A Time for Action; A Selection from the Speeches and Writings of Lyndon B. Johnson, 1953-64
New York: Atheneum Publishers, 1964. First Edition [stated], presumed first printing. Hardcover. xv. [1], 183, [1] pages. Illustrations. Index. Name stamps on front flyleaf. Boards somewhat scuffed. Introduction by Adlai Stevenson. Publisher's Note: This selection from the speeches and writings of Lyndon B. Johnson was made, with his authorization, shortly after he became President of the United States. It was designed to be selective rather than complete and to present the principal expressions of is views in the high offices he has occupied being the Democrat leader in the Senate in 1953. All of the speeches and writings are given in full, as they were written and delivered. These selections are arranged in chronological order except for the first one which has been placed at the beginning because it makes a general statement of President Johnson's political philosophy. For subject references, the reader is directed to the index. Lyndon Baines Johnson (August 27, 1908 – January 22, 1973), often referred to by his initials LBJ, was an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969, and previously as 37th vice president from 1961 to 1963. He assumed the presidency following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. A Democrat from Texas, Johnson was also a United States representative and later majority leader in the United States Senate. Johnson is one of only four people to have served, at various times, in all four federal elected positions. In domestic policy, Johnson's "Great Society" and "War on Poverty" programs led to legislation to expand civil rights, public broadcasting, Medicare, Medicaid, aid to education and the arts, urban and rural development, and public services. Assisted by a strong economy, the War on Poverty helped millions of Americans rise above the poverty line during his administration. In foreign policy, Johnson escalated American involvement in the Vietnam War. In 1964, Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which granted Johnson the power to use military force in Southeast Asia without having to ask for an official declaration of war. The number of American military personnel in Vietnam increased dramatically, from 16,000 advisors in non-combat roles in 1963 to 525,000 in 1967, many in combat roles. American casualties soared and the peace process stagnated. Growing unease with the war stimulated a large, angry anti-war movement based chiefly among draft-age students on university campuses. Unlike the majority of southern politicians, he opposed racial segregation, signing civil rights bills to ban racial discrimination in public facilities, interstate commerce, the workplace and housing. The Voting Rights Act ended the mass disenfranchisement of African Americans in the South, and the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 permitted greater immigration from regions other than Europe. Johnson's presidency marked the peak of modern liberalism in the United States. Johnson is ranked favorably by many historians because of his domestic policies and the passage of many major laws that affected civil rights, gun control, wilderness preservation, and Social Security, although he has also drawn substantial criticism for his policies in the Vietnam War, and conservative criticism for the growth of the federal government and Great Society programs. Condition: Good.
Keywords: Presidents, Speeches, Adlai Stevenson, Democratic Party, Discrimination, Civil Rights, John F. Kennedy, Arms Control, Outer Space, Memorial Day, Human Rights, Thanksgiving, United Nations
[Book #9704]
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