Victoria+A.+-+LBJ+-+SP10

** __Lyndon Baines Johnson__ ** **August 27, 1908 – January 22, 1973**

Lydon Baines Johnson was the 36th president of the United States after serving as vice-president to JFK. Just two hours after Kennedy was assassinated, Johnson took the oath of president on November 22, 1963. He was president during the rise of some of the greatest civil rights leaders of all time, including Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr, among others. He is known for his "all-out war on poverty," continuation of Kennedy's policies, and his partaking in the civil-rights movements during the 60's. Unfortunately, Johnson further involved the United States in the Vietnam War, and was thus tied directly with the "unwinnable war," hurting his reputation. Although he helped America greatly, he focused most of his efforts on the lower class and they were then partially negated when he put the country into another war against Vietnam, for these reasons, Johnson deserves a "B."
 * Terms: November 22, 1963 – January 20, 1969 (1.5 terms) ** **Political Party: Democrat ** **Vice President: 1st Term: None; 2nd Term: Herbert Humphrey: 1965-1969 ** 

During Johnson's presidency, he respected his proceeder by continuing many of JFK's ideas. His main goals were to abolish poverty and establish more civil rights. Johnson greatly admired Franklin Roosevelt's new deal plan, and therefore, formed the "Great Society." The Great Society was one of his main goals which began his "war on poverty" and started the huge civil rights movements of the 1960's. The Great Society accomplished full civil rights of blacks, and minorities in general, economic help for the disadvantaged, funding for schools and colleges, and programs for the youth of poorer classes in society. His Civil Rights movement included a civil rights bill, and a voting rights bill among others. The Civil Rights Bill of 1964 was first introduced by Kennedy in 1963, shortly before his death. Because Johnson wanted to continue with Kennedy's ideals, and wanted to establish more rights for minorities, the bill essentially "killed two birds with one stone." The Civil Rights Bill impacted schools, voting, and jobs. It consisted of banning the use of different voter registration among whites and blacks, and discrimination in public places. It also allowed the withholding of federal funds from public or private programs that practiced discrimination, and banned discrimination based on race, sex, religion, or origin among jobs; otherwise establishing the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The Civil Rights Bills' effect on education was that it gave the federal government power to enforce school desegregation. The bill was a huge stepping stone for African Americans, and minorities in general, and was followed by the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The Voting Rights Act was moved after the brutality in the Selma Voting Marches led by Martin Luther King Jr. They completely altered the voting rights by eliminating any tests (mainly literacy) as a voting requirement, which had once restricted the lower class. The voting bill also gave the federal government power to supervise voter registration. Johnson's Great Society further aided the impoverished by establishing Medicare and Medicaid. Medicare was made to offer cheaper health care to the elderly. While on the other side, Medicaid offered government -aided medical coverage to the poverty stricken. While the programs were an overall success and are still around today, they received a lot of criticism due to the fact that Johnson felt he could invest money into the Great Society programs, offering help to the poor, while still keeping taxes low. Once the Vietnam War began, his efforts failed and inflation rose.

Johnson and Congress had a great relationship during his terms. Both houses were a Democratic majority, and sign ed nearly everything Johnson asked of them. The first thing President Johnson pushed through was Kennedy's proposal for an income tax cut; which was just the start of Johnson's many reforms to aid the lower class. Together, Congress and Lyndon Johnson were able to increase employment, consumer spending, and established a period of economic growth in the 1960's. They also created the office of economic opportunity (OEO). By 1964, Congress had already signed the Tax Reduction Act and the Civil Rights Act. In the same year, Vietnamese torpedo boats attacked America's USS Maddox in the Gulf of Tonkin, and the president ordered air strikes against Vietnam and to change policies in the Southeast Asia policy. Congress passed the Southeast Asia Resolution, also known as the Tonkin Resolution, by a landslide and agreed that the president should take "all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the United States and to prevent further aggression." Congress later supported him in his decision further the war with Vietnam. By his "second" term, the Democrats had a massive majority in congress, and between 1965 and 1966, the amount of Great Society legislation established surpassed those of FDR during the Great Depression and New Deal.

