Richard Nixon in 1960

just a few questions regarding the outcome, or even the occurrence of several key points in American History should Richard Nixon win the 1960 election against John F. Kennedy, a feat that is likely if just a few things go in separate directions than OTL. Seeing as how the 1960 election and the two candidates who held the possibility of leading the nation were heading into one of the most diverse, and changing decades in the Nation's history, I would like to here some talk about how these events, and others, could have played out, and what said results may have led to in the result of a Richard Nixon Presidency beginning in 1960.

The events in question are:

- The Bay of Pigs Invasion
- Cuban Missile Crisis (if it ever happens?)
- The construction of the Berlin Wall
- The Civil Rights Movement
- The War in Vietnam
- The Counterculture Movement
- The Premiership of Nikita Khrushchev
- Political future of John F. Kennedy? and LBJ?
- America without "Dallas 1963"
- America without Watergate.
- The overall length of the Cold War
 
just a few questions regarding the outcome, or even the occurrence of several key points in American History should Richard Nixon win the 1960 election against John F. Kennedy, a feat that is likely if just a few things go in separate directions than OTL. Seeing as how the 1960 election and the two candidates who held the possibility of leading the nation were heading into one of the most diverse, and changing decades in the Nation's history, I would like to here some talk about how these events, and others, could have played out, and what said results may have led to in the result of a Richard Nixon Presidency beginning in 1960.

The events in question are:

- The Bay of Pigs Invasion
- Cuban Missile Crisis (if it ever happens?)
- The construction of the Berlin Wall
- The Civil Rights Movement
- The War in Vietnam
- The Counterculture Movement
- The Premiership of Nikita Khrushchev
- Political future of John F. Kennedy? and LBJ?
- America without "Dallas 1963"
- America without Watergate.
- The overall length of the Cold War

In order:

None: Kennedy has blasted the Eisenhower admin. for being soft on Cuba. Nixon's election would've be seen as validating Ike's policies so it is unlikely he would've felt compelled to go forth with the CIAs foolish plan.

None
None
None- All three of these were built in part on the impression by Khrushchev that Kennedy was weak and inexperienced. Nixon would not have given that impression. He and Khrushchev had already squared off.

Vietnam came about in large part because the Democrats had been in power when China fell to the communists and during most of the Korean War. The Democratic Party had become annoyed that they were associated with "losing" to the communists.

Again, Nixon (who wanted a legacy as a peacemaker) wouldn't have been influenced by this.

JFK & LBJ are both probably finished. After 1968, neither U.S. party nominated someone again who had been nominated before and lost.

Khrushchev, without the Cuban Missile Crisis would probably have managed to stay in power longer and continue with some of the reforms he wanted.

Ironically this probably results in a longer Cold War as the Soviet Union manages to improve their economy somewhat in the long run.

The 1960 election convinced Nixon that he had been screwed over by the Democrats and the media. Heightening his latent paranoia immensely. If he had won, no Watergate.

All in all, much of life for the U.S. and the world would've been much better. .
 
"The greatest honor history can bestow is the title of peacemaker."

RICHARD NIXON, Inaugural Address, Jan. 20, 1969
 
cool, and thanks for the response, but what about the Civil Rights Act.

Probably not. But who can tell. Back then black Americans were still voting in some number for the GOP.

And in regards to his peacemaking aspirations, Nixon was heavily influenced by his pacifist (Quaker) mother who reportedly wept when she saw her son in uniform for the first time (World War Two).
 
I could see LBJ living longer. And if the Democrats keep the senate like they did OTL, I could see him staying majority leader well into the 70's.

That is, if he can keep getting re-elected.
 
I could see LBJ living longer. And if the Democrats keep the senate like they did OTL, I could see him staying majority leader well into the 70's.

That is, if he can keep getting re-elected.

I remember hearing/reading on this site that the '58 wave of Senators was why he choose to join JFK on his Presidential ticket, as he was losing touch and power to the new batch of liberal Democrats. If he does stay in the much slower paced, and less stressful, Senate Johnson could live an extra decade or two under good conditions. Could become the liberal Strom Thurmond and live to 100, although in a big state like Texas it's harder to stay in high office forever, unlike smaller states (South Carolina) that benefit from their congressman's tenure.
 
Nixon would have supported the Bay of Pigs. It was in many respects his idea in the first place. I think he would have wanted a victory in Cuba because of his poor realtionship with IKE. Eisenhower was the winner of WW2 and Niox with his inferiority complex needed to be considered a winner. Would the Bay of Pigs start a serious problem with the USSR is a major question. On the chances of another Watergate style scandal coming about during the 1960 Nixon era , I can see that happening very easily. Nixon going back to the start of his political career had always lived in the muck. LBJ would have been a very strong opponent in the Senate. JFK losing a close race is not going away and Nixon would have felt their heat. Since LBJ and JFK had some personal problems ther is no doubt to me that Nixon would have tried to exploit that, but who knows if he could have controlled the situation. He could not control what he did in the 70's and i doubt if he could have done it in the 60's. Nixon was a very smart man with a very weak personality and self esteem. It would have been interesting to see what Jay E. Hoover does when Nixon gets into the mud.
 
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