The 1960's decade had a great election, which had never before seen in the history of the United States. John F. Kennedy the democratic candidate was against Richard Nixon the republican candidate. This was the first time that the debates between the candidates were on air in the national television and radio. In that time television was very popular, so it was a great way to promote the candidates elections. The television gave Kennedy a boost on his popularity and won the presidency, because his conduct and appearance, it was superior and better than Nixon's. A opinion poll was made to ask the people who do they think won, the people that heard it on the radio said that Nixon won, and the people that watched it on the television said that Kennedy won. Nixon was only four years older than Kennedy, but Kennedy looked younger, that was like most Americans citizens. When Kennedy won the presidential election of 1961 he became the youngest elected president. There were some actions that were taken to take out and eliminate segregation, but the African Americans saw that it did not worked out and they were disappointed. Going to white public places and sitting, were the forms of protest that the African Americans did. A man became the main leader of civil rights movements; his name was Martin Luther King Jr. The Soviets sent their first man to space in April 1961, Yuri Gagarin was the first man in space. Kennedy promised that before the end of the decade the U.S will have landed on the moon, so they started to make their own space program. Kennedy sent troops to Vietnam because he was afraid that the others country around Vietnam would fall into communism, like the domino theory said. Kennedy was shot and died in November, 1963. With his death many Americans felt depressed. Vice President Lyndon Johnson became president, after Kennedy's death. President Johnson decided to dramatically increase army forces in Vietnam by sending more troops. The extra army troops sent were not sufficient. The U.S. wanted to make war of attrition on the North Vietnamese, but it didn't work out like they wanted. In the spring many of the racial states exploded into racial fighting. Johnson approved the Voting Rights Act that gave the right to the people qualified to vote. Richard Nixon the republican candidate was elected president after President Johnson got out of democratic nomination in 1969.
