Describe Kennedy's vision of the New Frontier. Explain how the U.S. became involved in the politics of Southeast Asia. And what did Kennedy hope to accomplish with the New Frontier?
Here are a number of sites relevant to that period in history.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=JFK%2C+New+Frontier&btnG=Search
How did the U.S. become involved in the politics of Southeast Asia?
Kennedy's vision of the New Frontier was his domestic policy agenda that aimed to address various challenges faced by the United States in the early 1960s. It focused on promoting social justice, advancing civil rights, stimulating economic growth, encouraging scientific innovation, and promoting education and culture. Now, let's break down how the U.S. became involved in the politics of Southeast Asia and Kennedy's intentions with the New Frontier.
1. U.S. involvement in Southeast Asia:
The U.S. became involved in the politics of Southeast Asia, primarily due to the spread of communism and the Cold War dynamics. In the mid-20th century, the region faced significant political instability, with countries like Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia caught in the midst of Cold War rivalries between the United States and the Soviet Union. To counter the influence of communism, the U.S. adopted a containment policy, aiming to prevent its expansion. The U.S. provided military aid and advisers to South Vietnam to support its fight against the communist North Vietnam during the Vietnam War, which lasted from the 1950s through the 1970s.
2. Kennedy's goals with the New Frontier:
Kennedy hoped to accomplish several objectives through his New Frontier vision, including:
a. Economic growth: He aimed to stimulate the economy by implementing tax cuts to spur consumer spending and investment. This would create jobs and enhance the overall prosperity of the nation.
b. Civil rights: Kennedy sought to address racial inequality and promote civil rights for African Americans. He aimed to enact legislation to protect voting rights, end segregation, and provide equal opportunities for all citizens.
c. Education and science: Kennedy stressed the importance of education and scientific research as essential for national progress. He proposed increasing funding for education, with a focus on improving science and math education, to enhance the nation's competitiveness.
d. Healthcare: Kennedy aimed to expand access to healthcare, particularly for the elderly, through the creation of a national health insurance program for seniors, which became the foundation for Medicare.
e. Space exploration: Kennedy emphasized the need for the U.S. to invest in space exploration and proclaimed the goal of landing an American on the moon before the end of the 1960s, leading to the Apollo program and the successful moon landing in 1969.
In summary, Kennedy's New Frontier vision encompassed social, economic, and scientific advancements, while the U.S. became involved in the politics of Southeast Asia due to the Cold War dynamics and the containment policy aimed at countering the spread of communism.