Can John F Kennedy be classified as one of the great US Presidents?
Can John F Kennedy be classified as one of the great US Presidents?
John F. Kennedy was the president of the United States. He was also the
youngest president and the first Roman Catholic. Although he was only in
power for 2 years and 10 months his legacy still lives on today, through books,
images, buildings and numerous conspiracy theories. American society over
the years has portrayed him as an American Hero fighting for peace and
justice. The media have cultivating this image of, "The Camelot legend." After
his assassination on 22nd November 1963 the myth of Kennedy was formed.
The legend developed as a means to elevate alleviate peoples suffering and shock,
Kennedy went down in history as one of the most important presidents. He
was seen as the mirror of American Culture, the all- American man and with
his death, some say his career took off. Polls after his death saw Kennedy as
being the most popular president, beating the likes of George Washington or
Abraham Lincoln. Undeniably Kennedy was a great leader, with an appealing
personality but his achievements during his presidency have become matters
of much debate. He did do great work to force soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev
to back down in the Cuban Missile Crisis and also is famous for initiating the
space programme. This aside, "Even a well informed person in the street
would have difficulties in naming a single historical event or achievement
which can be credited to JFK."1
It is Kennedy's character and private life that
captured the public's imagination not his political career as such. The Myth
which has developed around Kennedy has left historians, 40 years after his
assassination still arguing whether or not he was one of the great US
presidents.
When Kennedy became president in 1961 he was faced with a difficult task.
The country was in the midst of the fourth recession, which was putting a
huge strain on the economy and mass unemployment. He was in the midst of
the Cold war between communism and democracy. Americans were
beginning to lose their faith in the presidency [KY1]and needed someone like
Kennedy, a fresh, young face to promise hope for the future. A promise for the
future is what Kennedy did. In his inaugural speech he asked the nation to
come together to fight, "The the "common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty,
disease, and war itself."2 Kennedy's main enemy was communism which
became a constant throughout his presidency. He came to power with the
great promise of "A New Frontier" and a better future for Americans.
John F Kennedy's first year in office brought much success as he was able to
pass important acts through Congress. He increased the minimum wage,
passed a housing bill and granted government aid to areas of the country
more economically depressed. These acts helped build on his popularity as
people saw him as a caring president who was carrying out his promise of "a
New Frontier." Kennedy's first major accomplishment as president was
bringing in the Peace Corps, a charity organisation which he campaigned for
during his pre election period. The Peace Corps was the idea of sending
young Americans to volunteer abroad to work in poorer countries. This
appealed to the younger idealists by trying to encourage America to take an
active role in poverty and to increase Americas influence in the Third World.
Also the aim of the Peace Corps was to, "Educate "educate America about the world
and the world about America."3 This idea was supported by the nation on a
whole and also the media. However, Richard Nixon stated that the Peace
Corps is, "a program which looks good on the surface but which is inherently
dangerous."4 This aside the Peace Corps was created and is still flourishing
today. It is seen as one of Kennedy's great successes as it has aided many
countries suffering poverty and providing valuable educational lessons for
Americans. Kennedy was able in his first year to set ...
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and the world about America."3 This idea was supported by the nation on a
whole and also the media. However, Richard Nixon stated that the Peace
Corps is, "a program which looks good on the surface but which is inherently
dangerous."4 This aside the Peace Corps was created and is still flourishing
today. It is seen as one of Kennedy's great successes as it has aided many
countries suffering poverty and providing valuable educational lessons for
Americans. Kennedy was able in his first year to set up an organisation that
has become world famous and improved the profile of America.
Throughout Kennedy's short term within office his main accomplishment has
been recognised as his handling of the Cuban Missile Crisis. During this
period he was praised for avoiding war with the Soviet Union. He affectively effectively
elevated the situation, making him remember as one of the great US
presidents. The Crisis crisis arose on the 22nd October 1962 when an American spy
plane reported seeing Soviets building nuclear missiles in Cuba. This was an
immediate threat to the US because Cuba lies just 90 miles from the coast of
Florida. Although this was clearly a direct threat to America, Kennedy had a
difficult discussion to make;, should he ignore the missiles even though they
were so close to Florida or should he use force to remove them at the cost of
risking a nuclear war? Kennedy's was cautious and after a few days of biding
his time he eventually sent US navy troops to surround Cuba and form a
blockage blockade to stop any Soviet ships from bringing military supplies into Cuba.
Premier Khrushchev, head of the Soviet Union ordered that if any US Marines
attacked Cuba then he would use Nuclear Weapons on America. The Country
for thirteen days was at a standstill, with many Americans believing a nuclear
war was imminent.
After the tense period Kennedy was able to make an agreement with
Khrushchev for the removal of missiles from Cuba in exchange for the
guarantee that America would never invade Cuba. This was seen as a great
victory for Kennedy; however, some would argue that this was the result of
Khrushchev's action, not Kennedy's. Khrushchev did make the first move in
diffusing the situation by sending Kennedy a lengthy and emotional letter
which, "he suggested that the missiles in Cuba could be withdrawn if the
president promised not to invade the island."5 Therefore, Kennedy can not be
credited for starting the chain of meaningful negotiations during the Crisis.
