Lyndon Baines Johnson, 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. Formerly the 37th vice president from 1961 to 1963, he became the president following the assassination of President Kennedy. Johnson was a Democrat from Texas, and also served as a United States Representative and as the Majority Leader in the United States Senate.
Johnson was born in a farmhouse in Stonewall, Texas. He was a high school teacher and worked as a congressional aide before winning the position of U.S. House of Representatives in 1937. Johnson won election to the United States Senate from Texas in 1948 after winning the Democratic nomination by a narrow margin with phony votes that were created by friendly political machines.
When Johnson became president, he escalated U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. In 1964, Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which gave Johnson the power to use military force in Asia without having to ask for a 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 were at an all-time high and peace efforts stopped.
Johnson is ranked highly by many historians because of his policies and the passage of many major laws that affected civil rights, gun control, wilderness preservation, and Social Security, although he also drew substantial criticism for his escalation of the Vietnam War. He died on January 22, 1973 due to a heart attack.
Fun Facts:
- Johnson was a teacher for nine months at a segregated school for Mexican-American children.
- He almost died while serving in the Senate to a heart attack.
- Johnson was a tall man. He used this to his benefit by towering over his shorter companions and asking for favors. Surprisingly, this worked.
Lyndon B. Johnson:
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