U.S. History Chapter 32

LBJ and the 1960's

Chapter 32

Lyndon Baines Johnson - LBJ
Probably, our best prepared President - a real politician.

Idolized Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Had a genuine concern for the less fortunate.

Championed Civil Rights
Was a very successful advocate using his "method"
aka "The Treatment"

Was Senate Majority Leader

Hated the Ivy League Kennedy,
but was very loyal to him.

He succeeded JFK after assassination




****1964 Presidential Election

LBJ v Barry Goldwater
Very dirty campaign tactics -TV nukes


On Goldwater - "In your heart you know he is right"

LBJ - On Vietnam- "Why should American boys get killed in place of Asian boys"

LBJ wins in a landslide election

LBJ's Domestic Policy
*The Great Society*

War on Poverty and Discrimination
- Vista Volunteers

- Medicare Bill - insurance over 65
- Medicaid - care for those under 65
- Head Start - under privileged kids
- Clean Air Act
- Civil Rights Act
- Voting Rights Act

All Great Programs - Problem
Very Expensive!!!!


Consumer Advocate - Ralph Nader
Unsafe At Any Speed


Credibility Gap
- LBJ was vague to Congress and the American people.
He sent 50,000 troops immediately without letting Congress know the total cost. Covering costs to get his Great Society Programs through
(very expensive to maintain them)

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution - LBJ gets Congress to approve his actions

Wartime inflation of the mid-Sixties
cut taxes - increase defense spending as prices soared.




The Vietnam War - Handout




1967 - Summer of Love, Summer of discontent
Rioting- Newark, Detroit

1968 - Anti-war sentiment very high
Credibility Gap gets wider!
What is truth and what is made up.


Tet Offensive
- Americans see Vietnam as a no win situation.

New Hampshire Primary - Incumbent President LBJ wins it but has only a 36% approval rating.

Eugene McCarthy does well.

LBJ does not seek re-election

RFK enters the race

Martin Luther King Jr. is assassinated in April

RFK is assassinated in June

**1968 Presidential Election

Democratic Convention
Chicago - a complete circus. Yippies


Hubert Humphrey- Democratic candidate

George Wallace(Democrat) American Independent Party - 3rd Party candidate looking for the election to be thrown into the House where he had support.

Richard Nixon- Republican Party




Social Changes

Black Power Movement
- Black Pride

Anti-White, Black Separatists
Malcolm X
Stokely Carmichael
Eldridge Cleaver



Supreme Court and Judicial Activism Warren Court of the 1960's- Liberal

Engel v Vitale (1962) - school prayer

Gideon v Wainright (1963)
- court appointed attorney for any defendant

Escobedo v Illinois (1964) - rights of the accused when questioned. Attorney present.

Wesberry v Sanders (1964) - Gerrymandering - 1 man, 1 vote

Miranda v Arizona(1966) -Miranda Rule