This aside, Kennedy's highlight as President is the Cuban Missile crisis. As
well as being praised for his courage in standing up against the pressures
from his generals to attack Cuba, . Also he is commended for his great skills in
Crisis crisis management., However, Kennedy has also been criticised for his handling of the
Cuban Missile Crisis. Historians more recently have acknowledge that
Kennedy in fact brought about the crisis as a result of his ill- fated attempts to
overthrow Castro in the Bay of Pigs incident. Kennedy also openly publicised
that Americans nuclear weapon development was larger than the Soviet
Union. These claims lead Khrushchev to deploy nuclear weapons in Cuba.6 It
is also believed that Kennedy over dramatised the situation for political gain.
There was an election coming up in the November and Kennedy made the
public aware of the situation and almost brought the country to the brink of a
nuclear war so he could come out as the hero.7 Although these criticisms are
valid, Kennedy certainly did make courageous decisions during this difficult
period considering his lack of experience. President Kennedy actually
regarded the avoidance of conflict over the missiles as his finest achievement.
He was praised for his cool efficiency in averting a nuclear disaster, in
restoring stability to the balance of power, and for making Soviet Premier
Khrushchev blink.8 John F. Kennedy's handling of the crisis and the caution
he deployed in order to avert war lead to the growth in his popularity and his
grand appraisal.
Kennedy had come to the White House with great hope and ambition. During
his time campaigning he had modelled himself on his hero, Franklin Delano
Roosevelt. He admired Roosevelt for his New Deal years and also his ability
to "get things done."9 Kennedy tried to repeat Roosevelt success by promising
"A New Frontier" and "to get America moving again.," he He even adopted some
of Roosevelt's mannerisms. Under the public spotlight Kennedy exuded
confidence but within the White House there was evidence to show he found
the job difficult. He realized campaigning for change was one thing but getting
things done was quite different with all the complexities. "He soon found that it
was tough enough just to keep the old problems from getting out of hand."10
Perhaps then Kennedy's legendary image is undeserved because he certainly
was not on the same level as some great presidents of the past such as
Roosevelt. His popularity was perhaps due to the fact he promised great
things. He had the ability of captivated the nation but under further
examination it is becoming more clear that Kennedy failed to deliver many of
the promises which he made. Kennedy certainly was naïve when he came to
power but this can be attributed to his age and inexperience. He was learning
and tried not to be too dismayed about his previous failings.
After his first year in power John F Kennedy appeared to move away from
more domestic policies and was interested in technological advancements for
America. Kennedy seemed to crave power and had a need to outperform the
communists. After the Soviet Union had launched the first satellite, Sputnik in
957 and then put the first man into space on April 12th 1961, Kennedy's main
goal was the space race. American was falling behind in the race and in 1961
he made a speech in Rice University stressing the importance of space
exploration. 'No nation which expects to be the leader of other nations can
expect to stay behind in this race for space'.11 He was dedicated to putting the
first man on the moon at any cost in the next decade. Kennedy's passion and
commitment for the space programme was rewarded when in 1969 when the
first man did walk on the moon and he was an American.12 Kennedy's has
been praised and made legendary for his achievements within the space
programme. Some argued that without him the first man on the moon would
not have been an American. Grand images like Space exploration is more
memorable then foreign policy and therefore Kennedy's space achievements
will be remember more and seen by the nation as being important.
Other historians such as John Logsdon claim that there is evidence such as
the White House tapes which show that Kennedy had no interest in space
exploration but his main interest was beating the Soviets. Logsdon said, "I
don't think Kennedy, at the time he chose to do Apollo... or any other time,
had any strong views on the long-term importance of space exploration."13
Regardless of Kennedy's ulterior motives behind his enthusiasm for space
race, his dedication has made him a legend with the Space Centre being
named after him. The magnificent achievements in space and technological
achievements in American are seen as being possible only through
Kennedy's contributions which he made during his short time in office. In
terms of technological advancements for America Kennedy deserves his title
of one of the great US president because he started the wave of technical
advancements. He made the government aware of the importance the space
programme has on keeping America on the superpower level.
During his later period as president Kennedy was committed to equal rights
for Black Americans and launched a campaign for civil rights in 1963.
President Kennedy was very popular to African -Americans with almost 70
per cent of the votes when he was elected coming from them. Kennedy was
committed to the integration of blacks in American society and was pushing
for the Civil Rights Act which was later passed after his death in 1964. The act
once passed made racial discrimination illegal, it made employers provide
equal opportunities and also attempted to deal with the issue of African
Americans being denied the vote in Southern States.
Kennedy was clearly a passionate leader who did genuinely care about the
American people. He strived to make domestic changes like Roosevelt did
with the New Deal. His passion was shown with his dedication to civil rights.
