The Life and Legacy of John F. Kennedy
Since he entered the military and public life, President John F. Kennedy took the hearts of many Americans and foreigners alike for his charisma and influence. Many both adored and hated him as his political inclinations brought either tension or benefit to the American people. Kennedy was seen as an important part of the Cold War era and people believed he would have revitalized America if he had lived longer. His controversial death had brought many questions to the foray as to why he was shot and what would have been the future of the United States and of the Cold War if Kennedy lived. However, what made President Kennedy make a mark in history is the fact that despite his poor health and the controversies that plague his life, his rebellious, competitive and radical spirit ushered reform and legislative change that allowed America to stand strong in adversity and enabled the people to once again trust the government.
John Fitzgerald Kennedy or Jack was born in a modest wood-frame home in Brookline, Massachusetts on May 29, 1917. According to Wills (2009), Jack’s parents – Joseph Kennedy and Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy – descended from 19th century Irish immigrants who had been aboard “coffin ships” in order to flee from the potato famine that had killed one million Irish. The first generation Kennedys settled in Massachusetts and eventually became prominent in the political and business arena despite the prejudice on foreigners. Jack’s great grandparents and parents valued hard work and determination, which the young Kennedy took into heart. However, unlike his siblings, Jack was a rebel and wanted to be known for his own merits rather than being called “the son of Joseph Kennedy Sr.” or the “younger brother of Joe Jr.”. Like his siblings, Jack was very inquisitive and intelligent, attending Canterbury Prep School in Connecticut in 1930 to prepare him for the elite Choate School where his elder brother studied. Despite his poor health that forced him to skip most of his classes, Jack remained an irrepressible joker, rebel and inquisitive child; excelling in the subjects he liked. After graduating from Choate in 1935, Jack was enrolled to the London School of Economics, but had to return back to the States because he had contracted jaundice. He had attempted to stay in Princeton after LSE in November, but had to drop immediately due to a suspected case of leukemia.
Eventually, Jack had elected to enroll in Harvard in 1936. He spent his freshman and sophomore years in athletics as a means to strengthen his body. By the end of his sophomore year, his father recommended that Jack tour around Europe before the fighting resumes in the region. He was constantly plagued by various health conditions in his trip, but had successfully returned back to the States for his junior year. When Joe Sr. was nominated as the new ambassador to Great Britain, Jack became privy to the attempts of Britain to stall off Germany and worked hard in the embassy in London from 1938 to 1939. It is in London where Jack gained the materials he needed for his senior thesis for the Harvard School of Government. His thesis “Why England Slept” in 1940 depicted Britain’s struggle in the 1930s as Nazi Germany threatened Western Europe, highlighting the psychological nature of the British people regarding the threat. The thesis showcased Jack’s unique take on history and politics despite his young age. Although he aspired to become a teacher or a writer, Jack planned to enter Yale Law School in 1941 to take up law after taking a short course in Stanford University in 1940 for business law .
However, Meagher and Gragg (2011) cited that before he can enjoy his studies and new found fame, Jack had to enlist in the Army after the passing of the Selective Service Act. The Act required men ages twenty-one and thirty-five to register. Despite his poor physical condition, Jack became an ensign in September 1941 to the Foreign Intelligence Branch of the Office of Naval Intelligence after his father aided him to pass the medical test. While in training, he showed great proficiency in PT (patrol-torpedo) boats and became one of the fleet’s commanders. While he saw little of the action, Jack had managed to save his crew members after an attack by the Japanese destroyer Amagiri. He was regarded as a war hero for his act and rejoined the battle again in 1943. When he was forced to end his tenure due to his back injury, he and his family mourned for the death of his older brother Joe Jr. who was one of the bombers in the attack of Normandy. His death triggered Jack’s reluctant entrance into politics as his father, Joe Sr. had originally wanted Joe Jr. to follow in his footsteps. Despite this, Jack worked hard to improve his speaking and debate skills and ran for the 1946 Democratic nomination for the US Representative in Boston’s 11th District. According to Sorensen (2010), he managed to get the position in 1946 thanks to the political clout his father had and served for three terms. In these three terms, he had mixed opinions on the policies that were sent in the house. At first, he declared himself as a liberal conservative but in domestic issues, he supported Roosevelt’s New Dear program. He was also a conservative when it came to foreign policy, fighting against communism.
