John F. Kennedy 's Record On Foreign Policy

The Kennedy administration foreign policies were less rigid and had an ideological approach. His policies displayed and promoted ‘Liberalism, Diplomacy and Military action’. His Foreign policies were popularly

The Cuban missile crisis of 1962 brought the world to the brink of nuclear war. What was at stake in the crisis, and how do you assess President Kennedy’s response to Khrushchev’s provocation? Was Kennedy prudent or rash, suitably tough or needlessly belligerent?

Even before John Fitzgerald Kennedy began his presidency in 1961, he viewed foreign policy as one of the most important aspects of our lives. In one speech he said, “Foreign policy today, irrespective of what we might wish, in its impact on our daily lives, overshadows everything else. Expenditures, taxation, domestic prosperity, the extent of social sciences — all hinge on the basic issue of war or peace” (JFK Library). As the first president born in the 20th century, the youngest president to be elected to office, and the youngest president to die in office, John Fitzgerald Kennedy’s time in office was brief, but full of difficult challenges in foreign affairs. I feel that he

The Cuban Missile Crisis forever marked 1962 as the year the world almost witnessed a nuclear war. The Soviet Union, Cuba, and the United States were all teetering on the edge of a cliff that was crumbling from the weight of fear, tension, and secrecy. It also marked the official end of Americans innocent belief that they were safe in the glow of Lady Liberty’s torch. Yet amidst the dark shadow of nuclear threat one American president rose to this challenge and proved that peace through strength is the best strategy.

     John F. Kennedy may me most memorable for with eloquent speeches. He was a good spokesperson, proving himself right off the bat with his inaugural address in 1961. These speeches instilled support and confidence in the hearts of those who listened. One can see how these feelings might come about in this quote by the President in 1963. "What kind of peace do we seek? Not a Pax Americana enforced on the world by American weapons of war. Not a peace of the grave or the security of the slave. I am talking about genuine peace, the kind of peace that makes life on earth worth living, the kind that enables men and nations to grow and to hope to build a better life for their children-not merely peace for Americans, but peace for all men and women: not merely peace in our time, but peace for all time."

One of the most influential presidents in United States history, John F. Kennedy was a brilliant politician and public speaker. In his inaugural address, he sparked hope around the world by discussing the hardships faced by all of society in the present time and then leaving them with a message of freedom, power, and hope. This measure of impact is not achieved easily; Kennedy masterfully utilized the art of rhetoric to emphasize his message and win the hearts of his people. In the middle of the speech, he discusses the dangers of the modern world and his drive toward international peace and cooperation. These messages are stressed through his use of charismatic language to signify his vision of a new and better world.

Importantly, President John F. Kennedy policy on foreign helped make a great president. According to Bureau of Public Affair, “Kennedy’s foreign Policy”, Kennedy’s formed alliance with Latin America to help poor women and man that suffer from hunger and poverty. The United State hoped that Latin America will make the countries stronger. Next, Kennedy’s began American involvement with Vietnam. He’s getting involved because he received conflict advice from Vietnam. South Vietnam had a war about the Geneva Accord into Communist North Vietnam but not south. Kennedy’s goal is to containing communism so he supported South Vietnam and expand the military. And then American war in Vietnam was over because North Vietnam captured the capital city of Saigon. Now one of Kennedy’s important foreign policy

Kennedy’s speech was one of inspiration and hope. He wanted to win the confidence of his citizens by delivering a short speech filled with noble ideals (Matheson 11). President Kennedy starts his inaugural address by exclaiming his understanding that America was very different from that of the nation’s predecessors. The President also wanted to send out a warning to all other nations by letting them know that with him as commander-in-chief, America would “pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend or oppose any foe in order to assure the survival and success of liberty”(Kennedy 609). Basically he was stating that he would not think twice about using all possible forces in order to preserve peace and prosperity for the United States. He further goes on to offer his support to developing countries by pledging to help them help themselves but with a special stipulation. He warned these nations to not lean on America’s success but to form their own freedom when he stated, “remember that, in the past, those who foolishly sought to find power by riding on the tiger’s back inevitably ended up inside” (Kennedy 609). Of all the very remarkable things that this president stated the thing that resonated with me was his backing of the United Nations which would have ultimately dissolved had we not given our support. As stated earlier, our nation was in an atomic war with the Soviet Union and the citizens of the United States were

