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TV Presidential Candidate Debate
The first televised presidential candidate debate took place on CBS. Kennedy and Nixon debated about domestic issues -
Presidential Election
Democrat Kennedy defeated Republican Richard Nixon by a paper thin margin. -
Bay of Pigs
1400 Cuban exiles invaded the southern coast of Cuba. The whole event was masterminded by the US, but Kennedy insisted on covert action. Castro's forces quashed the invasion in 2 days. -
Berlin Wall
The Soviets and East Germans sealed off their zone of Berlin to stop the flow of talent to the West. Tensions eased soon after when the Soviets signed a separate peace treaty with Germany -
Engel v. Vitale
Supreme Court decision that banned school prayer. Conservative Americans were incensed -
Baker v. Carr
Supreme Court case enabling federal courts to intervene in and to decide reapportionment cases -
Kennedy's Annoucement
President Kennedy informed the nation of the existence of Soviet missiles in Cuba. He also discussed his plans to remove them and blamed Khrushchev for the whole situation -
March on Washington
200,000 marchers gathered for a rally in front of the Lincoln Memorial. They listened to hymns, speeches, and prayers for racial justice. MLK Jr's speech was the highlight of the event -
Protest Broken Up
Authorities - under Bull Connor - broke up a demonstration in Birmingham. The nation was appalled by televised scenes of police brutality -
Diem's Overthrow
South Vietnamese leader Diem was overthrown and killed in an American coup. The resulting power vacuum drew America deeper into their involvement with Vietnam. -
JFK Assassinated
Oswald shot President Kennedy as he rode in a motorcade in dowton Dallas. JFK's death shocked the world. -
LBJ's Address
Johnson gave his State of the Union address, announcing that his administration was declaring a war on poverty in America -
Maddox Attacked
North Vietnamese torpedo boats attacked the Maddox, an American destroyer that had been engaged in electronic intelligence gathering in the Gulf of Tonkin -
Medicare
LBJ created this program, which mandated health insurance under the Social Security program for Americans over 65. Truman witnessed the signing of the law. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
Banned literacy tests in states and counties in which less than the population had voted in 1964. Provided for federal rigstrars in these areas to assure blacks the franchise -
NOW Founded
Betty Friedan founded the National Organization for Women. It was later challenged by people with more extreme views -
Protest at Pentagon
Over 100,000 demonstrators confronted military policemen guarding the Pentagon -
My Lai
An American copany led by Lieutenant Calley, Jr., killed more than 200 unarmed villagers. -
LA Walkout
Almost 10,000 high school students walked out of class in East Los Angeles high schools. -
MLK Jr Assassinated
Martin Luther King Jr was assassinated in Memphis just before he could lead his Poor People's March on Washington