Throughout his presidency, Johnson's most positive outcome was his part in the Civil Right's movements. He created equal opportunity between blacks and whites. During the 1960's, the Civil Right's movement was at an all time high with the Greensboro Sit Ins starting off the decade. Following this was the Freedom Rides, the March to Washington, the March to Montgomery, the desegregation of the University of Mississippi, and the Watts Riot to name a few. As mentioned earlier, Johnson really pushed for equality and established rights for minorities (mainly blacks) through the Civil Rights Act of '64 and the Voting Rights Act of '65. Johnson has even stated that he believes the Voting Rights Act was his greatest accomplishment. Later in his career he passed the Open House Law of 1968, which prohibited discrimination in the sale or rental of most housing. Johnson was president during the most important decade for civil right's, and because of him minorities have the rights that they do now. This is his most positive because it united Americans and gave equal opportunity to everyone.

Along with Johnson's "war on poverty," he also furthered a war on Vietnam. The Vietnam War spanned sixteen years, and began to be protested mainly during its second half. Conflicts began during the Gulf of Tonkin in 1964, which some may consider an excuse to enter the war. The real reason America entered was due to fear that if Vietnam fell to communist, other countries would follow (the Domino Theory)- this theory has proved to be repetitive in American history. The Vietnam War was a dispute between North Vietnam (led by Ho Chi Minh), along with the Viet Cong, against South Vietnam to unite them as a completely communist country. Southern Vietnam was opposed to communism; and thus, was backed by the United States, while the North was backed by the Soviet Union. There were about 15,000 military advisors located in Vietnam in 1963, but after the Gulf of Tonkin incident, the number rose to an impressive 500,000 by 1968. The war became controversial when the number of casualties began to roll in, during '67 and '68, there were about 1,000 being killed per month. Vietnam was the first televised war in history, and it led to nationwide massive protests against the war and its' infamous draft. Due to lack of military training and knowledge under the Vietnamese climate, American's suffered and it was the first military loss in American History. In the end, South Vietnam was defeated and Vietnam was united. The war also went back on Johnson's Great Society legislation due to the fact that the country can not have both low taxes and a war. Once the war escalated, inflation and taxes rose, and thus hurt the lower class again. Johnson is directly tied to this "unwinnable" war for his decision to escalate the war after Kennedy started it, and the fact over 58,000 Americans lives were lost for essentially nothing. The most lasting effect of Johnson was his formation of Medicare in 1965. Basically, Medicare provided extremely cheap health care to the elderly under the Social Security System. The idea of Medicare was a continuation of his Great Society to aid the poorer class. Medicare is the most lasting decision of Johnson because it is still in effect today. While it has changed: the age is now sixty-five, and it provides free healthcare, the same basic principle still exists. Medicare was the first program that would grant medical insurance and care to the elderly. While Civil Rights were a huge accomplishment of Johnson, their effects are still debatable. Minorities today still claim to be discriminated against despite the laws against it; however, Medicare is still intact and almost the same as it was fifty years ago.

Although Johnson takes the blame for the outcome of the Vietnam War, it was really his only downfall. Lyndon Baines Johnson had a great relationship with congress, appealed to the usually forgotten lower class, and established the most important laws for racial equality. Because he left our country better off, and for the fact that his effects are still in place today, he deserves a "B" for his terms in office.

** Works Cited ** "Battlefield:Vietnam | History." //PBS//. Web. 21 May 2010. . "LBJ and Medicare." //Index//. Web. 21 May 2010. . "LBJ Biography." //Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library & Museum//. Web. 21 May 2010. . Newman, John J., and John M. Schmalbach. //United States History: Preparing for the Advanced Placement Examination//. New York, N.Y.: Amsco School Publications, 1998. Print. "President Johnson Signs Medicare Bill on July 30, 1965 - Andrew Glass - POLITICO.com." //Politics, Political News - POLITICO.com//. Web. 21 May 2010. .