John F. Kennedy

John Fitzgerald Kennedy: A Life in Brief

John Fitzgerald Kennedy was born outside Boston in Brookline, Massachusetts, on May 29, 1917. His early life was marked by a series of challenges and triumphs that would shape his future as the 35th president of the United States. Born into a family with political aspirations, John’s journey to the White House was both ambitious and tumultuous.

The Early Years

John had an older brother, Joseph Jr., and seven younger siblings: Rosemary, Kathleen, Eunice, Patricia, Robert, Jean, and Ted. His paternal grandfather was a ward boss and state legislator, while his maternal grandfather and namesake was a congressman and mayor of Boston. The family’s political influence was evident from an early age.

John’s father, Joseph P. Kennedy Sr., amassed a private fortune and established trust funds for his children that guaranteed lifelong financial independence. He encouraged them to be ambitious, emphasized political discussions at dinner, and demanded high academic achievement. John’s first exposure to politics was touring Boston wards with his grandfather during his 1922 gubernatorial campaign.

The family moved from Boston to New York City in 1927 due to a polio outbreak and anti-Irish job signs. Kennedy spent summers at Hyannis Port, winters at Palm Beach, and attended various schools, including Canterbury, Choate, Princeton, and Harvard. He had a rebellious phase at Choate, formed the ‘Muckers Club,’ and was voted ‘most likely to succeed.’ His academic journey was marked by both struggles and successes.

Harvard and Beyond

At Harvard, Kennedy began taking his studies more seriously and developed an interest in political philosophy, making the dean’s list in his junior year. His thesis, ‘Appeasement in Munich,’ was released as ‘Why England Slept’ and quickly became a bestseller, calling for an Anglo-American alliance against totalitarian powers.

Kennedy graduated cum laude from Harvard with a Bachelor of Arts in government, concentrating on international affairs. He then enrolled at the Stanford Graduate School of Business but left to help his father complete his memoirs as an American ambassador.

Service and War

In 1941, Kennedy joined the United States Naval Reserve due to American entry into World War II seeming imminent. Despite being medically disqualified from the army’s Officer Candidate School, he was commissioned an ensign and assigned to the ONI field office in Charleston, South Carolina. His hope was to be a PT boat commander but his health prevented it.

His father intervened by falsifying medical records. He trained at Naval Reserve Officer Training School and Motor Torpedo Boat Squadrons Training Center. His first command was PT-101, then PT-109 in the South Pacific. On August 1–2, he commanded PT-109 when it was rammed by a Japanese destroyer. Despite injuries, he towed a crewman to safety and his story became publicized. He was awarded several medals for his courage and leadership, including the Navy and Marine Corps Medal and Purple Heart.

Political Rise

After Joe Jr.’s death in 1944, the family’s political standard-bearer became John Kennedy. He established residency in Massachusetts and won the Democratic primary in 1946. His father spent hours on the phone with reporters and editors, seeking information about his son’s war record and oversaw a professional advertising campaign to promote his campaign.

Though Republicans took control of the House in 1946 elections, John F. Kennedy won the general election with 73 percent of the vote. As a congressman, Kennedy was unenthusiastic about his work and had high absenteeism rates due to illness, despite joining influential committees.

Senate and Beyond

In April 1945, Kennedy’s father arranged a position as a special correspondent for Hearst Newspapers, keeping him in the public eye and exposing him to journalism. After Joe Jr.’s death, the family’s political standard-bearer became John Kennedy.

He established residency in Massachusetts and won the Democratic primary in 1946. The following year, he married Jacqueline Bouvier. Kennedy underwent several spinal operations over two years, often missing Senate sessions and receiving Catholic last rites. He published ‘Profiles in Courage’ in 1956, winning the Pulitzer Prize, but rumors of ghostwriting were later confirmed.

Presidency

Kennedy’s presidency was marked by a series of significant events and policies. He focused on foreign policy with the Soviet Union and Cuba, authorized failed invasions of Cuba, navigated the Cuban Missile Crisis, and signed a nuclear weapons treaty. He also established the Peace Corps and continued the Apollo program.

He supported the civil rights movement but was only somewhat successful in passing his New Frontier domestic policies. On November 22, 1963, Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. His vice president, Lyndon B. Johnson, assumed the presidency. Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested for the assassination, but he was shot and killed by Jack Ruby two days later.

Legacy

The Kennedy family is one of the most established political families in the United States, having produced a president, three senators, three ambassadors, and multiple other representatives and politicians. John F. Kennedy met his wife Jacqueline Lee ‘Jackie’ Bouvier when he was a congressman. They were married on September 12, 1953, at St. Mary’s Church in Newport, Rhode Island.

Despite a privileged youth, Kennedy suffered from various childhood diseases and was hospitalized several times due to illnesses such as scarlet fever, leukemia, colitis, Addison’s disease, and hypothyroidism. He had chronic severe back pain for which he underwent surgery. His medical treatment included a combination of hormones, steroids, vitamins, enzymes, and amphetamines.

Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas at 12:30 p.m. Central Standard Time on November 22, 1963. He was in Texas on a political trip when he was shot once in the back, the bullet exiting via his throat, and once in the head. Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested for the murder of police officer J.D. Tippit and was subsequently charged with Kennedy’s assassination.

Oswald denied shooting anyone, claiming he was a patsy, and was shot dead by Jack Ruby on November 24 before he could be prosecuted. President Johnson issued an executive order to create the Warren Commission to investigate the assassination. The commission concluded that Oswald acted alone in killing Kennedy and that Oswald was not part of any conspiracy.

Despite facing numerous challenges and controversies, John F. Kennedy’s legacy endures as a symbol of hope and progress for many Americans. His presidency continues to be studied and debated, with his impact on American history and culture undeniable.