‘For extremely heroic conduct as Commanding Officer of Motor Torpedo Boat 109 following the collision and sinking of that vessel in the Pacific War Theater on August 1–2, 1943. Unmindful of personal danger, Lieutenant (then Lieutenant, Junior Grade) Kennedy unhesitatingly braved the difficulties and hazards of darkness to direct rescue operations, swimming many hours to secure aid and food after he had succeeded in getting his crew ashore. His outstanding courage, endurance and leadership contributed to the saving of several lives and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.’
Kennedy suffered a bad back injury and in December 1943, and was sent back to the United States. When he recovered he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant and became a PT instructor in Florida.
Early Political Life
After the Second World War, Kennedy had wanted to become a journalist before deciding to run for a political office. Before the war, he had never considered about being a politician, because his father had wanted his older brother to become a politician. But Joseph (older brother) was killed during the Second World War. When in 1946 U.S. Representative James Michael Curley vacated his seat in the Democratic district to become mayor of Boston, Kennedy took over and won against his Republican opponent by a large margin. Soon he married Jacqueline Lee Bouvier in September 12, 1953.
Presidential Election
On January 2, 1960, Kennedy declared his intent to run for president. On Tuesday, November 8, Kennedy defeated Nixon in one of the closest presidential elections of the twentieth century. In January 20, 1961, John Fitzgerald Kennedy (Democrat) takes the oath of office and becomes the 35th President of the United States of America.
The New Frontier
The term New Frontier was used by John F. Kennedy in his acceptance speech in the 1960 United States presidential election.
‘We stand at the edge of a New Frontier—the frontier of unfulfilled hopes and dreams, a frontier of unknown opportunities and beliefs in peril. Beyond that frontier are uncharted areas of science and space, unsolved problems of peace and war, unconquered problems of ignorance and prejudice, unanswered questions of poverty and surplus.’
John F. Kennedy’s New Frontier program was intended to boost the economy, provide international aid, provide for national defense, and to boost the space program.
Economic spending on space technology
He cut down income taxes so that people could spend more money and stimulate the economy.
Expansion
He made 900 million available to help create new jobs, he also reduced poverty, he made more money available to help the elderly and unemployed and increased minimum wage from $1 to $1.25.
Civil Rights
When racial equality gained more support in 1962 to 1963, Kennedy reacted by speaking out for the Black Americans and tried to introduce civil rights legislation, but many White Congressmen were against Kennedy’s proposal.
He accomplished two major things which affects worldwide. The first of these was the Peace Corps. The Peace Corps sent teachers to poorer nations to help increase education levels and boost their economies. The second was the Alliance for Progress, which provided aid in health and education in Latin America.
The Bay of Pigs Invasion was an unsuccessful attempt by United States-backed Cuban exiles to overthrow the government of the Cuban dictator Fidel Castro.
The Republicans in Congress opposed him, also the Southerners that were in his party. Older white politicians also were against him because of his appointments of young and Black advisers, a lot of people disliked his spending plans on education and the elderly.
