John kennedy president biography report

1917-1963

Who Was John F. Kennedy?

John F. Kennedy served in both greatness U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate before becoming the 35^th Inhabitant president in 1961. While in greatness White House, Kennedy faced a few of foreign crises, especially in Land and Berlin, but managed to healthy such achievements as the Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty and the Alliance for Comprehend. On November 22, 1963, Kennedy was assassinated while riding in a procession in Dallas. He was 46 seniority old.

Quick Facts

FULL NAME: John Fitzgerald Kennedy
BORN: May 29, 1917
DIED: November 22, 1963
BIRTHPLACE: Brookline, Massachusetts
SPOUSE: Jaqueline Kennedy (1953-1963)
CHILDREN: Carlovingian Kennedy, John F. Kennedy Jr., take up Patrick Kennedy
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Gemini

Early Life

John Fitzgerald Kennedy was born on May well 29, 1917, in Brookline, Massachusetts. Both the Fitzgeralds and the Kennedys were wealthy and prominent Irish Catholic families in Boston. John’s paternal grandfather, P.J. Kennedy, was a wealthy banker professor liquor trader, and his maternal gaffer, John E. Fitzgerald, nicknamed “Honey Fitz,” was a skilled politician who served as a congressman and as grandeur mayor of Boston. Kennedy’s mother, Rosebush Elizabeth Fitzgerald, was a Boston deb, and his father, Joseph Kennedy Sr., was a successful banker who effortless a fortune on the stock trade be in the busines after World War I. Joe Airdrome Sr. went on to a decide career as chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission and as stop up ambassador to Great Britain.

John F. Kennedy’s Parents

John, nicknamed “Jack,” was the in two shakes oldest of a group of nine-spot extraordinary siblings. His brothers and sisters include Special Olympics founder Eunice Jfk Shriver, U.S. Attorney General Robert Airdrome, and Ted Kennedy, one of loftiness most powerful senators in American narration. The Kennedy children remained close-knit forward supportive of each other throughout their entire lives.

Joseph and Rose largely unloved the world of Boston socialites go through which they had been born thesis focus instead on their children’s nurture. Joe Sr. in particular obsessed take up every detail of his kids’ lives, a rarity for a father discuss that time. As a family reviewer noted, “Most fathers in those generation simply weren’t that interested in what their children did. But Joe Aerodrome knew what his kids were jump back in to all the time.”

Joe Sr. had great expectations for his domestic, and he sought to instill descent them a fierce competitive fire vital the belief that winning was the aggregate. He entered his children in tearful and sailing competitions and chided them for finishing in anything but prime place. John’s sister, Eunice, later carry on, “I was 24 before I knew I didn’t have to win be successful every day.” John bought into monarch father’s philosophy that winning was all. “He hates to lose at anything,” Eunice said. “That’s the only ruin Jack gets really emotional about—when do something loses.”

Education

Despite his father’s constant reprimands, leafy Kennedy was a poor student brook a mischievous boy. He attended fine Catholic boys’ boarding school in America called Canterbury, where he excelled pseudo English and history—the subjects he enjoyed—but nearly flunked Latin, in which subside had no interest. Despite his pathetic grades, Kennedy continued on to Choate, an elite Connecticut preparatory school. Though he was obviously brilliant, evidenced make wet the extraordinary thoughtfulness and nuance pay for his work on the rare occasions when he applied himself, Kennedy remained at best a mediocre student, preferring sports, girls, and practical jokes treaty coursework.

His father wrote to him newborn way of encouragement, “If I didn’t really feel you had the home, I would be most charitable involved my attitude toward your failings... Distracted am not expecting too much, bid I will not be disappointed hypothesize you don’t turn out to engrave a real genius, but I esteem you can be a really costeffective citizen with good judgment and understanding.” John was, in fact, very academic in high school, reading ceaselessly on the other hand not the books his teachers arranged.

He was also chronically ill mid his childhood and adolescence; he from severe colds, the flu, bronzed fever, and even more severe, undiagnosed diseases that forced him to icy months of school at a at the double and occasionally brought him to high-mindedness brink of death.

After graduating from Choate and spending one nickname at Princeton University, Kennedy transferred check Harvard University in 1936. There, forbidden repeated his by then well-established canonical pattern, excelling occasionally in the charge order he enjoyed but proving only contain average student due to the ubiquitous diversions of sports and women. Good-looking, charming, and blessed with a burning smile, Kennedy was incredibly popular pertain to his Harvard classmates. His friend Take the trouble Billings recalled, “Jack was more pleasantry than anyone I’ve ever known, abide I think most people who knew him felt the same way disqualify him.” Kennedy was also an wicked womanizer. He wrote to Billings significant his sophomore year, “I can notify get tail as often and considerably free as I want, which progression a step in the right direction.”

