AP US History Ch 39 Test Study Guide

8/2/2019 AP US History Ch 39 Test Study Guide

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AP US History Ch 39 The American Pageant Test Study Guide

When he became Attorney General, Robert Kennedy (RFK) wanted to focus attention of the FBI on – organized crime & civil rights (violations were virtually ignored) p.916

John Fitzgerald Kennedy (JFK) had connections w/mafia – certainly Joseph did – bootlegger

Not too big on protecting civil rights

Ex. RFK wiretapping MLK jr‟s phone b/c of commie connections supposedly

J. Edgar Hoover would not admit existence of organized crime & bigot, yet thought

Japanese-American internment was a violation of civil rights (Don‟t get me started onHoover!)

When he took office in 1961, JFK chose to try to stimulate the sluggish economy through – a tax cutIn the early 1960s, French President Charles DeGaulle – resisted US dominance in W Europe & NATO by

developing an independent French nuclear force (“farce”) The 1962 Trade Expansion Act – reduced American tariffs (cuts of up to 50% - to help Euro trade)[* Berlin Wall p.919 1961-1989 {11-9-1989} Details – tunnels, defections, risky, etc…] JFK‟s strategy of “flexible response”

– called for a variety of military options that could be matched to the scope & importance of the crisis***** Build up of conventional military forces (tanks, jets, etc…) & special forces (Ex. Green Berets)

While it seemed sane enough, JFK‟s doctrine of flexible response contained hidden dangers b/c it

– potentially lowered the level at which diplomacy would give way to shooting[Therefore, more chance of conventional fighting – Ex. 1960s & 1970s]

US military forces entered Vietnam in order to – prevent Ngo Dinh Diem‟s regime from falling to the communists

Alliance for Progress was intended to improve economic growth & democratic reforms in – Latin Americap.921

(Like Marshall Plan for Latin America – but failed – little impact on reforming region {corruption})Related: Gulf of Tonkin (1964), (US air base attacked in 1965 at) Pleiku, Operation Rolling Thunder (1965),

Tet (Offensive) (1968), What about the Bay of Pigs (1961 – Cuba)?When USSR attempted to install nuclear weapons in Cuba, JFK ordered – a naval quarantine of the island

* Details – October 14th – 28th, 1962, U-2s spot missile components & missiles, RF-8 Crusaders, JFK,

Khrushchev, Castro, range of missiles, Turkey, options, invasion, quarantine, etc…, alert, brinksmanship, “blinked”, promise not to invade, missiles out of Turkey (taking out anyway), hot line,

test-ban treaty, Castro fronted & angry at both USA & USSR, Cuban refugees, CIA attempts to killCastro, embargo against Cuban imports & exports to Cuba, JFK‟s last act before embargo – secure someCuban cigars, USSR military build up, rest of world not thrilled USA & USSR almost went to nuclearwar, USSR had operational nukes to use if we hit Cuba – close to WWIII!!!!!

Cuban Missile Crisis resulted in – removal of Nikita Khrushchev as (Soviet Premier) power in USSR,US promise never to invade Cuba, an ambitious program of military expansion by USSR(USA eventually countered & surpassed – Reagan), withdrawal of US missiles in Turkey (US alreadygoing to remove them – did later so as to “save face”), etc… - see above,What about a US agreement to abandon its base at Guantanamo (Bay)?

In speech at American University in 1963, JFK recommended the adoption of a policy toward the USSRbased on – peaceful coexistence

At first, JFK moved slowly in the area of racial justice b/c he – needed the support of southern legislators to pass his economic & social legislation(like FDR – excused for poor record on civil rights – not like “Give „em Hell” Harry S. Truman – Executive Order #9981

desegregating the military, civil rights message to Congress, & open support for federalanti-lynching law)

JFK began to join hands w/civil rights movement when he – sent federal marshals to protect the Freedom RidersDetails – 1961 Interstate laws desegregating buses, integrated protestors, violence, bomb in Anniston



* Not very protective ultimately – Ex. James Peck – SNCC risked lives – (Zinn Ch 17)JFK ordered hundreds of federal marshals & thousands of federal troops to force the racial integration of

– University of Mississippi („Ole Miss – where Peyton Manning‟s father, Archie, played) p.924 Air Force veteran James Meredith attempted to register in 1962 – cost $4 million to taxpayers& cost 2 lives – the book seems to almost blame him for it on p.924 (hard to tell), but whosefault would it have been, his or white supremacists?

