Lyndon B. Johnson became president in 1963 after John F. Kennedy was assassinated. LBJ was vaulted into the issues of the Vietnam War, civil rights, and a later declared “war on poverty”. Johnson immediately began to enact the policies Kennedy previously wanted such as a new civil rights bill and a tax cut. Along with Kennedy’s ideas, Johnson had a clear intent to implement his “Great Society” vision into the US. His Great Society included better education, Medicare and Medicaid, urban renewal, the big “war on poverty”, and improvement of depressed regions and the environment. Johnson also helped pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a historic improvement in civil rights, ending all discrimination based on race or ethnicity. Johnson’s successes domestically was contrasted by his inability to make progress in the Vietnam War.
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But his efforts proved unsuccessful, and a stalemate still continued. Anti-war protests increased with seemingly pointless casualties increasing. Johnson declared that he would not run for a second full term in office and instead focus on peace negotiations in Vietnam. My assessment of Lyndon B Johnson is that he was just as successful domestically as he was unsuccessful abroad. At home, his Great Society was a massively popular bipartisan reform movement that improved the lives of many, especially the less fortunate. Millions of elderly were positively affected by the Medicare amendment to Social Security. Also, his policies against poverty and efforts to equalize voting led to the Voting Rights Act of 1965. On the other hand, Johnson is seen for his controversial actions and failed efforts to end the Vietnam War. Until the end of his presidency, Johnson drastically increased American troops in Vietnam, yet no improvement in the US’s position in the war was seen. Casualties only increased, and tensions at home
But his efforts proved unsuccessful, and a stalemate still continued. Anti-war protests increased with seemingly pointless casualties increasing. Johnson declared that he would not run for a second full term in office and instead focus on peace negotiations in Vietnam. My assessment of Lyndon B Johnson is that he was just as successful domestically as he was unsuccessful abroad. At home, his Great Society was a massively popular bipartisan reform movement that improved the lives of many, especially the less fortunate. Millions of elderly were positively affected by the Medicare amendment to Social Security. Also, his policies against poverty and efforts to equalize voting led to the Voting Rights Act of 1965. On the other hand, Johnson is seen for his controversial actions and failed efforts to end the Vietnam War. Until the end of his presidency, Johnson drastically increased American troops in Vietnam, yet no improvement in the US’s position in the war was seen. Casualties only increased, and tensions at home