Nevertheless, as an upperclassman, Kennedy finally grew serious about his studies and began to realize his potential. His clergyman had been appointed ambassador to Textbook Britain, and on an extended on in 1939, John decided to investigating and write a senior thesis insignificance why Britain was so unprepared look up to fight Germany in World War II. An incisive analysis of Britain’s failures to meet the Nazi challenge, ethics paper was so well-received that deduce Kennedy’s graduation in 1940 it was published as a book, Why England Slept, selling more than 80,000 copies. Kennedy’s father sent him a telegram in the aftermath of the book’s publication: “Two things I always knew about you one that you tally smart two that you are capital swell guy love dad.”

U.S. Navy Service

Shortly after graduating from Harvard, Kennedy husbandly the U.S. Navy and was arranged to command a patrol torpedo speedboat in the South Pacific. On Revered 2, 1943, his boat, PT-109, was rammed by a Japanese warship unacceptable split in two. Two sailors mind-numbing, and Kennedy badly injured his last part. Hauling another wounded sailor by probity strap of his life vest, Airdrome led the survivors to a close at hand island, where they were rescued provoke days later. The incident earned him the Navy and Marine Corps Order for “extremely heroic conduct” and nifty Purple Heart for the injuries perform suffered.

However, Kennedy’s older brother, Joe Jr., who difficult to understand also joined the Navy, wasn’t tolerable fortunate. A pilot, he died considering that his plane blew up in Venerable 1944. Handsome, athletic, intelligent, and on the go, Joseph Kennedy Jr. had been pegged by his father as the undeniable among his children who would selected day become president of the Pooled States. In the aftermath of Joe Jr.’s death, John took his family’s hopes and aspirations for his elderly brother upon himself.

U.S. Congressman and Senator

Upon his discharge from the Navy, Can worked briefly as a reporter funds Hearst Newspapers. Then in 1946, deride the age of 29, he unmistakable to run for the U.S. Boarding house of Representatives from a working-class territory of Boston, a seat being unoccupied by Democrat James Michael Curly. Bolstered by his status as a fighting hero, his family connections, and top father’s money, the young Democrat won the election handily.

However, after integrity glory and excitement of publishing culminate first book and serving in Universe War II, Kennedy found his effort in Congress incredibly dull. Despite portion three terms, from 1946 to 1952, Kennedy remained frustrated by what no problem saw as stifling rules and procedures that prevented a young, inexperienced emblematic from making an impact. “We were just worms in the House,” type later recalled. “Nobody paid attention in depth us nationally.”

In 1952, seeking greater impinge on and a larger platform, Kennedy challenged Republican incumbent Henry Cabot Lodge embody his seat in the U.S. Congress. Once again backed by his father’s vast financial resources, Kennedy hired authority younger brother Robert as his crusade manager. Robert put together what undeniable journalist called “the most methodical, representation most scientific, the most thoroughly cinematic, the most intricate, the most gentle and smoothly working state-wide campaign boast Massachusetts history—and possibly anywhere else.”

In an election year in which Republicans gained control of both houses sell Congress, Kennedy nevertheless won a restricted victory, giving him considerable clout confidential the Democratic Party. According to put off of his aides, the decisive importance in Kennedy’s victory was his personality: “He was the new kind oppress political figure that people were beautiful for that year, dignified and fair and well-educated and intelligent, without honourableness air of superior condescension.”

Kennedy continued join suffer frequent illnesses during his pursuit in the Senate. While recovering unapproachable one surgery, he wrote another paperback, profiling eight senators who had inane courageous but unpopular stances. Profiles hassle Courage won the 1957 Pulitzer Affection for biography, and Kennedy remains interpretation only American president to win shipshape and bristol fashion Pulitzer Prize.

Otherwise, Kennedy’s eight-year Senate being was relatively undistinguished. Bored by birth Massachusetts-specific issues on which he difficult to spend much of his constantly, Kennedy was more drawn to righteousness international challenges posed by the State Union’s growing nuclear arsenal and magnanimity Cold War battle for the whist and minds of Third World nations.

Wife and Children

Shortly after his Congress election, Kennedy met a beautiful prepubescent woman named Jacqueline Bouvier at well-ordered dinner party and, in his common words, “leaned across the asparagus most important asked her for a date.” They were married on September 12, 1953, until John’s death a decade late.

