that is clear that there are certain courses you should take -- math, science coming list -- that should take place if you are to be successful in college. to simply accept students who haven't filled that curriculum obligation, to let them into a school, is doing a great disservice to them and sullying the effort of affirmative action. -- tonight at 8:00 eastern. each week, american history real films.gs you artifact before 1964 and 1969, the white house naval photographic unit created monthly film reports on the activities of president johnson. next, a report from 50 years ago, july 1966. the half hour program begins with president johnson relaxing at his ranch in texas for the independence day holiday. it concludes with lbj

negotiating to end the machinist strike that shut down the 60% of the u.s. commercial airline industry. ♪ narrator: in 1908, few people outside of texas hill country could tell with any certainty where the pedernales river was located. but on the banks of that river in a modest springhouse a baby , was born to sam and rebecca johnson, a baby whose grandfather proudly proclaimed to the countryside a united , states senator was born today, my grandson. the old gentleman was partly right, but he set his sights too low. for the son of sam and rebecca johnson, a half century later, visits the same house on the banks of the pedernales, not as senator, but as president of the united states.

here in his beloved hill country, he rests for a few days observes with his family and friends the 190th anniversary of the signing of the declaration of independence. he would unwind but not completely. for as he celebrates the national holiday as a private citizen he still bears the , burden of presidency. on the domestic scene, 19 overage americans were entitled to free medical care which as critic predicted would bring chaos to the hospitals. on the international scene, farmers blast north vietnam targets on the other side of the world. it was characteristics of his capacity to absorb many detailed facts that as he received

reports on the results of the air strikes, he also wanted to know how many hospital beds would be available in mississippi for medicare patients. but in spite of the issues facing him, there would be time during those first few days of summer to involve himself with the work of his ranch and to take enjoyment from the land. ♪

narrator: in july, it was a relaxed and suntanned lynn johnsonhnson -- baines who reported to the nation during his 66th news conference. he prefaced his press conference with a barbecue on the front lawn of the lbj ranch. ♪

narrator: his opening remarks emphasize the other war in vietnam the attack on literacy, , poverty and disease. this would be part of a theme that the president would hammer home to the people throughout the summer in an exhaustive effort to make sure every american knows exactly what his government is trying to do in vietnam. earlier in the year, the president had established an emergency board to investigate and report upon a dispute between five major airline carriers and their machinists. on june the seventh, the president transmitted the report to both parties, strongly

recommending that they settle their differences within the report's framework. after 30 days of negotiations the machinists struck. ,♪ narrator: as the president's statement reflected his concern was teletyped from press headquarters from san antonio, texas, an empty chair in the white house proclaimed the fact that the problems, the attempt to find solutions, and the final answers continue on a 24-hour basis no matter where the chief executive might be. this has been made possible through the increased mobility afforded the man who holds the helm. when he travels, the president virtually takes the white house with him. an elaborate communication system keeps him in constant touch with any of a host of carefully selected advisors and department heads. on 11th july, the family returns

to washington and would conduct business from the main store on 1600 pennsylvania avenue. for his daughter lucy and her fiance pat nugent, it would be the beginning of a whirlwind of prenuptial ceremonies ranging from intimate bridal showers to huge red carpet receptions. for lucy's father, it would be the beginning of a busy summer, talking with the american people face-to-face across the land, explaining and defining his administration's policies and principally the nation's current role in the pacific. but first, there was a bit of business at the pentagon. on 12 july, the president personally commended 12 conscious defense officials who

million from the fiscal budget during the past year. lyndon johnson: the record that you have achieved in your part of the government's cost production program in my judgment is without equal. and every department of this government today is attempting to imitate and to emulate what you have done, and this record that you and your family can be very proud of. if i would leave no other thought this morning than this one, i would say that every person within the sound of my voice and every employee of the defense department in uniform and out, civilian or military, can take great pride in saying, i was a part of the department of defense in the 1960's, and that is a record that you can point to with pride and that your children and grandchildren will take great pride in.

[applause] narrator: the same day, the president was scheduled to speak of the alumni council in west sulfur springs, west virginia. but his flight was cancelled because of weather. from the white house theater on nationwide television, he delivered his address to the council, laying out the essentials for a lasting peace not only in vietnam, but throughout the entire asian community. and again, the president stressed the importance of building political and economic strength among those nations as one of the foundations for a lasting peace. ♪

narrator: the coast and geodetic ship, the oceanographer is the latest deep-sea ship to come down the lanes, and lending his support as well as official impetus to the advancement of marine biology, the president attended the commission and at the same time invited seven nations with interest in the union, including the soviet union to share in the cruise of , the oceanographer. the man who sailed before the mast has come a long way in their quest for better working conditions, berthing, and shipboard food but it's doubtful , that elaborate creations like this will grace many tables on the oceanographer's maiden voyage. but underneath the papier-mache and frosting, lies a serious commitment by the united states to a better understanding of the sea that divides and yet unites mankind.

