Unit+8

Chapter 31: Civil Rights, Vietnam, and the Ordeal of Liberalism

=**JFK**=

- youngest president ever elected; as a result, his whole schtick was that he represented the "youth of America" - democrat, 1961-1963 - "changed American political system/American culture" - "open door": he wanted people to come directly to him to give him news; this included the "bay of pigs", which was a plan to overthrow Castro's communist regine in Cuba. when it failed, JFK took complete responsibility - created the Peace Corp - The Cuban Missile Crisis: 1962 - JFK recieved briefing that the Soviet Union placed bases for nuclear missiles in Cuba, aimed at the United States. JFK chose conciliatory action w/ Soviet leader, and negotiated a peaceful end to the crisis - was for civil rights - November 1st, 1963: JFK approved plan to assassinate president of Vietnam - was assassinated in Dallas, Texas



__U.S. government spending:__

1.) Social Security 2.) Medicare 3.) Medicaid 4.) defense

=**LBJ:**=

- took over for JFK after his assassination; served as president from 1963-1969 - had a "volcanic" personality; on some days was "a little nuts" - the Johnson treatment: shouting and bribing to get his own way; he also held meetings in odd places, including in the White House pool, naked - Johnson's acts helped create Medicare, Medicaid, the Civil Rights, NPR, etc. - EXPANSION OF THE LIBERAL STATE: expansion of the government in the economy and in people's lives - cut percentage of those living in poverty by half - despite Johnson's efforts to win the Vietnam War by mobilizing reserves and sending more troops, America did not seem to be any closer to winning the Vietnam War. With these failures, Johnson decided not to run again for President. Eventually tried to negotiate peace with Vietnam, but failed.


 * VIETNAM WAR: **

**//__Indochina/Southeast Asia Map pg. 839:__//**
- very narrow country, with lots of coastline (Gulf of Tonkin, South China Sea) - borders China, Laos, and Cambodia - a lot of rivers, very "wet" country, contributing to its jungles - many U.S. bases present in South Vietnam (along the coast), Thailand - communists occupying Vietnam, the Vietcong, used the Ho Chi Mihn trail to get supplies and "wreak havoc" - 1970: things are going really bad for America, and America invades Cambodia to try and win war at last minute

Ch. 32 The Crisis of Authority

-big popular movement: college students ("customers") were unhappy with what they were receiving as paying college students. They felt that they did not have the right to assemble peacefully, and speak freely

The Counterculture

﻿The American counterculture was a result of the growing opposition to established institutions in the 1960's, carried mostly by the youths of the post-war baby boom. It originated heavily from college campuses, where opposition movements of all kinds were started. The spirit of opposition and freedom were also heavily present in rock and folk music, from artists like The Beatles and Bob Dylan, to groups such as The Students for a Democratic Society and the Weathermen, to popular youth protest movements like the Free Speech Movement and the People's Park protest, both at the University of California at Berkeley. 

=__The New Feminism__= feminism - a belief that women are equal to men and deserve to be treated equally and to the same rights as men, as well as being independent and able to make their own decisions Women's Liberation - feminist movement that had women (and men) across the country speak up and fight for women's rights which had been supressed for so long under male dominance; freedom to choose and freedom from male dominance Roe v. Wade - reproductive rights ruling that invalidated all laws prohibiting abortion during the "first trimester"; was based on a new constitutional "right to privacy", meaning women had more control over their reproductive habits

Ch. 33: From the "Age of Limits" to the Age of Reagan


 * believer in laissez-faire economics
 * was a conservative Republican
 * was very emotive in speeches and had a exuberant personality
 * survived an assassination attempt
 * Iran-Contra Scandal:
 * believed in building up the military, cutting government spending; was working on a philosophical level rather than economic; this led to a huge deficit
 * Reagan and Gorbachev were bros; Gorbachev was working for a more Democratic Soviet Union; Reagan called for the demolition of the Berlin Wall, which occurred a year after Reagan had retired, and a year after that, the Soviet Union fell as well. Thus, Reagan did not win the Cold War, he was just in the "right place" at the "right time"