By mid-1963, JFK‟s position on civil rights cab best be described as

– committed to finding a solution to this moral issue

[p.924 1963 Birmingham – bombings – TV coverage – dogs, cattle prods, fire hoses – children targeted too – JFK‟s “Freedom now” speech on TV to make it a “moral issue” – Aug 1963 – march to Wash DC – then Medgar Evers was murdered & 4 little Af-Am girls were killed in a church bombing]

{***** ODD: white violence sanctioned, justified, explained, ignored, and/or tolerated – minority violence is usually presented as evil, bad, unjustifiable, etc…}

[11-22-1963 Dallas, TX – JFK assassinated – Oswald, Ruby – Warren Commission – conclusions (laterrevisions) – conspiracy & magic bullet vs. lone gunman theories – Zapruder film, etc…

Similarities/Coincidences b/t Lincoln & Kennedy assassinations]At the time of his death, JFK‟s civil rights bill

– seemed to be stalled in Congress (by those opposing JFK, a northerner from Harvard no less)1963 march on Wash DC led by MLK jr. (org‟d by A. Philip Randolph & other older civil rights leaders who

are often forgotten and/or overlooked), provided critical support for – civil rights bill to end segregationOfficial gov‟t investigation of JFK‟s assassination was led by

– (Chief Justice of Supreme Court – Ex. Brown v. Board of Ed.) Earl Warren (Warren Commission)JFK‟s alleged assassin was – Lee Harvey Oswald (background) {killed by Jack Ruby} [mafia connections?]

[Did mafia or military or just Oswald or Cuba or Soviets kill JFK?]{James Earl Ray convicted of killing MLKjr.}(Byron de La Beckworth killed Medgar Evers in 1963 but not convicted in MS until 1994

- Ghosts of Mississippi movie covers the murder and 1990‟s trial – good film)Before he became VP & then Pres of USA, Lyndon Baines Johnson (LBJ) had exercised great power as

– Majority Leader of the US Senate(powerful position – so he knew how to work with as well as work over Congress)

Details on LBJ – Texas politician in House then Senate then VP – a New Dealer – worked forFDR in Rural Electrification – political tactics known as “the Johnson treatment” – personality ofinsecurity & bullying tactics drove him – intelligent & effective politician in true sense of term

LBJ proved to be much more successful than JFK at – working w/Congress(b/c of LBJ‟s ways of getting things done – sweet talk, yell at, intimidate, bully, or what ever it took!)

LBJ called his package of domestic reform proposals the – Great Society

With the passage of the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution – Congress handed LBJ a “blank check” to use force in Vietnam

“It‟s like Grandma‟s nightshirt; it covers everything.” – LBJ(Incidents may never have occurred at all)

Voters supported LBJ in the 1964 presidential election b/c – loyalty to the Kennedy legacy; faith in the Great Society promises; fear of the Republican nominee,

Barry Goldwater (nukes in Vietnam TV add); trust in LBJ‟s Vietnam policyLBJ channeled educational aid – to public & parochial (Catholic) schools {p.929}

1965 Elementary & Secondary Education Act (signed in schoolhouse for dramatic effect)Programs created by LBJ‟s administration

– National Endowments for Arts & Humanities, Project Head Start, Medicare (for elderly){& Medicaid for poor}, & Office of Economic OpportunityWhat about VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America – a domestic Peace Corps)? YesWhat about the Peace Corps? No, that‟s JFK

In the final analysis, LBJ‟s Great Society programs – won some noteworthy battles in education & health care



Landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964 accomplished – creation of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, prohibiting discrimination based on

gender, banning sexual as well as racial discrimination, banning racial discrimination in mostprivate facilities open to the publicWhat about requiring “affirmative action” against discrimination?

Came in an Executive Order in 1965 – ordered federal contractors to take “affirmativeaction” against discrimination (p.928)

Title VII of 1964 Civil Rights Act – helps women more than Af-Am‟s

As a result of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 – sources of immigration shifted to Latin America & Asia

abolished “national origins” quotas since 1921 - * set limits on W. Hemisphere (1st time)

increased/doubled #‟s that can come annually - * admission of close relatives – outside limits- led to more coming (over 100,000 more per year)

Common use of poll taxes to inhibit black voters (& poor whites too) in South was outlawed by the – 24th Amendment (p.931)

After the passage of Civil Rights Act of 1964, the chief goal of black civil rights movement in the Southbecame to – secure the right to vote (suffrage) (p.931)

As a result of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, - white southerners began to court black votes (p.932)[* Mississippi Burning (film – sort of true, but makes FBI look way better than it was regarding the incident) –

1964 Freedom Summer – Murders of 3 boys/men – 2 white & Jewish from north & 1 Af-Amfrom north – FBI involvement – push from LBJ – no significant convictions – local sheriff‟s

deputy was guilty along w/others (p.931)][* march on Selma, Alabama – hit by police in Montgomery – death of white minister & shotgun killing of

white woman by KKK – shocked nation – LBJ‟s “We shall overcome…” speech – pressured Congress – got passage – Aug 6th, 1965 (100 years after Civil War ended in 1865)]

[* Voting Rights Act of 1965 – outlawed literacy tests & allowed for federal voter registration – marked the end of the non-violent struggle & beginning of “black power‟ movement (pp.931-934)]

The Watts riots (in LA) in 1965 symbolized – a more militant & confrontational phase of the civil rights movement

