President Kennedy and the New Frontier
The inauguration of John F. Kennedy, January 20, 1961
When John F. Kennedy was inaugurated, he famously declared, “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” Specifically, Kennedy asked all Americans to help progress through ending poverty and battling communism around the world. In fact, the new President pledged to “pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, and oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty.” Kennedy wanted to provide an optimistic future for the next generation of Americans, and he ultimately accomplished this through changes in civil rights, global influence, and technology.
On the home front, Kennedy called for new legislation in the form of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, both of which President Johnson later implemented. Kennedy also wanted to ensure segregation ended in public facilities, especially schools. Moreover, President Kennedy wanted America to serve as a model for other nations as a champion for human rights and public service. He developed programs like the Peace Corps to provide aid to developing nations.
The Threat of Communism
Communism was still spreading during the Kennedy administration. In Germany, many East Germans wanted to escape the communist society. In order to stop East Germans from moving westward, a wall was constructed in Berlin based on the advice of an influential Soviet leader. The Soviet Union also provided the Cuban revolution, which was led by Fidel Castro with missiles. Fearing a nuclear attack, President Kennedy had to deal with the threat of communism from both Cuba and the Soviet Union. In this interactivity, learn about the Bay of Pigs invasion, the construction of the Berlin Wall, and the Cuban Missile Crisis. Click the player button to begin.
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Invasion
Just how did the Bay of Pigs invasion lead to the Cuban Missile Crisis? How did President Kennedy’s plan to overthrow Fidel Castro fail? President Kennedy was just three months into office when he trained Cuban exiles to overthrow communist leader Fidel Castro in Cuba. A year after the Bay of Pigs invasion, President Kennedy imposed a naval blockade of Cuba after learning that Cuba had the capability to fire nuclear missiles. View Invasion – The Fidel Castro Tapes: Chapter 3 from eMediaVASM to explore the invasion of Cuba and the Cuban Missile Crisis.
The Space Race
The United States and Soviet Union were engaged in a competition during the Cold War. Both countries wanted to advance their space programs while developing new technologies. The Soviet Union jumped out to an early lead and the United States caught up quickly. Then, in 1969, the United States landed men on the moon. In this interactivity, learn about the Space Race that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union during the late 1950s and 1960s. Click the player button to begin.
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Nixon's Détente
In 1968, Richard Nixon became President of the United States. As President, negotiations to end the Vietnam War took place with his Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger, playing an important role. During negotiations, Nixon and Kissinger created a Cold War policy called détente. Détente is a French word meaning relaxation. This policy was an effort by the United States to relax the tensions with other communist couuntries. They did this by engaging in a greater dialogue, holding more meetings, and trying to negotiate arms control agreements. Hover your curser over the below outcomes to view what happened as a result of Nixon and Kissinger's détente.
President Nixon resigned the Presidency on August 8, 1974 under threat of being imprached in what is now called the Watergate scandal. Nixon had been involved in illegal activities to wiretap his political opponents, and had tried to use his position of power to prevent the investigation into those illegal activities.
President Kennedy and the New Frontier Review
Now that you have completed your investigation of President Kennedy, the threat of communism, and the Space Race, review your knowledge in this interactivity. Click the player button to get started.