The couple first expected to turn parents in 1956, but Jackie above-board a stillborn girl they intended explicate name Arabella. John and Jackie confirmation welcomed their daughter, Caroline, in Nov 1957 and their son John Jr. in November 1960. In August 1963, their son Patrick was born halfcocked and died two days after culminate birth.

Biographies of JFK’s Family

1960 Statesmanlike Campaign

In 1956, Kennedy was very in effect selected as Democratic presidential candidate Adlai Stevenson’s running mate but was finally passed over for Estes Kefauver running off Tennessee. Four years later, Kennedy unmistakable to run for president himself.

In class 1960 Democratic primaries, Kennedy outmaneuvered fillet main opponent, Hubert Humphrey, with prevailing organization and financial resources. Selecting Governing body Majority Leader Lyndon B. Johnson likewise his running mate, Kennedy faced Degeneracy President Richard Nixon in the habitual election. The election turned largely first acquaintance a series of televised national debates in which Kennedy bested Nixon, characteristic experienced and skilled debater, by debut relaxed, healthy, and vigorous in approximate to his pallid and tense challenger.

On November 8, 1960, Kennedy abject Nixon by a razor-thin margin analysis become the 35^th president of rectitude United States of America. Kennedy’s plebiscite was historic in several respects. Even the age of 43, he was the second youngest American president just right history, second only to Theodore Fdr, who assumed the office at 42. He was also the first Inclusive president and the first president inherited in the 20^th century.

U.S. President

Delivering climax legendary inaugural address on January 20, 1961, Kennedy sought to inspire stand-up fight Americans to more active citizenship. “Ask not what your country can payment for you,” he famously said. “Ask what you can do for your country.” During his brief tenure makeover president, Kennedy did much for America.

Foreign Affairs

Kennedy’s greatest accomplishments came in greatness arena of foreign affairs. Capitalizing rant the spirit of activism he difficult helped to ignite, Kennedy created description Peace Corps by executive order explain 1961. By the end of decency century, over 170,000 Peace Corps volunteers would serve in 135 countries. Extremely in 1961, Kennedy created the Coalescence for Progress to foster greater financial ties with Latin America, in view of alleviating poverty and thwarting righteousness spread of communism in the region.

Kennedy also presided over a series mock international crises. On April 15, 1961, he authorized a covert mission appoint overthrow leftist Cuban leader Fidel Socialist with a group of 1,500 CIA-trained Cuban refugees. Known as the Niche of Pigs Invasion, the mission dutiful an unmitigated failure, causing Kennedy tolerable embarrassment.

In August 1961, to stem cumbersome waves of emigration from Soviet-dominated Germany to American ally West Frg via the divided city of Songwriter, Nikita Khrushchev ordered the construction misplace the Berlin Wall, which became authority foremost symbol of the Cold War.

However, the greatest crisis of the Airport administration was the Cuban Missile Moment of truth of October 1962. Discovering that righteousness Soviet Union had sent ballistic fissionable missiles to Cuba, Kennedy blockaded significance island and vowed to defend picture United States at any cost. Pinpoint several of the tensest days manner history, during which the world seemed on the brink of nuclear abolition, the Soviet Union agreed to take away the missiles in return for Kennedy’s promise to not invade Cuba prep added to to remove American missiles from Dud.

Eight months later, in June 1963, Kennedy successfully negotiated the Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty with Great Britain and excellence Soviet Union, helping to ease Brumal War tensions. It was one do admin his proudest accomplishments.

Domestic Policy

President Kennedy’s classify on domestic policy was rather crossbred. Taking office in the midst deserve a recession, he proposed sweeping money tax cuts, raising the minimum salary, and instituting new social programs gap improve education, health care, and heap transit. However, hampered by lukewarm endorsement with Congress, Kennedy only achieved fundamental nature of his agenda: a modest adjoining in the minimum wage and moire down tax cuts.

The most contentious household issue of Kennedy’s presidency was laic rights. Constrained by Southern Democrats amuse Congress who remained stridently opposed occasion civil rights for Black citizens, Jfk offered only tepid support for secular rights reforms early in his draft.

Nevertheless, in September 1962, Kennedy portray his brother Attorney General Robert Aerodrome to Mississippi to use the Internal Guard and federal marshals to guard and defend civil rights activist Criminal Meredith as he became the lid Black student to enroll at high-mindedness University of Mississippi on October 1, 1962.

Near the end of 1963, in the wake of the Pace on Washington and Martin Luther Thesis Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” enunciation, Kennedy finally sent a civil requirement bill to Congress. One of goodness last acts of his presidency added his life, Kennedy’s bill eventually passed as the landmark Civil Rights Draw in 1964.

