01:512:205 Lecture Notes - Lecture 39: United States House Committee On Rules, Peace Corps, Southern Democrats
18 May 2018
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Chapter 39: The Stormy Sixties, 1960-1968
Kennedy’s “New Frontier” Spirit
• John F. Kennedy delivered a stirring inaugural address on January 20, 1961
(glamour, vitality)
• He assembled one of the youngest cabinets with his brother, Robert, as
attorney general who recast the priorities of FBI (targets had been focused on
internal security not organized crime)
• J. Edgar Hoover, who had served as FBI director, resisted Robert Kennedy’s
efforts and Robert McNamara left the presidency of Ford Motor Company to
take over the Defense Department
• Kennedy inspired high expectations, especially among the young; challenge of
New Frontier
• Kennedy proposed the Peace Corps, an army of idealistic and mostly youthful
volunteers to bring American skills to underdeveloped countries (ask what you
can do for your country)
• Kennedy and his Ivy League lieutenants radiated confidence in their abilities
(Harvard)
The New Frontier at Home
• Kennedy came into office with fragile Democratic majorities in Congress;
Southern Democrats threatened to team up with Republicans and ax New
Frontier proposals such as medical assistance for the aged and increased
federal aid to education (Kennedy forced expansion of the all-important House
Rules Committee, dominated by conservatives, New Frontier stalled)
• Kennedy had campaigned on the theme of revitalizing the economy after the
recessions of the Eisenhower years and tried to hold the line against crippling
inflation; his administration helped negotiate a noninflationary wage
agreement in the steel industry in early 1962; steel management announced
significant price increases, JFK was furious and steel operators backed down
• Kennedy appealed to free enterprise when he announced his support of a
general tax-cut bill
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• Kennedy promoted a multibillion-dollar project to land an American on the
moon; 24 billion dollars later, in 1969, two American astronauts planted
human footprints on the moon
Rumblings in Europe
• The new president met Soviet premier Khrushchev at Vienna in June 1961
and while the Soviets backed off the most bellicose threats, they began to
construct the Berlin wall in August 1961
•
• IT was designed to plug the heavy population drain from East Germany to
West Germany; the Wall stood for almost 30 years and symbolized the post-
WW II division of Europe
• Western Europe, prospering after the Marshall Plain aid and growth of the
American-encouraged Common Market (European Union), Kennedy secured
passage of the Trade Expansion Act in 1962, authorizing tariff cuts of up to 50
percent to promote trade with Common Market countries
• The Kennedy Round of tariff negotiations led to significant expansion of Euro-
American trade
• American policymakers were dedicated to the Atlantic Community but were
blocked by Charles de Gaulle, president of France who was suspicious of
American intentions in Europe
• He vetoed British application for Common Market membership in 1963 fearing
that the British special relationship with the US would deepen American
control over European affairs
Foreign Flare-ups and “Flexible Response”
• Problems for US foreign policy emerged from the worldwide decolonizaiton of
European overseas possessions after World War II; the African Congo
received its independence from Belgium in 1960 and immediately exploded
into violence (UN sent in peacekeeping force)
• Washington contributed much money but no manpower; UN dominated by
small nations
• Laos, freed from France in 1954, was festering dangerously by the time
Kennedy came to office
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Document Summary
The new frontier at home: kennedy came into office with fragile democratic majorities in congress; Southern democrats threatened to team up with republicans and ax new. Frontier proposals such as medical assistance for the aged and increased federal aid to education (kennedy forced expansion of the all-important house. Rumblings in europe: the new president met soviet premier khrushchev at vienna in june 1961 and while the soviets backed off the most bellicose threats, they began to construct the berlin wall in august 1961. It was designed to plug the heavy population drain from east germany to. West germany; the wall stood for almost 30 years and symbolized the post- Ww ii division of europe: western europe, prospering after the marshall plain aid and growth of the. American trade: american policymakers were dedicated to the (cid:1688)atlantic community(cid:1689) but were blocked by charles de gaulle, president of france who was suspicious of.