thread is here that it untapped reservoir of natural wealth, both food and minerals lies in , waiting for the science technology that will ultimately conduct the harvest. part of that technology in the gleaming whitehall of the oceanographer will soon set sail in the ever-growing fleet of 100 federal research vessels. one of the ablest supporters of united states policy in southeast asia partner in the development programs for the peoples of the pacific, prime minister holt of australia, returns to the white house as ally, as friend. he would, during the toast of the luncheon the following day, symbolically refer to his friendship with the united states as one similar to the esop fable the lion and , the mouse. only in his case, it would be more accurate to describe it as

the lion and the kangaroo. the secretary of the navy's yot -- jot -- yacht sequoia is a water-borne retreat. the sequoia where peace and relax vacation the order of the day. -- a very private extension where peace and relax vacation relaxation are the order of the day. ♪ narrator: discussions will continue, but the pace is less hurried, the talks informal. , the president repeated to the prime minister the ideas he had recently conveyed to the

people of america's obligations in the pacific. on july 15, william j. hopkins was honored by the president for 23 years of the highest possible service as executive clerk of the white house. 23 years that spanned the new deal, the fair deal, the new frontier, and the great society. ♪

lyndon johnson: this is a profoundly symbolic occasion for in honoring mr. hopkins, we also honor the whole core of dedicated civil servants of which he is so outstanding an example. i have said on many occasions that i believe our country has developed the finest professional civil service in the history of the world. and as president, i have not merely expressed that opinion as idle words, i have acted upon it. narrator: three days later, the president again would act on this conviction. on 18 of july, he put his pen to the fringe benefits act of 1966 observing that the country was in an economic prosperity unequal in its history. on the lighter side of the white house scene, lucy was entertained by the dispatch core

of the press. grateful for many prenuptial interviews and perhaps to make up for the many moments of stolen privacy, the journalists staged us get for the bride-to-be and her mother. -- a skit for the bride-to-be and her mother. one news item that would remain private, however, was the location of the honeymoon. lucy refused to disclose the secret location but offered to do a dart do her talking to her. if it was accurate, only the first family knew. mrs. johnson relieved the president of any responsibility in handling the many details of the wedding, now soon approaching. and in a press conference the following day, the president took refuge in this fact. fairchild newspapers found their press credentials to cover the wedding withdrawn because they had ignored a release date on a

news story concerning lucy's bridal gown. challenging the president was denying freedom to the press. the fairchild representative was apprised of the chief executives positive span on this issue. if i couldson: but have your permission to just step aside -- [laughter] lyndon johnson: -- on any of the details of the wedding arrangements i would -- i would , like very much to do so. thank you very much. there were other issues during the month of july, however, on which the president had no prerogative to step aside. on 19 july, he met with congressional leaders to discuss the impact of appropriations increases on the budget. having just wrapped up the fiscal year with the lowest deficit since 1960 in spite of

the ever increasing cost of war the president was determined to , keep federal spending in the upcoming months in line. knowing that the budget can be a delicately balanced seesaw, the chief executive discouraged any additional expenditures or add-ons in an effort to hold the line on the inflationary pressures being felt throughout the economy. the president, as commander in chief of the armed forces, had repeatedly expressed his pride in the men who were actively serving in southeast asia. and now without publicity or fanfare he tried to convey this , feeling to some of the men who had fought in vietnam and who had come back home bearing the physical scars of war. on deck for this impromptu presidential boarding party were 500 enlisted men most of them

wounded veterans from the conflict in asia. the secretary of defense had sponsored this summer outing, on the potomac inviting , soldiers, sailors and marine and airmen from all of the area service hospitals. here among these men who had given far more than most of their countrymen, who among all other people could be expected to weigh seriously the cost of war in terms of its toll on human life came reassuring words and full support for the job the president was trying to do. ♪ narrator: it was late afternoon on the 20th of july when the president, speaking for the

entire nation, said goodbye to 3,000 exchange students who had completed a year of study in the united states. lyndon johnson: when countries speak of sending volunteers into other lands let them be sent to , the real battlefield. the battlefields of poverty and ignorance and disease and suffering. let them come bearing hope and not arms. let them cross the frontiers and -- into bright light of day and not down the jungle trails in the dark of night. let them volunteer to enlarge the lives of their neighbors, not to take the lives of anyone. this is the kind of volunteer that america understands. it's the only kind that the world needs, i warrant. and i promise you that wherever

such a volunteer may walk, he will find an american among the first to give him welcome and to take his hand and to join him in his work for peace. ♪

narrator: the arrival of the prime minister of guyana , the newest independent state in the americas prompted the , president to talk about other problems another state faced when it too declared its independence some years earlier. lyndon johnson: we devoted the first decades to mastering the frontier of our rivers and our forest, of our plains and our mountains. and then next, we tackled the frontier of industrial development. today, we are now pushing forward the frontiers of human aspirations and the needs of human kind. we're committed to rebuilding our blighted cities and preserving the beauty of our land and our landscape. and while doing all of this at home, we will never falter in our commitment overseas to the defense of freedom and in support of economic development.

