Kennedy, Johnson, and the Great Society

The presidencies of John F. Kennedy (1961–1963) and Lyndon B. Johnson (1963–1969) represent the high-water mark of post-war American liberalism. Kennedy's youthful charisma and tragic assassination have made him one of the most mythologised presidents in American history, while Johnson's extraordinary legislative achievements — and his catastrophic escalation of the Vietnam War — make him one of the most complex. Together, they presided over an era of ambitious social reform, Cold War confrontation, and cultural transformation.

Key Definition: The Great Society was President Lyndon Johnson's domestic programme (1964–1968), which aimed to eliminate poverty and racial injustice through federal legislation in areas including healthcare, education, housing, immigration, and the environment.

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Kennedy's New Frontier

John F. Kennedy won the 1960 presidential election by one of the narrowest margins in history, defeating Vice President Richard Nixon by approximately 120,000 votes. Kennedy's campaign promised a "New Frontier" of activism and reform, declaring: "Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country."

Domestic Achievements and Limitations