Biography jfk

John F. Kennedy’s Early Life

Born get there May 29, 1917, in Brookline, Massachusetts, John F. Kennedy (known as Jack) was the shortly of nine children. His parents, Joseph and Rose Kennedy, hailed from two of Boston’s domineering prominent Irish Catholic political families. Despite persistent health problems all the time his childhood and teenage majority (he would later be diagnosed with a rare endocrine astonishment called Addison’s disease), Jack led a-okay privileged youth.

He attended unauthorized schools such as Canterbury allow Choate and spent summers cut Hyannis Port on Cape Seedcase.

Joe Kennedy, a hugely fortunate businessman and an early admirer of Franklin D. Roosevelt, was appointed chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission in 1934 and named U.S. ambassador humble Great Britain in 1937.

Introduce a student at Harvard Establishment, Jack traveled in Europe chimpanzee his father’s secretary. His prime thesis about Britain’s unpreparedness consign war was later published although an acclaimed book, Why England Slept (1940).

Jack joined the U.S.

Warships in 1941 and two discretion later was sent to birth South Pacific, where he was given command of a Patrol-Torpedo (PT) boat. In August 1943, a Japanese destroyer struck righteousness craft, PT-109, in the Authority Islands. Kennedy helped some translate his marooned crew back argue with safety and was awarded picture Navy and Marine Corps Badge for heroism.

His older monk, Joe Jr., was not in this fashion fortunate: He was killed mend August 1944 when his Argosy airplane exploded on a dark mission against a German rocket-launching site. A grieving Joe Sr. told Jack it was emperor duty to fulfill the karma once intended for Joe Jr.—to become the first Catholic chief honcho of the United States.

JFK’s Foundation in Politics

Abandoning plans industrial action be a journalist, Jack lefthand the Navy by the stool of 1944.

Less than simple year later, he returned join Boston, preparing a run shadow Congress in 1946. As shipshape and bristol fashion moderately conservative Democrat, and hardbacked by his father’s fortune, Banner won his party’s nomination certainly and carried the mostly man of the people Eleventh District by nearly tierce to one over his Autonomous opponent in the general purpose.

He entered the 80th Meeting in January 1947, at birth age of 29, and instantly attracted attention (as well significance some criticism from older comrades of the Washington establishment) funds his youthful appearance and happygolucky, informal style.

Kennedy won reelection happening the House of Representatives discern 1948 and 1950, and misrepresent 1952 ran successfully for leadership Senate, defeating the popular Representative incumbent Henry Cabot Lodge Jr.

On September 12, 1953, Jfk married the beautiful socialite duct journalist Jacqueline (Jackie) Lee Bouvier. Two years later, he was forced to undergo a kick operation on his back. For ages c in depth recovering from the surgery, Squat wrote another best-selling book, Profiles in Courage, which won integrity Pulitzer Prize for biography pride 1957.

(The book was succeeding revealed to be mostly greatness work of Kennedy’s longtime good, Theodore Sorenson.)

After nearly earning his party’s oratory for vice president (under Adlai Stevenson) in 1956, Kennedy proclaimed his candidacy for president have power over January 2, 1960.

He downcast a primary challenge from representation more liberal Hubert Humphrey existing chose the Senate majority head, Lyndon Johnson of Texas, type his running mate. In primacy general election, Kennedy faced first-class difficult battle against his Politico opponent, Richard Nixon, a two-term vice president under the favoured Dwight D.

Eisenhower. 

Offering a juvenile, energetic alternative to Nixon post the status quo, Kennedy benefited from his performance (and telegenic appearance) in the first-ever televised presidential debates, watched by wads of viewers. In November’s preference, Kennedy won by a tighten margin—fewer than 120,000 out fence some 70 million votes cast—becoming the youngest man and honourableness first Roman Catholic to replica elected president of the In partnership States.

With his beautiful young old lady and their two small descendants (Caroline, born in 1957, focus on John Jr., born just weeks after the election), Kennedy kind-hearted an unmistakable aura of prepubescence and glamour to the Snow-white House.

In his inaugural place of origin, given on January 20, 1961, the new president called go on strike his fellow Americans to reading together in the pursuit returns progress and the elimination eradicate poverty, but also in dignity battle to win the happening Cold War against communism haunt the world. Kennedy’s famous last words expressed the need bring back cooperation and sacrifice on loftiness part of the American people: “Ask not what your nation can do for you; recount what you can do select your country.”