narrator: in these opening remarks to the prime minister, the president had summed up in a few words his entire domestic program and his administration's foreign policy. but now, he would take these few words and expand them to millions of americans across the heartland of indiana, illinois and kentucky. although referred to as a nonpolitical trip with bipartisan leaders from all states invited to come along, no one can deny the anticipated political benefits. the president's cross-country tour would be a tremendous help to democratic freshman coming up for election. cominghman -- freshmen up for election. ♪ lyndon johnson: the evidence is clear, the guerilla war is in south vietnam was inspired by

hanoi. it was organized in hanoi. it was directed in hanoi, and it is today being supplied from hanoi. if the american people need a the kind of enemy we face, the kind of enemy that sticks his head over south vietnam, they can be reports this morning in your morning papers, they can hear it on your radio, and the attack on yesterday, the united states navy hospital in danaag. at least three of our men who are patience in that hospital were injured. and that is the typical of the the communists -- the way the communists fight. because they cannot hope to win on the battlefield, they rely on terror and on attacks against the wounded and the innocent. they are people who denounce airstrikes against oil depots in north vietnam, in my own country. but they remain strangely silent when the communists in the south turn their mortars on an

american hospital or blow a bus load of farmers or murder the mayor of a vietnamese town. i just wish they would ask themselves if their standard of judgment is really fair. ♪ fort campbell, kentucky home of the screaming , eagles, the 101st airborne, men all-too-familiar with the jungles and the red mud of vietnam. ♪

narrator: and the end of an -- in vienna the president signed , into law the bill establishing the george rogers clark national historical park, the first park and the national system, commemorating the opening of the northwest territory. lyndon johnson: we shall

continue to try to persuade hanoi that we had rather talked than fight. but i pledge you too that we shall continue. if they refuse to negotiate, to make them pay a high price for their warfare in the south on south vietnam and on our men. [applause] ♪ narrator: awarding a beautification citation to the president of jeffersonville the , president concluded his world -- whirlwind tour of the three states. lyndon johnson: it was hardship. we grew and fought because we weren't afraid of frontiers, but we always looked towards those far away horizons. and we have not come this long

distance in history because we ak or a either a we frightened or a fearful or a timid people. when america loses its commitment to freedom, that is the day that america will begin to die. and the safeties that i have seen and the states that i have visited today have told me that this will never be. ♪ narrator: four days later, the president congratulated two americans who is were living examples of this philosophy, men who are not afraid of frontiers and who in pursuit of their every day occupation looked toward far away horizons on a daily basis. colonel robert l. stevens and lieutenant colonel walter f. daniel claimed new world speed and altitude records for the united states air force.

any demonstrator questioning america's resolve in the war might receive a surprising answer from a group of sioux city junior high school students. pulling dimes and nickels, they read billboards and submitted petitions for a new postage stamp honoring the servicemen. now a reality the stamp soon , goes on sale. first customer, the white house. the month of july was running out, and on the 29th, so it appeared, was the influence, power, and economy of great britain. been struck by the worst financial crisis, and finding policies in vietnam, finding her military commitments in the far east and in germany economically personallygland and

prime minister wilson, was nonetheless welcomed as an old friend. the meeting was a short one by anyone's standards, which only furthered the evidence that ties continued to be strong and the dialogues fruitful. through her prime minister, great britain confirmed her atlantic loyalties and the pacific ones as well and vowed that the british economy would be strengthened. lyndon johnson: you and i have many things in common, mr. prime minister. one of course is politics and election results. including the very difficult problem that goes with an enlarged majority. another is economics, including that most fascinating and most unfortunately named subjected, the balance of payments. the third interest mr. prime , minister, is our mutual fascination with transportation. today i'm thinking in particular of ships and airplane strikes. narrator: the airplanes were still on the ground and had been since 7 july.

in a final effort to provide a setting whereby the bargainers could effect an agreement, the president called both sides to the white house. he expressed admiration for their efforts but pointed out that there were other people whose eagerness for a settlement rises in proportion to the number of days the strike continues and these people , ranged from the wives of workers to even presidents. at 9:52 that night in a nationwide broadcast from the white house, the president introduced william j. kurtin, chief negotiator for the airlines, and mr. pl simon of the machinists' union, to the people of the united states, who were still waiting anxiously to become airborne. a settlement through free collective bargaining agreement had been reached. mr. symiller felt gratified that an agreement had been reached. mr.he month of july ended,

johnson may have felt confident machinists had rejected the settlement and the engines of five major airlines across the country remained cold. ♪ [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2016] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] next on american history tv, rabbi gary zola talks about his book, "we called lincolni abraham lincoln and american jewry, a , documentary history". at the cottage zola explores , lincoln's relationship with prominent jews and the jewish community's involvement with civil war politics. the national archives hosted this 90-minute event. jim: a document in our records of rights exhibit, which you