1960s Timeline

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Jul 20, 2021

President Kennedy Meets with General MacArthur at the White House

July 20, 1961 - General of the Army Douglas MacArthur returned to the White House for the first time in seven years. He said it was good...

Jul 20, 2021

President Kennedy Emphasizes Civil Defense, Will Address Nation Tuesday

July 20, 1961 - President Kennedy today put the Pentagon in charge of a greatly increased program to protect American civilians against...

Jul 19, 2021

President Kennedy's Press Conference: Main Points

July 19, 1961 - Following are the main points of President Kennedy's news conference today: Berlin - The President defended the Western...

Jul 19, 2021

Congress Backs Kennedy's Space Goal: the Moon before 1970

July 19, 1961 - President Kennedy's sharp acceleration of the race for the moon won resounding approval today from a Senate-House...

Jul 18, 2021

Wife of State Dept. Chief of Protocol Killed in Plane Crash

July 18, 1961 - Mrs. Angier Biddle Duke (pictured left, holding her daughter Maria-Luisa in 1955), wife of the State Department's Chief...

Jul 15, 2021

RFK Warns Khrushchev: Don't Underestimate Americans

July 15, 1961 - The U.S. launched its ninth Polaris missile submarine today with a warning to Soviet Premier Khrushchev that America "can...

Jul 14, 2021

Goldwater Charges Kennedy Administration with "Drifting"

July 14, 1961 - Senator Barry Goldwater charged the Kennedy Administration today with supporting a foreign policy of "drifting,"...

Jul 13, 2021

Foreign Students Rush President Kennedy in Virtual Stampede

July 13, 1961 - About 1,800 enthusiastic foreign-exchange students turned a White House visit into a virtual stampede this morning. A...

Jul 12, 2021

NAACP Has Praise and Criticism for President Kennedy

July 12, 1961 - Members of the NAACP called on President Kennedy today to praise and criticize his actions on civil rights. Bishop...

Jul 10, 2021

President Kennedy to Americans: Support Foreign Aid

July 10, 1961 - President Kennedy asked all Americans today to support his long-range foreign aid program as "vital in the fight for our...

Jul 9, 2021

President Kennedy Orders Military Review

July 9, 1961 - President Kennedy has ordered an urgent review to determine whether the U.S. should increase its military strength to meet...

Jul 6, 2021

Secretary of State Rusk: Don't Cut Foreign Aid

July 6, 1961 - Secretary of State Dean Rusk warned today that any cuts in the Administration's foreign aid program would be "a great...

Jul 5, 2021

President Kennedy Mourns Hemingway

July 2, 1961 - President Kennedy mourned today the death of Ernest Hemingway, whom he called one of America's greatest authors and "one...

Jul 5, 2021

President and Mrs. Kennedy Go Boating

July 1, 1961 - President Kennedy celebrated his first fiscal new year's day in office today by indulging in a favorite outdoor...