Although his peers often joked about his absences and commended his intelligence, Jack found Congress work boring and wanted a challenge in order to influence the country’s state of affairs. Dallek (2010) stated that the Congress’ traditions made it impossible for juniors like him to make an influence. Eventually, he diverted his attention to the Senate seat for Massachusetts in 1952 against Henry Cabot Lodge. The family, led by Joe Sr., aided his campaign financially while his brother Robert had stood in as his campaign manager. His other siblings also helped in the tea parties and sorties. Robert had provided depth and organization to Jack’s campaign and allowed him to reach the areas where he needed the votes. His campaign was also considered the most detailed and disciplined throughout the history of Massachusetts or in any part of the globe. Jack’s victory indicated that his charisma had aided his victory rather than the financial support or organization provided by his family. It is believed that Jack brought in a political figure that was “dignified, gentlemanly and well-educated” and lacked “the air of superior condescension” other politicians had like Lodge and Adlai Stevenson. Similar to his tenure in Congress, Jack was remotely absent in most of his time in the Senate and he also found the service slightly satisfying as compared to his Congressional days. He strove hard to concentrate on national security, but with the growing issues on the Korean War, the Soviet Union’s acquisition of atomic weapons and the growth of Communism stopped him from concentrating on his goal. He believed that it was crucial to concentrate on defense issues because Moscow may try to use atomic weapons to sustain America’s destruction. Critics cited that Kennedy’s stance was only a political posturing move as he is siding with the 56% of the Americans who were worried about the war. Jack denied this and slowly aided in the discussions on foreign affairs as the Senate Foreign Relations Committee member. His stance on opening negotiations for Algerian self-determination and independence was not met positively by France and the Eisenhower government. Jack, at this point, knew the only way he can follow his goals is by turning to the presidency .
Davis (1993) cited that Jack, in his presidential bid, believed he can indeed win the position. With the Kennedys renowned for their political prowess and his youth and standing, Jack was seen as a clear contender for the Presidency. Although his records in the Congress and the Senate were slightly poor due to his absences and the record of the previous administration may affect his campaign and presidency, Jack forged on with the help of his family and wife, Jacqueline Onassis. Even while he was campaigning for his second term in the Senate, he had already laid down the foundations of his presidential bid. His father continued to aid him in his bid by getting him influential supporters such as journalists William Randolph Hearst and Henry Luce. In his campaign, Kennedy cited that he must act as a catalyst and a defender of the public in order for their interest to be recognized. The campaign had also raised awareness against religious prejudice and bigotry, as well as civil rights for African Americans and those from the minority bloc. With all the efforts from his family and his team, Jack managed to win by a 49.7%-49.5% margin despite the fact Oklahoma, Alabama and Mississippi voted against him for his position regarding civil rights .
Dallek (2003) and Sachs (2013) highlighted several success, mistakes and criticisms that challenged Kennedy’s presidency. Upon taking oath on January 20, 1961, many saw Kennedy as the “enforcer of progress”, proposing changes to the US system that would allow sustainable development despite the ongoing Cold War. Kennedy believed that these changes would incite opposition, especially considering that his proposals (such as loosening the monetary policy to keep the interest rate down, the improvement of civil rights for African Americans through the Civil Rights Act of 1964)) were radical for the traditional Americans. He aimed to improve the lives of the American people, reducing the recession and allowed investors to flow back to the country. He also invested heavily on technological advancement, research and education. In his three years, Kennedy was able to improve the investment tax credit of the country, established the country’s major space program and sustainable development.
As far as foreign policy is concerned, he remained firm in his belief for peace throughout the globe by proposing development efforts for Latin America and the removal of colonialism. He also refused to use immense military power unless it is the last resort to reassert political and economic interest. He fought against communism but many criticized his first confrontation with Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev in 1961, taking Khruschev’s rhetoric as a challenge to the American people. In the Vienna Summit in June 1961, Kennedy left angry as Khrushchev – who lauded his intelligence – bullied him for his weakness. Kennedy had also ordered the Bay of Pigs Invasion on April 17, 1961 that aimed to remove Fidel Castro out of Cuba. However, the attack failed and took responsibility for the failure, paying $53 million worth of resources in exchange for the exiles the Cuban government had. Kennedy had also faced a great dilemma regarding the missile silos detected in Cuba on October 14, 1962. The crisis, which is now known as the Cuban Missile Crisis, would have triggered a nuclear war between the US and USSR should Kennedy made a wrong move. Nonetheless, his order of having a naval quarantine and his strong position had managed to put Khrushchev to agree on the concessions passed by the US and the UN to dismantle, allowing Kennedy to gain a high approval rating. He had been one of the key actors for nuclear disarmament negotiations between the US, the USSR and other nuclear countries – resulting to the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. He had also advocated peace for Germany, the Southeast Asia and in the Middle East, stressing that while freedom and democracy is difficult to perfect and attain, communist ideals would not be successful in containing the rights of the people .