The Kennedy Doctrine, which was to “Respond flexibly to communist expansion, especially guerrilla warfare” (Roskin & Berry, 2010, p. 58), was executed in this history-making event to the letter. Kennedy could have, and had the power to cease the unfolding events with an all out air strike on the Soviet Union. Some say it is due to bureaucratic politics and the accessibility of information that was provided to the National Security Council by the CIA and air force that this did not occur. In responding flexibly to what The Soviet Union and Cuba were planning, America assessed the volatile situation, forethought possible outcomes and negated all their options albeit under a tight time constraint. America’s forces were mobilized and ready to strike, had word been given nuclear war was on the cards. Kennedy wanted to give The Soviet Union an out and put a halt to a possible war, rethink the situation and allow an alternative to occur. Due to this diplomacy, The Soviet Union entered into negotiations “the Kremlin offered a deal: no Soviet missiles in Cuba if Washington promised not to invade” (Roskin & Berry, 2010, p. 87). By using the flexible response tactic, Kennedy was

The impacts of Kennedys choices against the Soviets did not just create changes in his political life, but his personal one as well. During the Cold War he and the vice president Lyndon B. Johnson, both promised the country they would keep a tough act on the Soviets, and

The late president John Fitzgerald Kennedy once said, “Sure it's a big job; but I don't know anyone who can do it better than I can” (“John F. Kennedy” BrainyQuote.com). Kennedy was a young and fresh political figure at the time of his election in 1960. The thirty-fifth president of the United States was born May 29, 1917, in Brookline, Massachusetts. He was the youngest president ever, as well as the first and only Roman Catholic president (Bass, et al.). His presidency was shortened by an assassin on November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas. Kennedy preceded his presidency with a term in the U.S. House of Representatives (1947-1953) and a term in the U.S. Senate (1953-1961) (“John F. Kennedy” History.com). Kennedy, a

That's why Flexible Response worked because of the different alternatives the government had to handle the situation. During the Cuban dilemma, the Soviet Union was planning to send nuclear missiles to Cuba and from there, only ninety miles away, they would be aimed at the United States. To prevent this Kennedy sent a blockade of ships to stop the missiles from entering Cuba. The situation became known as the Cuban Missile Crisis and this impacted the people of the United States. From home, they waited for six long days as the Soviets approached Cuba and the blockade. The people lived as though this would be their last day because if anyone were to fire, World War III would have broken out. This was similar to Brinkmanship because the country was approaching the verge of war but again this was a military option President Kennedy used to stop the missiles from reaching Cuba. Had Kennedy not send his blockade, the world would have been on the verge of nuclear warfare. This blockade made Nikita Khrushchev, current leader of the Soviet Union, turn around but the United States were forced to give up their weapons located in

The third event John.F Kennedy had to deal with abroad was the peace corps. The peace corps wasn’t no serious event that threaten the life of any american citizens or any life in general. It was a program that Kennedy made that helps the lives of people overseas in other nations that are less privileged. We still use this today might I add. He stated in a recorded conference. “this Corps will be a pool of trained American men and women sent overseas by the U.S. Government or through private institutions and organizations to help foreign countries meet their urgent needs for skilled manpower.” This represented his foreign policy well because instead of saying something about the state of other nations people. He actually did something about

Once the doctrine of flexible response was introduced, this gave American military planners greater amounts of flexibility in dealing with a wide variety of threats. At which point, they could place conventional forces in select regions of the world. While at the same time, they had a wide variety of nuclear deterrents to choose from including: small and longer range strike capabilities. During the Cuban Missile Crisis, this helped to keep the Soviet leadership guessing about what would be the final outcome of any kind of nuclear showdown with the US. As, they had the ability to strike at regional targets from: Turkey or Western Europe. At the same time, they had long range capabilities with the B -52 boomers that could leave the United States and hit targets deep within Russia. (Lockwood, 1999, pp. 83 – 99)

For this reason, I would like to investigate the extent to which John F. Kennedy’s decision-making process changed from the Bay of Pigs Invasion to the Cuban Missile crisis during his presidency. I chose the Bay of Pigs Invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis because the first is an event in John. F. Kennedy’s presidency before he gained experience from this job and the latter is an event from after he was acquainted with the presidential role.