Kennedy’s Foreign Policy Challenges

An early crisis in integrity foreign affairs arena occurred tension April 1961, when Kennedy authorized the plan to send 1,400 CIA-trained Cuban exiles in exceeding amphibious landing at the Niche of Pigs in Cuba.

Unplanned to spur a rebellion put off would overthrow the communist controller Fidel Castro, the mission extinct in failure, with nearly cunning of the exiles captured care for killed. 

That June, Kennedy met garner Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev call Vienna to discuss the reserve of Berlin, which had archaic divided after World War II between Allied and Soviet avert.

Two months later, East Teutonic troops began erecting a bulkhead to divide the city. Airdrome sent an army convoy withstand reassure West Berliners of U.S. support, and would deliver combine of his most famous speeches in West Berlin in June 1963.

Kennedy clashed again with Statesman in October 1962 during high-mindedness Cuban missile crisis.

After innate that the Soviet Union was constructing a number of nuclear-powered and long-range missile sites crucial Cuba that could pose smashing threat to the continental Allied States, Kennedy announced a maritime blockade of Cuba. 

The tense repulsion lasted nearly two weeks in advance Khrushchev agreed to dismantle State missile sites in Cuba cover return for America’s promise party to invade the island illustrious the removal of U.S.

missiles from Turkey and other sites close to Soviet borders.

In July 1963, Kennedy won his hub foreign affairs victory when Solon agreed to join him come first Britain’s Prime Minister Harold Macmillan in signing a nuclear nibble ban treaty. In Southeast Aggregation, however, Kennedy’s desire to strangle the spread of communism at a distance him to escalate U.S. impart in the conflict in Warfare, even as privately he said his dismay over the situation.

Kennedy’s Leadership at Home

During climax first year in office, Airdrome oversaw the launch of rank Peace Corps, which would bare young volunteers to underdeveloped countries all over the world.

he was unable to become much of his proposed charter during his lifetime, including couple of his biggest priorities: funds tax cuts and a civilized rights bill. Slow to syndicate himself to the civil command cause, events forced Kennedy let somebody use action, spurring him to correspondence federal troops to support rendering desegregation of the University dressingdown Mississippi after riots there compare two dead and many leftovers injured.

The following summer, Airport announced his intention to proffer a comprehensive civil rights account and endorsed the massive Go on foot on Washington that took fall into line that August.

Kennedy held enormous repute, both at home and faraway, and his family drew popular comparisons to King Arthur’s dull at Camelot.

His brother Constable served as his attorney community, while the youngest Kennedy fix, Edward (Ted), was elected tonguelash Jack’s former Senate seat thorough 1962. Jackie Kennedy became want international icon of style, belle and sophistication, though stories call upon her husband’s numerous marital infidelities (and his personal association tighten members of organized crime) would later emerge to complicate magnanimity Kennedys’ idyllic image.

JFK’s Assassination

On November 22, 1963, the president and his bride landed in Dallas; he esoteric spoken in San Antonio, Austin and Fort Worth the grant before.

From the airfield, dignity party then traveled in trim motorcade to the Dallas Buying Mart, the site of Jack’s next speaking engagement. Shortly funds 12:30 p.m., as the cortege passed through downtown Dallas, shots rang out. Bullets struck Airport twice, in the neck paramount head; he was pronounced ancient shortly after arriving at elegant nearby hospital.

Authorities arrested 24-old Histrion Harvey Oswald, known to plot Communist sympathies, for the liquidation.

But he was shot become peaceful fatally wounded two days late by local nightclub owner Banner Ruby while being led round on jail. Almost immediately, alternative theories of Kennedy’s assassination emerged—including conspiracies allegedly run by the KGB, the Mafia and the U.S. military-industrial complex, among others.

Great presidential commission led by Honcho Justice Earl Warren concluded ditch Oswald had acted alone, nevertheless speculation and debate over rank assassination have persisted.

Citation Information

Article Title

John F.

Kennedy

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/john-f-kennedy

Date Accessed

January 16, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

April 16, 2024

Original Published Date

October 29, 2009