The JFK Assassination

As said by Amanda Hageman, “Good leaders put out fires. Great leaders prevent them.” Troublesome times were brewing in mid-twentieth century, and America needed someone who could not only extinguish fires but also prevent many of the dangerous fires to come. The fifties had been a period of prosperity fed by a sharp rise in the economy as well as raging consumerism; however, these prosperous times could not conceal the growing conflicts such as the Cold War, race relations, and the United States' devastating poverty level. This is where John F. Kennedy is elected president and saves the day. Or does he? Many question how “great” of a president Kennedy actually was, and with good reason. His accomplishments as president were few in comparison to presidents such as Lincoln and FDR, and the briefness of his time in office makes it difficult to judge Kennedy's success. Nearly all presidents who are considered great were in office at least two terms. Had he lived longer, his greatness would be much easier to calculate. By his few years as president at the start of the 1960s, John F. Kennedy should be seen as young idealist and a leader with great potential, and though he greatly impacted America and even the world with his seeds of hope for world peace and racial equality, his weaknesses such as his inability to effectively collaborate with his congress and cabinet as well as his health problems and marital affairs hindered his ability to ever be a “great” president.

Much like President Lincoln, J.F.K. seemed to become something of a hero, gaining legendary status soon after he was assassinated on that fateful day in November. Of course, one cannot doubt that he was a very popular man when alive in office and had the support of most of the country. He won America over with his marvelous poise and appearance, displaying such through being the first president shown widely on television before his election and throughout his presidency. Also, his wife, Jackie, was young, beautiful, and fashionable which seemed to add to Kennedy's apparent perfection.

Unfortunately, J.F.K. was not all he seemed to be. Not only did he have serious health issues, requiring him to be on heavy medication at all times, but he was involved in many furtive marital affairs as well. Plagued with back problems and multiple diseases (some being STDs), Kennedy was not the lively man he appeared. Throughout his campaign and most of his presidency, he was administered dangerous amphetamines from Max Jacobson, a physician nicknamed “Dr. Feelgood.” His sex scandals were numerous, including a fling with famous actress Marilyn Monroe. These personal dilemmas showed how everyone has their flaws, and J.F.K. was no exception.

When President Kennedy entered office, he had his work cut out for him in the matter of foreign affairs. Within months of his inauguration, a risky operation with the objective of overthrowing the Cuban dictator Fidel Castro was thrown into his hands. Most of his advisors as well as the CIA supported the operation, and Kennedy decided to go along with his cabinet. This operation, known as the Bay of Pigs, was the first big test of Kennedy's presidency, and it failed terribly. Kennedy boldly chose to inform the public of his mistake. His honesty impressed Americans and only strengthened his support.

From his first failure, Kennedy learned a very important lesson: never depend on your advisors. In fact, his lack of trust for government officials and advisors might have saved America from nuclear destruction. In October of 1962, American U-2 spy planes discovered Soviet missiles in Cuba. This began the chain of events known as the Cuban Missile Crisis that almost led to a nuclear war. America's military leaders pushed for a dangerous air assault on the missile sites. Had Kennedy chosen this option, both the United States and the Soviet Union would most likely have destroyed each other with their countless nuclear arms. Kennedy searched for other options and chose to place a naval quarantine on Cuba. Soon, Kennedy came to an agreement with Soviet leader Khrushchev, and both the quarantine and the missiles were removed. As the tension loosened, Kennedy was able to establish a Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.

Kennedy was plenty busy at home as well. While running for president, J.F.K. advocated civil rights, giving other advocates great hope. However, after Kennedy was elected, he seemed to lack dedication in this movement, causing civil rights leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. to become restless. Boycotts, sit-ins, and freedom rides were signs that they had given up on Kennedy and taken matters into their own hands. This upset the young president who feared that he was powerless at the time because of his nonsupportive congress. He waited until there was greater support for civil rights; support had began to grow as the disturbing acts of violence towards black marchers were shown to the public through television. This is when he brought a civil rights bill to congress which would not be passed until after his death.

On November 11th, 1963, John F. Kennedy was campaigning in Dallas when he was assassinated, putting the world into a state of shock. This brings a big “if only” to the table. If only Kennedy had not been killed, what could have he accomplished? Many speculate that Kennedy would have reduced the United States' involvement in Vietnam, a war that turned out to be a huge mistake. However, America might not have seen the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the 1965 Voting Rights Act. President Johnson had something Kennedy did not-the ability to persuade the congress.

How will Kennedy go down in history? On a political level, he was just unable to rise up to the level of the other greats.