

Cold War

A period of geopolitical tension between the Soviet Union and the United States after World War II.

The Missiles of October

The Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962, where Kennedy and Khrushchev engaged in a standoff over Soviet missiles in Cuba.

Camelot

A term used to describe the Kennedy administration, likening it to the legendary court of King Arthur.

Bay of Pigs Invasion

A failed CIA-led invasion of Cuba in 1961 aimed at toppling Fidel Castro's regime.

The March on Washington

A large rally held in 1963 where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous 'I Have a Dream' speech, advocating for civil rights.

Mississippi Summer

A campaign launched in 1964 to increase voter registration among African Americans in Mississippi.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

A landmark legislation that outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

James Meredith

The first African American student admitted to the University of Mississippi, requiring federal intervention for his protection.

Kennedy-Nixon Debates

The first televised presidential debates in U.S. history, which highlighted the contrasting styles and issues of the candidates.

Military-Industrial Complex

A term used by Eisenhower to describe the relationship between a nation's military and the defense industry that influences public policy.

The Catholic Issue

The challenge faced by John F. Kennedy during his presidential campaign regarding his being a Roman Catholic.

Robert McNamara

The 8th U.S. Secretary of Defense under JFK, known for employing quantitative methods to manage military strategies.

Berlin Wall

A barrier that divided East and West Berlin, erected in August 1961 to prevent East Germans from fleeing to the West.

Freedom Riders

Civil rights activists who rode interstate buses into the segregated southern United States in 1961.

Buddhist Crisis

A series of protests by Buddhist monks against the government of Ngo Dinh Diem in South Vietnam, which eventually led to U.S. intervention.

Letter from Birmingham Jail

An open letter written by Martin Luther King Jr. while imprisoned, defending the strategy of nonviolent resistance to racism.

Nuclear Test Ban Treaty

An international treaty prohibiting all aboveground nuclear tests, negotiated by the Kennedy administration with the Soviets.

Kennedy's New Frontier

Kennedy's domestic agenda aimed at addressing poverty, civil rights, and economic growth.