Born in 1917 into a family that was involved in politics and one of the wealthiest families in Massachusetts, everyone expected John F. Kennedy (JFK) to have a bright future. His father was even preparing him and his brothers for one of them to become the President of the United States. However, no one expected that John would be one of America’s most loved Presidents and the second youngest after President Roosevelt.
Childhood and early days
John F. Kennedy grew up in a big family of 9 children – 5 girls and 4 boys. His father, Joe Kennedy, had a dream that his eldest son, Joe Jr., would grow up to be the President one day. Joe sent his children to the best schools and gave them the best education for them to grow up and continue the family’s legacy after him.
John graduated from Harvard in 1940 and joined his father in Britain, where he was the Ambassador of the U.S. Because of his father’s position, John knew that World War II was about to break out and he wanted to serve his country in the war. After failing to join the Army because he had health problems with his back, he was able to join the Navy. John survived the war after the ship he commanded sank and, as a result, became a war hero. His brother, Joe Jr., however, did not make it and was killed in the war.
Preparing for the Presidency
After Joe Jr. died, Joe Sr. started to put his hopes on John to become the President one day. In 1947, John F. Kennedy was elected to Congress. He continued to be a congressman until 1953 when he became a Senator.
Seven years after serving as a U.S. Senator, in 1960, Kennedy won the presidential election against Richard Nixon, who was the Vice President at the time. The votes to both Kennedy and Nixon were so close that it is considered one of the closest elections ever.
The 35th American President
JFK presented himself to the American people as the opposite of Eisenhower, which was much needed in the White House at the time. Kennedy represented a young enthusiastic president with the bold new ideas, while Eisenhower was the older, more calculated President who analyzed every decision very carefully. This change in leadership was a great push for the United States and the contrast of Kennedy’s energy right after Eisenhower’s conservative approach made Kennedy one of the most popular Presidents in the eyes of America.
Although President Kennedy was a young, energetic leader, being young meant that he was somewhat inexperienced. This could have led to many problems in Kennedy’s presidency, but he was very smart to realize that his young age allowed him to learn more. Because of this, he did his best to always surround himself with experienced consultants.
Kennedy and the Cold War
In 1961, after a few months of becoming the President, Kennedy decided to overthrow the communist government that had recently taken control over Cuba. He decided that the best way to overthrow them was in the same way they overthrew the government before them, guerrilla warfare.
The CIA planned an invasion of the Bay of Pigs in Cuba by Cuban exiles that lived in the United States. Unfortunately, news of the invasion was leaked to the communist government of Cuba and the invasion failed miserably.
In 1962, Cuba allowed the Soviet Union to place nuclear missiles in its country, which was within shooting range of the United States. This was known as the Cuban Missile Crisis. After tense negotiations between the United States and the Soviet Union, the missiles were removed from Cuba and in turn, the United States agreed to remove missiles they placed in the country of Turkey, which was close to the Soviet Union.
Death of John F. Kennedy
After leading the United States through the Space Race by putting a man on the moon, John F. Kennedy was assassinated in November 1963 when a man named Lee Harvey Oswald shot him while he was on a ride in a convertible car in Texas.
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