Martin Luther King Jr. commended Kennedy for his presidency in the Article
titled John F. Kennedy in 1964. He honoured him for his ability to realise that
they were living in a changing world with a diverse culture. Kennedy believed
that different cultures, races and religions could work in harmony. In the article
it states, "No other American President had written with such passion and
resolution to make clear that our nation's destiny was unfulfilled so long as the
scar of racial prejudice disfigured it."14 Perhaps not enough was done at the
time to remove racisms but as Martin Luther said what made Kennedy a great
leader was that no other president had done more previously to help. Once
the act was passed in 1964, like the Space Centre and the Peace Corps it
was an example of the legacy which Kennedy has left and it is a lasting
monument to his popularity.15
John F Kennedy being classified as a great leader is not just the result of his
handling of a crisis, his commitment to space exploration or even his
dedication to changing American civil rights. Perhaps the main reason why he
was so popular and is remembered as a great president is his lifestyle and
image. Kennedy was the youngest president and brought a fresh spirit to
politics. His marriage to Jackie brought glamour to the Whitehouse that no
other president matched. Photographs were published showing images of his
children playing in the oval office and a tree house in the front garden. There
was a youthful image to the presidency which was never seen before.
The Kennedy image enthralled the nation. No other president was more
publicised then Kennedy, "For a while, the problems of the world seemed less
important than the parties the Kennedy's went to, what hairdo Jackie wore."16
Together Jackie and John F Kennedy were a powerful couple who for the
short period brought a new spirit to politics. John F Kennedy's assassination
on November 22nd 1963 is seen as the most shocking and emotional time in
American History, the country was in morning. His premature death has
undoubtedly increased his popularity and blurred the truth about his real
achievements in office. Evidence in more recent years has been produced
demonstrating his shortcomings as a president on foreign policy, his failings
with Fidel Castro and Berlin, the Cold War. Even his seemingly perfect
marriage to Jackie has been tarnished with evidence of adultery and his
obsession with women. This aside Kennedy will always be remembered as a
great President whose life was cut short. Kennedy was young and only just
learning when he was assassinationassassinated. He had great political style and this has
lead many to suggest that if had survived he would have been able to achieve
much more. Kennedy's honour of being classified as a great US president is
justified by the successes which he did achieve, he brought about the Civil
Rights Act in 1964, the Peace Corps, initiated the space programme, and his
infamous success of the Cuban Missile Crisis. What Kennedy is most famous
for though is the hope he gave to Americas, he made people have faith in the
government again and that is perhaps the reason why Kennedy is know as
one of the great US Presidents.
Bibliography follows
Bibliography
* Brogan. H, Kennedy, (Longman Press, 1996)
* Hellman. J, The Kennedy Obsession, The American Myth of JFK. (Columbia Univeristy Press 1997)
* White. M.J, Kennedy, The New Frontier Revisited, (Macmillan Press Ltd 1998)
Journals and Articles
* Dooley B, John F Kennedy, (Times Archive, vol. 42. issue11 Jan 1992)
* Dooley. B, The Cuban Missile Crisis - 30 years on, ( History Today, vol.42 issue 11. Oct 1996)
* Rubinstein. W.D, John F Kennedy: An Unfinished Life, (History Today vol. 54 issue.5, May 2004)
* Luther King. M, John F. Kennedy (Transititon, no. 15, 1964.)
Videos
* Obenhause. M (Director) Secret Lives, JFK, Channel 4 Production, 1997
* Walden on Heroes, John F Kennedy BB2 Production, 1998
Websites
* http://www.jfklibrary.org/lesson_space_race.html
* http://www.space.com/news/kennedy_tapes_010822.html
http://www.learningcurve.gov.uk/heroesvillains/jfk/default.htm
W. D Rubinstein, John F Kennedy: An Unfinished Life, (History Today vol. 54 issue.5, May 2004)
2 http://www.jfklibrary.org/jfk_biography.html, accessed 06/04/2005
3 H. Brogan, Kennedy, (Longman Press, 1996) p112
4Ibid, p.45
5 M. J White, Kennedy, The New Frontier Revisited, (Macmillan Press Ltd 1998) p.80
6 Ibid p85
7 http://www.learningcurve.gov.uk/heroesvillains/jfk/default.htm, accessed 06/10/2005
8 B. Dooley, The Cuban Missile Crisis - 30 years on, ( History Today, vol.42 issue 11. Oct 1996)
9B Dooley, John F Kennedy, (Times Archive, vol. 42. issue11 Jan 1992)
0 Ibid
1 http://www.jfklibrary.org/lesson_space_race.html
2H. Brogan, Kennedy, (Longman Press, 1996), p.116
3 http://www.space.com/news/kennedy_tapes_010822.html
4 M Luther King, John F. Kennedy (Transition, no. 15, 1964.) 27-28
5 Ibid
6 B Dooley, John F Kennedy, (Times Archive, vol. 42. issue11 Jan 1992)
[KY1] /This didn't happen until well after Johnson. Faith in the presidency and almost all other institutions was at an all-time high when K took office.