John F. Kennedy

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John F. Kennedy

• Kennedy graduated from Harvard in 1940 and
  entered the navy
• In 1943, despite injuries, led survivors to
  safety after his PT boat was sunk by a Japanese
  destroyer
• After the war, he became a Democratic Congressman
  and advanced to the Senate in 1953
• In 1955, he wrote a book called Profiles in
  Courage and won the Pulitzer Prize
• In 1956, he almost gained democratic nomination
  for vice president, and 4 years later got the
  first ballot nomination for president

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nedy
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JFKs Role in the Vietnam War

• JFK believed that the U.S. could shape the
  destiny of worlds developing countries
• In Vietnam, he wanted to protect the South from
  communism as well as help them through stages of
  economic growth
• Kennedy wasnt sure about a solution did not
  want communism to stand in Vietnam
• Vietnam was a test of U.S. resolve he hated the
  idea of failure always had to win
• Escalated American involvement thinking that the
  war would be quick and easy

http//www.vietnamwar.com/johnkennedyrole.htm
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Involvement in the War

• Both sides of Kennedys administration clashed
  about sending troops to Vietnam
• In 1963, Kennedy was told that the war would be
  fast and that he could start taking out troops by
  the end of the year by then he had sent in about
  11,000 troops
• Kennedy agreed for the CIA mission to assassinate
  Diem
• Even after the assassination, Kennedy was still
  unsure about what to do, and had already spoken
  to advisors about pulling out of Vietnam
• Kennedy was assassinated in November of 1963

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egory.jpg
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Lyndon B. Johnson

• Born and raised in Johnson City, Texas
• Taught at a poor High School for several years
• Began his political career in the House in 1937
  as a New Deal Democrat
• Joined the U.S. Navy in1941, until coming back
  in 1948 to win a seat in the Senate with a more
  conservative approach
• Established himself in the Senate, became
  Minority Leader in 1951 and Majority Leader in
  1957
• Used his influence to help pass civil rights
  bills and gain favor with the Eisenhower
  administration
• After failing to get the Democratic Presidential
  Nomination Johnson took an offer to be Vice
  President under Kennedy in 1960

http//search.eb.com/eb/art72230?articleTypeId1
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Vice Presidency

• Johnson campaigned in the South to help Kennedy
  beat Nixon in 1960
• Johnson did not like his role as Vice President
  under Kennedy because he liked to be at the
  center of power
• Johnson, who had worked from poverty to success,
  did not get along well with the aristocratic
  Kennedy
• Johnson took roles such as Head of the Space
  Program and President's Committee on Equal
  Employment Opportunity, but felt that Kennedy did
  not respect him enough to take more serious roles
• Kennedy was assassinated in November of 1963 and
  Johnson became President

http//www.usconstitution.com/johnkennedy_lyndonjo
hnson.jpg
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Role in the Vietnam War

• Johnson inherited conflict in Vietnam from
  Kennedy along with his Presidency
• Campaigned and pledged not to get more involved
  in Vietnam and won re-election in 1964 in a
  landslide
• After an alleged attack by Viet Cong forces on
  American patrol boats in the Gulf of Tonkin,
  Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution,
  giving Johnson power to take all necessary
  measures

• Johnson greatly increased the number of troops
  and ordered various bombing campaigns
• As the war in Vietnam went on and became a
  stalemete, it became unpopular and a large
  anti-war movement formed
• Suffering from depression from the Vietnam
  conflict, Johnson decided not to run for
  re-election in 1968

http//www.vietnamwar.com/lyndonjohnsongreetsameri
cantroopsinvietnam1966.jpg
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Works Cited

• John Kennedy. John Kennedy. http//www.whitehous
  e.gov/history/presidents/jk35.html (2 Feb 2007)
• President John F Kennedys Role in the Vietnam
  War. The Vietnam War President John F Kennedys
  Role in the Vietnam War. 2005. http//www.vietnamw
  ar.com/johnkennedyrole.htm (2 Feb 2007)
• Johnson, Lyndon B. Lyndon B. Johnson.
  http//search.eb.com/eb/article-214020 (2 Feb
  2007)
• Lyndon Baines Johnson Facts on File.
  http//www.fofweb.com/ActiveLink2.asp?SKIPBID6
  ItemIDWE53 (2 Feb 2007)