With his initiatives both lauded and criticized by the people, President Kennedy was a prime target to various conspiracies wishing to bring him down. This fear was pronounced by the time his contingent flew to Texas, a right-wing extremist state against some of the members of the Kennedy administration. Meagher and Gragg (2011) even cited that several leaflets were given around to say that Kennedy was wanted for treason. Kennedy himself was warned not to make the trip due to the opposition he had in the area. However, he still continued the trip alongside his wife and contingent as a sign of political trust. The Texas police force even lined up to protect the president as he rode in the motorcade with his wife Jackie and Governor John Connally and his wife. The warm welcome given to Kennedy contradicted earlier reports of conspiracy against the Kennedy administration. However, the peaceful motorcade ended horrifically when a sniper – soon identified as Lee Harvey Oswald – shot the convoy and struck the President in the back of his neck. Kennedy was then rushed to Parkland Memorial alongside Governor Connally while Oswald was taken into custody. The doctors tried their best to resuscitate the president but the damage was too great and Kennedy was pronounced dead after an hour of the assassination .
Upon the announcement of his death in various media outfits, the public, according to Greenberg (1964) and Sabato (2013), had several positions regarding its impact. Studies have indicated that the public found Kennedy’s death to be the end of the era for reform and improvement which may be forgotten by his successor. Some Americans even expressed grief and loss, as if they have lost a parent or loved one. This grief is mostly severe for Kennedy supporters, especially the African-American communities, the Southerners and the non-Kennedy Northerners. As far as his assassin’s motives and identity was concerned, the public commented that it was likely caused by a lunatic or an extremist. Calls for investigation resounded throughout America and in the international community to prosecute whoever was responsible as Kennedy had been a symbol of hope for many. Kennedy’s opponents also backed down from their political agenda and grieved with the people in respect to Kennedy’s contributions to the country .
In response to the calls for investigations, Wilkes (2012) stated that several inconsistencies were revealed in the first commission called to correlate the evidences upon the assassination. The Warren Commission reported that Oswald, who was killed before he was due to court, acted alone and fired all three shots that got the President and the Governor. However, many questioned their findings due to the edited parts of the story and the possibilities of a second shooter came into the discussions. Evidences were also suppressed and the overall report done was only generalized, leaving no trace of a plausible conclusion. In the report done by the House Select Committee on Assassination in 1978, they supported the finding that it was Oswald’s shots that were the fatal point of the attack and the FBI, CIA and the Secret Service failed to prevent the attack and left various gaps in the president’s detail – supporting the earlier report of the Rockefeller Commission and the Select Committee to Study Governmental Operations with Respect to Intelligence Agencies. The three agencies would have been able to prevent any form of attack to the president, especially in detecting Oswald prior to the motorcade. The conflicting directives of the Secret Service was also criticized, especially given the fact assassination threats were already reported prior to the Texas trip .
Every great man has an interesting story to tell and in the case of John F. Kennedy, his story indicated how one man strove hard despite his condition to reach the top and advocate his dream. Despite his reluctance in joining politics and poor health, he fought for what he believed should be America’s goal and worked his way to the presidency. While many had disagreed with his radical ideals, his position on crucial issues such as civil rights and foreign affairs appealed to the people and his appeal to the public allowed him to gain their support especially in the time of war. His shortened tenure due to his questionable death had left many questions unanswered, especially on what the future may be like had he lived that tragic assassination. Regardless of his faults and mistakes throughout his life, President Kennedy had lived his life as how he saw fit and introduced the necessary changes for reform. Had he lived, it would have been possible that Kennedy would have reshaped America’s image which is different to how it is seen today.
References
Dallek, R. (2003). An Unfinished Life: John F. Kennedy, 1917-1963. New York: Little, Brown and Company.
Dallek, R. (2010). John F. Kennedy. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Davis, J. (1993). The Kennedys: Dynasty and Disaster. New York: SP Books.
Greenberg, B. (1964). Diffusion of News of the Kennedy Assassination. Public Opinion Quarterly, 28(2), 225-232. doi:10.1086/267239
Meagher, M., & Gragg, L. (2011). John F. Kennedy: A Biography. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO.
Sabato, L. (2013). The Kennedy Half-Century: The Presidency, Assassination, and Lasting Legacy of John F. Kennedy. New York: Bloomsbury.
Sachs, J. (2013). To Move The World: JFK's Quest for Peace. New York: Random House.
Sorensen, T. (2010). Kennedy. New York: HarperCollins.
Wilkes, D. (2012). Intriguing Mystery - The Secret Service and the JFK Assassination. Popular Media(150), 1-10.
Wills, C. (2009). Jack Kennedy: The Illustrated Life of a President. San Francisco: Chronicle Books.
