JFK pursued an ambitious domestic and foreign policy agenda during his presidency from 1961 to 1963. Some key goals included increasing aid to education, creating a Department of Urban Affairs, putting a man on the moon, and passing a "Marshall Plan" for Latin America. In foreign policy, JFK intensified the Cold War against the Soviet Union, pursued an arms buildup and "Flexible Response" doctrine, and increased U.S. involvement in Vietnam amid fears of communist expansion. However, his handling of the Cuban Missile Crisis boosted his popularity and signaled a potential thaw in U.S.-Soviet relations.

1. JFK

4. “New Frontier” Goals
• Increase aid to
education
• Health insurance to
elderly
• Create Dept. of Urban
Affairs
• Help Migrant Workers
• Man on the moon by
1970

5. Kennedy Intensifies the
Cold War
• John F. Kennedy a "Cold Warrior"
• Kennedy advisors supported U.S. hard
line against Russia
• Fear of “missile gap”

8. Flexible Response
• Arms buildup
• Conventional armed forces
• The nuclear arsenal
• Special Forces (Green Berets)
• U.S. strength tempted Kennedy to
challenge U.S.S.R.

9. Crisis over Berlin

10. Containment in Southeast Asia
• JFK saw Vietnam as focus of U.S.-
Soviet rivalry
• Sent 16,000 American military "advisors"
to Vietnam

11. 1959: Cuban Revolution

12. Containing Castro:
The Bay of Pigs Fiasco

13. Containing Castro:
The Cuban Missile Crisis

14. Containing Castro:
The Cuban Missile Crisis
• Political
• JFK’s popularity soared
• Democrats gain in Congressional elections
• Diplomatic effects
• Moderation of the Cold War
• Russians began naval, nuclear buildup

15. Economic Advance
• Economic stimulation –
Keynesian Economics
• Increased space and
defense spending
• Kennedy's economic
policies doubled growth,
cut unemployment

16. A Marshall Plan for Latin
America?
• Kennedy wants to thwart communist
expansion in Latin America
• Alliance for Progress
• $20 billion aid for better schools, housing and
health care
• Designed to counter leftist movements

17. The Peace Corps

18. "I Have a Dream"
• May, 1963: Birmingham
protests
• Kennedy intervened on
side of African-Americans
• Congress asked for civil-
rights laws
• August, 1963: March on
Washington

19. The Supreme Court and
Reform
• Defendants’ rights in criminal cases
• Gideon vs. Wainwright, Esobedo vs.
Illinois, Miranda vs. Arizona
• Legislative reapportionment of states
• 1962: Baker vs. Carr establishes "one
man, one vote"
• Engle vs. Vitale banned school prayer

20. "Let Us Continue"
• November 22, 1963:
JFK assassinated by
Lee Harvey Oswald
• Lyndon Johnson
promised to continue
Kennedy's programs