Lesson 22: 1960 Election, JFK, & Foreign Affairs

Republican Candidates in the 1960 Election

Richard Nixon and Henry Cabot Lodge

Democrat Candidates in the 1960 Election

John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson

“If you give me a week, I might think of one.”

comment from Eisenhower that hurt Nixon and used by JFK campaigns

JFK’s stance on religion

not a catholic candidate but a candidate who happened to be catholic

Nixon vs JFK debate

• first televised presidential debate

• visual aspects skewed voters

“ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country”

famous quote from JFK’s inaugural address regarding civic duty and working together

Eisenhower

• approved the initial CIA plan to remove Fidel Castro that was inherited by the JFK administration

• comment undermining Nixon’s contributions as VP damaged Nixon’s campaign

“brain drain”

economic problem for Soviets due to migration of 4 million East Germans to West Berlin by 1961. Prompted the Soviet-backed construction of Berlin Wall.

Berlin Wall

barrier built to stop “brain drain” began with barbed wire (Aug 13, 1961) and moved to hardened security (Aug 20, 1961) to stop the migration of people fleeing communism

Cuba

90 miles from U.S. that allied w the USSR after full gov control over economy

Batista

• U.S. backed dictator of Cuba since 1952 (not communist)

• supported U.S. interests and corporations (71% of Cuban imports from U.S.)

• Fled to Spain in 1959 w 300mil after revolution

Fidel Castro

• leader of Cuban Revolution

• defeated Batista

• gave gov full control over economy

• imprisoned or executed those who disagreed with him

Raul Castro

Cuban revolutionary

Che Guevara

Cuban revolutionary

Sierra Maestra

Mountain area where revolutionaries fled after their Dec 1956 coup attempt

Bay of Pigs

April 1961 invasion attempt to overthrow Castro using CIA backed Cuban exiles

Operation Zapata

code name for Bay of Pigs invasion

Cuban exiles

CIA backed group used to carry out Bay of Pigs Invasion

Operation Mongoose

campaign using minor sabotage and assassination attempts against Castro (exploding cigars, LSD, poision)

Missile Transporters

equipment used to move Soviet missiles into Cuba, Cubans tried to hide during the build uo

Nikita Khrushchev

Soviet leader who agreed to remove missiles from Cuba in exchange for U.S. promising not to invade

Jupiter missiles

mid threat missiles deployed in Turkey 1961 used as a bargaining chip for Nikita Khrushchev in exchange for Soviet missile removal in Cuba.

Hot Line phone

facilitated immediate contact between U.S. and USSR leaders during Cuban Missile Crisis to prevent accidental nuclear war

1963 Test ban Treaty

prohibited nuclear weapon tests in the atmosphere, outer space, or underwater for environmental protective reasons.