Lyndon Baines Johnson (1908-1973) was the 36th president of the United States. Lyndon Johnson was the first candidate from a Southern state to be elected president of the United States for more than a century. He became president after the assassination of John F. Kennedy. In 1964, Johnson was elected as a president in the largest popular majority in modern U.S. history. However, his presidency ended when the Vietnam War was at its highest levels of escalation.

Lyndon Baines Johnson was born on August 27, 1908, near Stonewall, Texas. He took his first political position as a private secretary to the newly elected Congressman Richard M. Kleberg of Corpus Christi. When World War II started, Johnson was the first congressman wear a uniform and was appointed to Naval Reserve by President Roosevelt. After flying a single combat mission (for which he was decorated after coming under enemy fire), he returned to Washington DC. Johnson worked hard after the war in his political career and was finally elected as a Senator with a "landslide" victory in 1948. Johnson was a great politician and was quickly known in the Congress, especially in the issues dealing with United States defense budget. In 1960, he became the vice-president under President John F. Kennedy.

In 1963, after Kennedy was assassinated, Johnson was appointed president. As president, Johnson promised that he would continue Kennedy's foreign and domestic policies. During his presidency, Johnson setup many beneficial policies that helped many; one being Medicare. In 1964, Johnson was elected president by the largest popular majority in modern U.S. history, another landslide victory since the election for Senator. During his presidency, Johnson was overly active in foreign policies and relationship. However, these were the qualities that ruined his career.

When Johnson came into power, the USSR was not as threatening as it was in the late 1940's. However, People's Republic of China and other Communist threatened countries replaced that threat. Johnson, trying to keep Eisenhower's promise to contain Communism, entered Vietnam to replace the French. Johnson's goal was to prevent the Communists from the north from taking over the south. However, the War took longer and more lives of Americans as he had expected. When it got to a point of where the U.S. could not defeat the Vietnamese and could not withdraw from the war, Johnson chose not to be reelected and decided to step down with the Vietnam Issue unresolved.

Photos Courtesy of Vietnam Photos