Camelot and the New
Frontier: The Kennedy
Years


A presidential election that results in defeat of the
party in power usually indicates the failure of the
party in power to have dealt effectively with the
nation’s problems, rather than indicating the
positive appeal of the winning candidate and his
party platform. Assess the validity of this
generalization with reference to TWO of the
elections in which the party in power was
defeated: 1912, 1920, 1932, 1952, 1960, 1968.
(80)
Describe and account for changes in the American
presidency between 1960 and 1975, as symbolized
by Kennedy’s “Camelot”, Johnson’s “Great Society”
and Nixon’s Watergate. In your answer, address
the powers of the presidency and the role of the
media. (03B)
I. The 1960 Election:
Nixon vs. Kennedy
(after long, brutal primary between JFK + LBJ
(including accusations of Addison’s and
possibility of death in office))
The Issues: Foreign Policy

Nixon:
Contends that
"American prestige
is at an all-time
high," thanks to
the efforts of the
Eisenhower
administration.

Kennedy:
Citing a loss of
prestige, declares
that America
needed a more
activist and
imaginative
approach to
international
affairs.
The Issues: Economy

Nixon:
Urges economic
growth through a
combination of
private enterprise
and individual
initiative.

Kennedy:
Calls for increased
government
intervention to
stimulate the
economy.
The Issues: Defense

Nixon:
Asserts that the
U.S. has
maintained military
standing with the
Soviet Union, and
that military
spending should be
watched carefully
for excess

Kennedy:
Argues that a
"missile gap"
favoring the Soviet
Union makes an
increase in defense
spending
necessary
Issues: Other




Kennedy’s Catholicism
(servant to the Pope?)
America’s spiritual and
cultural malaise
(indefinite feeling of
uneasiness)
JFK’s image = vigor,
glamour, etc.
Skillful in his use of
media, especially TV
(first televised debate:
radio vs. TV)
Election Results

Hotly contested: very close
• Kennedy wins by 113,000 out of 68 million
cast

Claims of voter fraud
• Illinois, Texas

Nixon publicly claims that he will not
contest for “good of nation”
• Has others file lawsuits, write articles, etc.
• Pattern he (+ others) will use later in
Presidency


Swift Boat Vets for Truth
AARP is gay-loving troop-haters
Kennedy the Cold Warrior


McCarthy era vision (Dems soft on
communism) Kennedy über-Cold
Warrior—stronger than Eisenhower
(missile gap)
 Bay of Pigs and escalation in
Vietnam
• Would he have continued?

“Let every nation
know, whether it
wishes us well or
ill, that we shall
pay any price, bear
any burden, meet
any hardship,
support any friend,
oppose any foe, in
order to assure the
survival and the
success of liberty.”
II. Soviet-American Tensions




JFK an ardent Cold Warrior, but over time
displayed caution/ pragmatism
Alliance for Progress (LA Marshall Plan; “peaceful
revolution”) & Peace Corps (1961)
Build pro-USA nations in Third World +
counterinsurgency (Green Berets) to defeat
revolutionaries: Congo (1960+1), Brazil (1964;
ITT and Joao Goulart; Nixon + ITT and Allende
1974)
Few successes; aid goes through native elite
resent attempt to impose US models

JFK test ban to halt
nuclear proliferation
(1963)
• JCS: test behind the
moon

Arms race accelerates:
largest, fastest defense
buildup in peace time
• JFK increase nuclear
weapons by 150%
(1964)

Accepts Berlin wall
(1961) to avoid war: “a
wall is a hell of a lot
better than a war”
• “I am a jelly donut!”

But not really
III. Bay of Pigs Invasion (1961)



JFK cont. Ike’s plan for exile invasion
Invasion quickly falters (no air support)
Key: Cubans not support exiles
• Compare Iraq

In response, Castro moves closer to
USSR JFK vow topple Castro
• US seen as weak, anti-LA


CIA’s Op Mongoose (sabotage,
assassination)
JCS plan for invasion
IV. Cuban Missile Crisis (Oct. 1962)





Castro: Soviet help deter US
Khrushchev: missiles will deter invasion,
improve USSR position in arms race
(missile gap), improve USSR position LA
When U-2 reveal missiles, JFK rejects
quiet diplomacy demands removal of
missiles
Some suggest air strike; JCS want full
invasion
JFK: naval quarantine



Announce it on TV; put military on high
alert
After days of brinkmanship, a compromise
Secret deal: USSR remove Cuban
missiles; USA pledge no invasion &
remove Turkey missiles
• Still debate on JFK’s actions during crisis:
McNamara; JFK caused crisis; impact Vietnam


After crisis, Test Ban Treaty (1963); hot
line
Tensions in Europe cool, but Cold War
continue in arms race & Third World
(Vietnam)
• New book: Cuba JFK et.al. create theory of
uberCommunists Papa Doc in Haiti, Trujillo in
Dominican Republic
V. Domestic Policies





New Frontier: Reps & conservative Dems stall it
in Congress (lack of mandate)
JFK put less effort into domestic issues: pushed
to Civil Rights by RFK
BUT: extension Social Security, water pollution,
expansion + increase min. wage, free trade,
reform welfare (decrease dependence), Area
Redevelopment, tax cuts (Keynesian demandside)
Despite few legislative successes, JFK able to
inspire idealism (Peace Corps, moon mission)
Assassination Johnson, CRM, Great Society
(achievement Kennedy goals +)