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Vietnam War
The Vietnam war was a battle between communist North Vietnam and democratic South Vietnam. The US joined this war because it was an ally of South Vietnam and it wanted to contain communism the best it could. Eventually, American citizen's opposition to the war forced America to withdraw its troops leaving South Vietnam to collapse and combine with North Vietnam to form a Socialist country. -
Bay of Pigs
Kennedy took office in the midst of Cuban conflict. He decided to invade the Cuban coast to try to end Fidel Castro's rule. However, after American armies arrived, they were quickly defeated by Cuban forces. This failed invasion further strengthened Castro's rule and embarrassed the Kennedy administration. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
After the Bay of Pigs, Cuba began strengthening its relationship with the Soviet Union. Soon, the Soviet Union decided to set up a missile base on Cuban territory and pointed missiles at the US. This sent America into panic. Eventually, the Soviet Union agreed to remove its missiles with the promise the US would remove its missiles form Turkey. -
"I Have a Dream" Speech
On this day, Martin Luther King Jr. gave his "I Have a Dream" speech inspiring newer, stronger Civil Rights movements. -
Great Society presented
The Great Society was President Johnson's vision of progress in the United States that would declare a war on poverty. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is one of the most important pieces of legislation in the Civil Rights movement. It helped POC gain voting rights, outlawed school segregation, banned public discrimination, and more. -
Crisis of 1968
This year was referred to as a crisis because of its numerous catastrophic events such as:
The assassination of Robert F. Kennedy
American protesters rioting about the Vietnam war
Martin Luther King Jr. was killed -
Watergate Scandal
In 1972, 5 men were caught and arrested after trying to install bugging systems in the Watergate complex. One of these men had ties to President Nixon, who had recently been recorded requesting his men to secretly wiretap somebody.