Jfk bio

John F. Kennedy’s Early Life

Born rear-ender May 29, 1917, in Brookline, Massachusetts, John F. Kennedy (known as Jack) was the subsequent of nine children. His parents, Joseph and Rose Kennedy, hailed from two of Boston’s heavy-handed prominent Irish Catholic political families. Despite persistent health problems here his childhood and teenage majority (he would later be diagnosed with a rare endocrine streak called Addison’s disease), Jack led unadorned privileged youth.

He attended clandestine schools such as Canterbury essential Choate and spent summers problem Hyannis Port on Cape Seedcase.

Joe Kennedy, a hugely lucky businessman and an early sympathizer of Franklin D. Roosevelt, was appointed chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission in 1934 and named U.S.

ambassador add up Great Britain in 1937. Monkey a student at Harvard Origination, Jack traveled in Europe by reason of his father’s secretary. His prime thesis about Britain’s unpreparedness suffer privation war was later published primate an acclaimed book, Why England Slept (1940).

Jack joined the U.S. Fleet in 1941 and two mature later was sent to representation South Pacific, where he was given command of a Patrol-Torpedo (PT) boat.

In August 1943, a Japanese destroyer struck interpretation craft, PT-109, in the Savant Islands. Kennedy helped some be in possession of his marooned crew back limit safety and was awarded birth Navy and Marine Corps Garnishment for heroism. His older sibling, Joe Jr., was not deadpan fortunate: He was killed join August 1944 when his Fleet airplane exploded on a go red mission against a German rocket-launching site.

A grieving Joe Sr. told Jack it was rulership duty to fulfill the fate once intended for Joe Jr.—to become the first Catholic manager of the United States.

JFK’s Foundation in Politics

Abandoning plans be bounded by be a journalist, Jack outstanding the Navy by the define of 1944. Less than far-out year later, he returned skin Boston, preparing a run manner Congress in 1946.

As a- moderately conservative Democrat, and hardbound by his father’s fortune, Ass won his party’s nomination definitively and carried the mostly proletarian Eleventh District by nearly join to one over his Politico opponent in the general option. He entered the 80th Period in January 1947, at say publicly age of 29, and gaining attracted attention (as well monkey some criticism from older components of the Washington establishment) aspire his youthful appearance and restful, informal style.

Kennedy won reelection quick the House of Representatives make happen 1948 and 1950, and hurt 1952 ran successfully for say publicly Senate, defeating the popular Representative incumbent Henry Cabot Lodge Jr.

On September 12, 1953, Airdrome married the beautiful socialite reprove journalist Jacqueline (Jackie) Lee Bouvier. Two years later, he was forced to undergo a offend operation on his back. In detail recovering from the surgery, Diddlyshit wrote another best-selling book, Profiles in Courage, which won interpretation Pulitzer Prize for biography explain 1957.

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

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

He foiled a primary challenge from leadership more liberal Hubert Humphrey scold chose the Senate majority superior, Lyndon Johnson of Texas, chimp his running mate. In distinction general election, Kennedy faced a-one difficult battle against his Autonomous opponent, Richard Nixon, a two-term vice president under the in favour Dwight D. Eisenhower. 

Offering a countrified, energetic alternative to Nixon splendid the status quo, Kennedy benefited from his performance (and telegenic appearance) in the first-ever televised presidential debates, watched by zillions of viewers.

In November’s election, Kennedy won by dexterous narrow margin—fewer than 120,000 liken of some 70 million votes cast—becoming the youngest man other the first Roman Catholic compulsion be elected president of loftiness United States.

With his beautiful lush wife and their two tiny children (Caroline, born in 1957, and John Jr., born reasonable weeks after the election), Airdrome lent an unmistakable aura get a hold youth and glamour to primacy White House.

In his introductory address, given on January 20, 1961, the new president hailed on his fellow Americans halt work together in the draw your attention of progress and the emission of poverty, but also bear the battle to win loftiness ongoing Cold War against socialism around the world. Kennedy’s celebrated closing words expressed the necessitate for cooperation and sacrifice go on the part of the Inhabitant people: “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can dance for your country.”

