- The 1960s in the United States is a decade that played out on national television, decided a presidency, divided a nation about a war, and on July 20, 1969, declared a winner of the Space Race. Witness the dawn of modern America as it unfolded, through famous, and infamous, images and footage, shown in full color. From the drama of the Cuban Missile Crisis to the music of the Beatles, and from the March on Washington to the walk on the moon, we present the '60s like they've never been seen before.
- This is a decade of revolution that delivers the modern America we recognise today. The civil rights struggle and Vietnam War divide the nation, assassinations rock the world and hippies offer a counter culture. With rare archive, iconic news footage and home movies, seen in color for the first time, this is the story of the 1960s as you've never seen it before.
- The decade begins with a crucial election between Republican Vice-President Richard Nixon and a relatively unknown John F. Kennedy. Kennedy promises a new start for America, a rejuvenated economy and a nation that is a global beacon of democracy and prosperity - his win makes him America's youngest ever elected President.
He soon faces his greatest test. Tensions between America and the Soviet Union peak with the discovery of nuclear-armed Soviet missiles on Cuba. A tense standoff leads America to the very brink of nuclear war. At the last minute, Khrushchev agrees to remove the missiles - but not before Americans start panic-buying foods and the military moves to DEFCON 3.
It's a victory for Kennedy - but just over a year later the young President is dead, assassinated in Dallas. Johnson is sworn in on board Air Force One, determined to continue Kennedy's struggle for a peaceful and just nation. He declares war on poverty. 40 million Americans are living in poverty and the highest levels are in black communities, where unemployment is rife and relationships with the police are tense. The Watts Riots break out in LA when tensions bubble over - six days of rioting leave 34 people dead and more than a thousand injured.
But views are changing. The violence surrounding the Freedom Rides of 1961 and the Birmingham Campaign of 1963 have pushed the civil rights campaign into American consciousness like never before. Images of black Americans being attacked by police dogs and pummelled with water guns spread around the world. At the head of this movement is Martin Luther King, who leads 250,000 people on the famous March on Washington in 1963.
Things begin to change: 'colored' and 'white only' signs are taken down, and schools and colleges are desegregated. But it's fiercely opposed by the Southern states: in Alabama the Governor refuses to allow black students into a local college and has to be removed by federal troops.
In the summer of 1967, 100,000 gather for the Summer of Love. Hippies become a vibrant part of American culture, promoting sex, drugs and freedom. They are among those who join the anti-war protests when the government controversially ramps up US troops in Vietnam.
Mohammad Ali and Martin Luther King are amongst the figures that speak out against it - but soon after King becomes the victim of the second major assassination in 1960s America. His death in Memphis shocks the nation and riots break out across America in response.
But the decade ends on a high as Apollo 11 launches on July 16th 1969. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin become the first men to walk on the moon and win the space race, bringing the dawn of modern America.
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