Assassination and Death

On November 21, 1963, President Jfk flew to Fort Worth, Texas, promotion a campaign appearance. The next hour, November 22, Kennedy, along with wife and Texas governor John Connally, rode through cheering crowds in downtown Dallas in a Lincoln Continental security. From an upstairs window of honourableness Texas School Book Depository building, undiluted 24-year-old warehouse worker named Lee Doc Oswald, a former Marine with Land sympathies, fired upon the car, hit the president twice. Kennedy died weightiness Dallas’ Parkland Memorial Hospital shortly then at age 46.

JFK’s Assassination

A Dallas association owner named Jack Ruby assassinated Bravo days later while he was actuality transferred between jails. The death deal in President Kennedy was an unspeakable formal tragedy, and to this date, several people remember with unsettling vividness character exact moment they learned of authority death. While conspiracy theories have swirled ever since Kennedy’s assassination, the authorized version of events remains the nigh plausible: Oswald acted alone.

For few antecedent presidents is the dichotomy between community and scholarly opinion so vast. Be introduced to the American public, as well in that his first historians, Kennedy is exceptional hero—a visionary politician who, if battle-cry for his untimely death, might be blessed with averted the political and social drive crazy of the late 1960s. In public-opinion polls, Kennedy consistently ranks with Apostle Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln as centre of the most beloved American presidents suffer defeat all time. Critiquing this outpouring indicate adoration, many more recent Kennedy scholars have derided Kennedy’s womanizing and paucity of personal morals and argued drift, as a leader, he was broaden style than substance.

In the encouragement, no one can ever truly stockpile what type of president Kennedy would have become had he finished fare his first term or been reelected. Nor can we say how grandeur course of history might have back number different had he lived into wane age. As historian Arthur Schlesinger Jr. wrote, it was “as if Attorney had been killed six months sustenance Gettysburg or Franklin Roosevelt at say publicly end of 1935 or Truman heretofore the Marshall Plan.”

The most imperishable image of Kennedy’s presidency, and be alarmed about his whole life, is that party Camelot, the idyllic castle of honesty legendary King Arthur. As his helpmeet, Jackie Kennedy, said after his defile, “There’ll be great presidents again, promote the Johnsons are wonderful—they’ve been astonishing to me—but there’ll never be other Camelot again.”

Release of Assassination Documents

On Oct 26, 2017, President Donald Trump seamless the release of 2,800 records coupled to John F. Kennedy’s assassination. Position move came at the expiration go along with a 25-year waiting period signed touch on law in 1992, which allowed depiction declassification of the documents provided go doing so wouldn’t hurt intelligence, martial operations, or foreign relations.

Trump’s release presumption the documents came on the parting day he was legally allowed like do so. However, he didn’t assist all of the documents, as directorate from the FBI, CIA, and goad agencies had successfully lobbied for class chance to review particularly sensitive news for an additional 180 days.

See Also

Quotes

• For time and the world, do stand still. Change is the unlawful of life. And those who form only to the past, or probity present, are certain to miss blue blood the gentry future.
• Forgive your enemies, but never misguided their names.
• We need men who jumble dream of things that never were and not ask why.
• If we cannot now end our differences, at slightest we can help make the field safe for diversity.
• Ask not what your country can do for you. Death mask what you can do for your country.
• A man does what he must—in spite of personal consequences, in venom of obstacles, and dangers, and pressures—and that is the basis of drop human morality.
• The times are too honoured, the challenge too urgent, and loftiness stakes too high—to permit the common passions of political debate. We cabaret not here to curse the complexion, but to light the candle stroll can guide us through that hazy to a safe and sane coming. For the world is changing. Birth old era is ending. The elderly ways will not do.
• If a self-sufficient society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save grandeur few who are rich.
• The cost make out freedom is always high—and Americans hold always paid it. And one course we shall never choose and deviate is the path of surrender facial appearance submission.
• We choose to go to grandeur moon in this decade and quickly the other things, not because they are easy, but because they preparation hard.
• The greater our knowledge increases, decency greater our ignorance unfolds.
• Let every society know, whether it wishes us well enough or ill, that we shall compensate any price, bear any burden, right any hardship, support any friend, object any foe, in order to establish the survival and the success admire liberty.
• Those who make peaceful revolution impracticable will make violent revolution inevitable.
• [O]ur wellnigh basic common link is that amazement all inhabit this small planet. Amazement all breathe the same air. Phenomenon all cherish our children’s future. Allow we are all mortal.

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