Black leaders in the 1960s included Martin Luther King jr. (MLK jr.), an advocate of peaceful resistance;

Malcolm X, who favored black separatism; and Stokely Carmichael, an advocate of “Black Power.” {* Funny how “White Power” sounds very different – like you need to be wearing a white sheet over your head

with only holes for your eyes when you say that!}By the late 1960s, Black Power advocates in the North focused their attention primarily on – economic demands

(Why? De facto not de jure segregation)

Some advocates of Black Power made the slogan the basis for – emphasizing Af-Am distinctiveness& separatism (& pride in heritage, culture, etc…, such as Afro hair styles) (p.933)

By 1972, integrated classrooms were most common in the – South (p.934)The 1967 Six-Day War intensified the Arab-Israeli conflict bringing into constant, direct conflict

– Israelis & Palestinians (& Arabs really – tried desperately to wipe out Israel since its creation in 1948)

{Pre-emptive strike to wipe out enemy air forces before they were attacked on all sides – brilliant!}* Don‟t mess with Israel unless you want to pay big time!

Most serious blow to Lyndon Johnson‟s Vietnam policy – was the Tet Offensive of 1968During Vietnam War, LBJ ordered CIA, in clear violation of its charter (not to spy on Americans, only

foreign gov‟ts), to – spy on domestic anti-war protestors1968 Democratic party convention (in Chicago) witnessed – a violent confrontation b/t police & anti-war

demonstrators outside the convention hall {the trial of the “Chicago 8” to charge them with speech that

incited a riot, which is not protected speech – Black Panther Bobby Seale was gagged & bound tosilence him in the courtroom}

The “spoiler” third party candidate for president in 1968 was



– George Wallace (former Governor of Alabama)(w/former US Army Air Corps/Air Force General Curtis LeMay as his potential VP)

[* Wallace – blocked entrance to University of Alabama from entrance for Af-Am student {p.939} – “Segregation now; segregation tomorrow; segregation forever!” – shot in 1972 presidential campaignparalyzing him – today he recants racism proving even the worst racists can eventually be converted]

Both major party presidential candidates in 1968 agreed that the USA should – con‟t the (Vietnam) war in pursuit of an “honorable peace”

Skepticism about authority that emerged in USA during 1960s – had deep historical roots in American culture

The “Three P‟s” that largely explain the cultural upheavals of 1960s are – population bulge, protest against Vietnam, & prosperity

Site of the first major militant protest on behalf of gay liberation in 1969 was – at the Stonewall Inn in NYCJFK‟s new military policy of “flexible response” called for a major build up of

– conventional military forces (tanks, jets, regular bombs, personnel, etc…)

& anti-guerrilla Special Forces units (counter-insurgency forces like the Green Berets in the US Army)Consequences of the Cuban Missile Crisis included – a nuclear test-ban treaty b/t USA & USSR, installation of

the Moscow-Washington (DC) “hot line” for crisis communication (literally a red telephone constantlyconnecting the Kremlin & White House, etc… - it was the 1960s – no cell phones – satellites were new& primitive by today‟s standards – no internet – computers lacked today‟s sophistication), & a massive

military arms building program in the Soviet Union

Barry Goldwater, the Republican party‟s 1964 presidential candidate (from AZ), opposed

– the TVA, Social Security, civil rights legislation (not civil rights themselves as he was not a bigot,I believe), nuclear test-ban treaties, & federal income tax

[* He was a real conservative – extreme limits on gov‟t authority – no elastic interpretive position on theconstitution – very narrow vision of what gov‟t should & should not do – he is not one of today‟s

“conservatives” who in fact want gov‟t to control women‟s bodies & other legislations based oninterpretations of morality such as abortion, euthanasia, gay marriage, etc…]

LBJ‟s legislative program after his 1964 election included – Medicare health insurance for the elderly (Medicaid for poor), massive federal aid for education(1965 Elementary & Secondary Act), a voting rights act to re-enfranchise black voters

(Voting Rights Act of 1965) {Great Society legislation}Substantial opposition to America‟s commitment to Vietnam b/t 1965 & 1968 came from

– America‟s European Allies {although British, Australian, Korean, and some other troops fought therein much smaller #‟s than US troops}, Congress (Ex. Sen. Com. On Foreign Relations – led bySen. William Fulbright of AR), the American public {which became more anti-war as the decadeworn on}, many draft registrants {& ex-military who served in Vietnam},& Senators RFK & Eugene McCarthy

1968 Tet Offensive resulted in – a tactical defeat for Viet Cong (VC) & a political defeat for the USA{b/c it was on TV for people see the Vietnamese, who were losing according to LBJ‟s administration,

mounted a serious offensive, at least until the US forces handily defeated the attacks with few casualtiescompared with those taken by the VC, who were no longer an effective fighting force as a result really

until around 1972 or so, and never as strong as they were before the offensive in early January of 1968}

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AP US History Ch 39 Test Study Guide