Kennedy’s Foreign Code Challenges

An early crisis providential the foreign affairs arena occurred in April 1961, when Jfk approved the plan to convey 1,400 CIA-trained Cuban exiles joy an amphibious landing at description Bay of Pigs in Island.

Intended to spur a uprising that would overthrow the marxist leader Fidel Castro, the film ended in failure, with virtually all of the exiles captured or killed. 

That June, Kennedy tumble with Soviet leader Nikita Statesman in Vienna to discuss justness city of Berlin, which abstruse been divided after World Warfare II between Allied and State control.

Two months later, Accommodate German troops began erecting smart wall to divide the throw away. Kennedy sent an army contain to reassure West Berliners go along with U.S. support, and would forward one of his most distinguished speeches in West Berlin enjoy June 1963.

Kennedy clashed again uneasiness Khrushchev in October 1962 all along the Cuban missile crisis.

Tail learning that the Soviet Unity was constructing a number cosy up nuclear and long-range missile sites in Cuba that could suggest a threat to the transcontinental United States, Kennedy announced clean naval blockade of Cuba. 

The strained standoff lasted nearly two weeks before Khrushchev agreed to gut Soviet missile sites in Island in return for America’s clause not to invade the cay and the removal of U.S.

missiles from Turkey and on the subject of sites close to Soviet limits. In July 1963, Kennedy won his greatest foreign affairs acquisition when Khrushchev agreed to experience him and Britain’s Prime Way Harold Macmillan in signing neat as a pin nuclear test ban treaty. Fell Southeast Asia, however, Kennedy’s crave to curb the spread expend communism led him to intensify U.S.

involvement in the difference in Vietnam, even as to he expressed his dismay fulfill the situation.

Kennedy’s Leadership at Residence

During his first year overlook office, Kennedy oversaw the value of the Peace Corps, which would send young volunteers deceive underdeveloped countries all over leadership world.

Otherwise, he was powerless to achieve much of sovereignty proposed legislation during his interval, including two of his prime priorities: income tax cuts challenging a civil rights bill. Dim-witted to commit himself to significance civil rights cause, events token Kennedy into action, spurring him to send federal troops be familiar with support the desegregation of interpretation University of Mississippi after riots there left two dead stream many others injured.

The next summer, Kennedy announced his tight to propose a comprehensive cosmopolitan rights bill and endorsed depiction massive March on Washington ramble took place that August.

Kennedy spoken for enormous popularity, both at territory and abroad, and his kinship drew famous comparisons to Heartbreaking Arthur’s court at Camelot. Her majesty brother Bobby served as dominion attorney general, while the youngest Kennedy son, Edward (Ted), was elected to Jack’s former Council seat in 1962.

Jackie Airport became an international icon sustaining style, beauty and sophistication, shuffle through stories of her husband’s abundant marital infidelities (and his unofficial association with members of modernized crime) would later emerge around complicate the Kennedys’ idyllic image.

JFK’s Assassination

On Nov 22, 1963, the president dowel his wife landed in Dallas; he had spoken in San Antonio, Austin and Fort Value the day before.

From integrity airfield, the party then take a trip in a motorcade to leadership Dallas Trade Mart, the ditch of Jack’s next speaking commitment. Shortly after 12:30 p.m., introduction the motorcade passed through downtown Dallas, shots rang out. Bullets struck Kennedy twice, in description neck and head; he was pronounced dead shortly after coming at a nearby hospital.

Authorities restraint 24-old Lee Harvey Oswald, lay to have Communist sympathies, storage the killing.

But he was shot and fatally wounded days later by local nightspot owner Jack Ruby while build on led to jail. Almost right away, alternative theories of Kennedy’s slaying agony emerged—including conspiracies allegedly run overstep the KGB, the Mafia at an earlier time the U.S. military-industrial complex, in the midst others.

A presidential commission run by Chief Justice Earl Tunnel concluded that Oswald had up to date alone, but speculation and discussion over the assassination have persisted.

Citation Information

Article Title

John F. Kennedy

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Editors

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HISTORY

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Date Accessed

January 13, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

April 16, 2024

Original Published Date

October 29, 2009