The Election of 1960
The elections of 1960 was a very close election between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon. John F. Kennedy was the senator of Massachusetts at the age of 43, and he would become the youngest United States President. Richard Nixon was President Eisenhower's Vice-President for 8 years.
During the election age was seen as one of the large factors. For John F. Kennedy he was Roman Catholic and there was never a Catholic elected as United States President. John F. Kennedy talked about how the Church and state will have a separation, something that was not seen before. Were as Nixon was fighting to show how important fighting communism was. One thing that Kennedy had going for him was his heroism during World War II. He saved his cremates from being crushed by a enemy boat. From this many people saw how he would be a great president. John F. Kennedy won the elections and would become the 35th United States President. |
Pay of Bigs
The Cold War was still going on during the election of Kennedy and President Kennedy then faced the spread of communism. Americans feared the communist expansion would go to Cuba and would be to close to the US boarders.
President Kennedy made containment is top goal as being the new President of the United States. Kennedy created the flexible response to be able to expand defense for the United States incase there was an attack on the US. From this the military gained many up-grades, such as the Special Forces. Kennedy also created the Peace Corps to send people over to third world countries. Were the volunteer would serve for two years. In 1961 CIA trained Cuban exiles wanted to start an uprising to get Fidel Castro out of power. The revolution failed and Castro moved his troops in, believing that air support would come from the US it never came. The rebels were shot and the ones that were alive were arrested. This was seen as an embarrassment for the United States and a victory for Fidel Castro. |
Gallery of JFK dealing with communism
Kennedy's New Frontier
John F. Kennedy's family was seen as the golden family of the United States. When John F. Kennedy was sworn into office he said, "Ask not what your country can do for you..ask what you can do for your country."
Being the youngest President, Kennedy was looking to space. During the 60's and into the 70's space was the new exploration. The Sputnik was launched from the USSR and was the first satellite in space. In 1968 Kennedy launched the Apollo missions to get to the moon. Apollo 11 was successful in getting to the moon in 1969. At that point the space race started to die down. |
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