Ch+31+John+F.+Kennedy


 * John F. Kennedy** was the 35th President of the United States of America. He served from his election in 1960 until his[[image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/10/John_F._Kennedy.jpg width="179" height="241" align="right"]] assassination on November 22, 1963. Although his time in office was cut short, during his term he became the face of the country and a beloved leader.

Background John Fitzgerald Kennedy was born on May 29, 1917 to Joseph and Rose Kennedy. Joseph made a fortune as a successful businessman. John served as a sailor on a PT Boat during World War Two. He was once rewarded with medals for escaping with his crew to safety after his boat was rammed by a Japanese destroyer. After the war, Kennedy became a representative and senator for Massachusetts. He was then nominated to be the democratic candidate for the 1960 presidential race. He would run against the Republican candidate, [|Richard Nixon]. One of Kennedy’s main advantages during this election was his youthful, energetic demeanor when he faced Nixon in the first ever televised presidential debates. Kennedy would win the election.

Presidency The majority of Kennedy’s attention was focused on Cold War issues during his presidency. He elevated America’s level of aggression towards the Soviets. His policy for combating the communists was dealt a serious blow in 1961 when he supported a coup to overthrow Fidel Castro Cuba’s dictator. It was embarrassing for the country when the plot was foiled. In 1962, the CIA uncovered that the Soviets were shipping missile supplies to Cuba. This revelation sparked the [|Cuban Missile Crisis] and plunged the nation into a frenzy. Kennedy demanded that the Soviets back down; they eventually conceded. Kennedy made another bold promise: To safely put an American on the moon and return him safely. This goal was a result of the technological rivalry between the USSR and USA and reflected Cold War tensions. Apart from the Cold War, Kennedy was an advocate of civil rights. On November 22, 1963, Kennedy was slain by a sniper bullet while riding next to his wife, Jacqueline, in a motorcade in Dallas, Texas. Despite a plethora of conspiracy theories, Lee Harvey Oswald was believed to be the killer.

Legacy Following his death, Kennedy was seen as a martyr for the American people. Even today, many people say that they remember where they were and what they were doing when they heard that their president had been shot. Unconsolable crowds lined the streets to pay their last respects during his funeral procession in Washington; America mourned. Despite this ubiquitous sorrow, Kennedy’s death served to inspire his nation. His enthusiasm would invigorate the country and encourage progress later in the 1960s. One example is the passage of progressive motions, such as the Voting Rights Act. Another is [|NASA]’s dedication to Kennedy’s goal of landing a man on the moon by the end of the decade. His promise was in the hearts of many Americans as they sat, transfixed before their television sets, gawking at Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin as they frolicked along the lunar surface. These developments show the influence that John F. Kennedy had on the nation during the turbulent 1960s.

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" Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country." //  - John F. Kennedy

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