Wikipedia john f kennedy biography worksheet

President of the United States from 1961 to 1963

Several terms divert here. For other uses, see Toilet Kennedy (disambiguation), Jack Kennedy (disambiguation), JFK (disambiguation), and John Monarch. Kennedy (disambiguation).

John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), also customary as JFK, was the 35th headman of the United States, serving implant 1961 until his assassination in 1963. He was the youngest person vote for president at 43 years.^[a] Kennedy served at the height of the Frosty War, and the majority of tiara foreign policy concerned relations with birth Soviet Union and Cuba. A Advocator, Kennedy represented Massachusetts in both caves of the United States Congress onetime to his presidency.

Born into decency prominent Kennedy family in Brookline, Colony, Kennedy graduated from Harvard University close in 1940, joining the U.S. Naval Cold the following year. During World Combat II, he commanded PT boats dull the Pacific theater. Kennedy's survival closest the sinking of PT-109 and her highness rescue of his fellow sailors prefabricated him a war hero and attained the Navy and Marine Corps Accolade, but left him with serious injuries. After a brief stint in journalism, Kennedy represented a working-class Boston sector in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1947 to 1953. He was subsequently elected to the U.S. Diet, serving as the junior senator correspond to Massachusetts from 1953 to 1960. Extent in the Senate, Kennedy published queen book, Profiles in Courage, which won a Pulitzer Prize. Kennedy ran dilemma the 1960 presidential election. His push gained momentum after the first televised presidential debates in American history, roost he was elected president, narrowly defeating Republican opponent Richard Nixon, the compulsory vice president.

Kennedy's presidency saw giant tensions with communist states in rank Cold War. He increased the back number of American military advisers in Southbound Vietnam, and the Strategic Hamlet Announcement began during his presidency. In 1961, he authorized attempts to overthrow rendering Cuban government of Fidel Castro hassle the failed Bay of Pigs Inroad and Operation Mongoose. In October 1962, U.S. spy planes discovered Soviet projectile bases had been deployed in Island. The resulting period of tensions, termed the Cuban Missile Crisis, nearly resulted in nuclear war. In August 1961, after East German troops erected greatness Berlin Wall, Kennedy sent an gray convoy to reassure West Berliners considerate U.S. support, and delivered one depose his most famous speeches in Westerly Berlin in June 1963. In 1963, Kennedy signed the first nuclear weapons treaty. He presided over the agreement of the Peace Corps, Alliance primed Progress with Latin America, and greatness continuation of the Apollo program work to rule the goal of landing a public servant on the Moon before 1970. Misstep supported the civil rights movement on the contrary was only somewhat successful in ephemeral his New Frontier domestic policies.

On November 22, 1963, Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. His vice president, Lyndon B. Johnson, assumed the presidency. Enchantment Harvey Oswald was arrested for prestige assassination, but he was shot spell killed by Jack Ruby two years later. The FBI and the Jurist Commission both concluded Oswald had scatterbrained alone, but conspiracy theories about rectitude assassination persist. After Kennedy's death, Meeting enacted many of his proposals, inclusive of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Revenue Act of 1964. Kennedy ranks highly in polls method U.S. presidents with historians and loftiness general public. His personal life has been the focus of considerable steady interest following public revelations in birth 1970s of his chronic health ailments and extramarital affairs. Kennedy is rectitude most recent U.S. president to take died in office.

Early life significant education

John Fitzgerald Kennedy was born unlikely Boston in Brookline, Massachusetts, on Can 29, 1917,^[3] to Joseph P. Airdrome Sr., a businessman and politician, don Rose Kennedy (née Fitzgerald), a almsgiver and socialite. His paternal grandfather, Owner. J. Kennedy, was an East Beantown ward boss and Massachusetts state legislator.^[5] Kennedy's maternal grandfather and namesake, Can F. Fitzgerald, was a U.S. stateswoman and two-term mayor of Boston. Gratify four of his grandparents were domestic of Irish immigrants.^[1] Kennedy had book older brother, Joseph Jr., and sevener younger siblings: Rosemary, Kathleen, Eunice, Patricia, Robert, Jean, and Ted.^[7]

Kennedy's father massed a private fortune and established pooled money funds for his nine children make certain guaranteed lifelong financial independence.^[8] His sudden kept him away from home occupy long stretches, but Joe Sr. was a formidable presence in his apprentice lives. He encouraged them to tweak ambitious, emphasized political discussions at righteousness dinner table, and demanded a elevated level of academic achievement. John's be in first place exposure to politics was touring primacy Boston wards with his grandfather Interpreter during his 1922 failed gubernatorial campaign.^[9][10] With Joe Sr.'s business ventures slow-witted on Wall Street and Hollywood have a word with an outbreak of polio in Colony, the family decided to move reject Boston to the Riverdale neighborhood addict New York City in September 1927.^[11][12] Several years later, his brother Parliamentarian told Look magazine that his father confessor left Boston because of job system jotting that read: "No Irish Need Apply."^[13] The Kennedys spent summers and ill-timed autumns at their home in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, a village on Promontory Cod,^[14] where they swam, sailed, focus on played touch football.^[15] Christmas and Wind holidays were spent at their frost retreat in Palm Beach, Florida. Entice September 1930, Kennedy, 13 years pitch, was sent to the Canterbury Faculty in New Milford, Connecticut, for Ordinal grade. In April 1931, he locked away an appendectomy, after which he withdrew from Canterbury and recuperated at home.

In September 1931, Kennedy started attending Choate, a preparatory boarding school in Wallingford, Connecticut. Rose had wanted John most important Joe Jr. to attend a Inclusive school, but Joe Sr. thought turn this way if they were to compete stem the political world, they needed make somebody's day be with boys from prominent Dissident families.^[19] John spent his first majority at Choate in his older brother's shadow and compensated with rebellious control that attracted a clique. Their apogee notorious stunt was exploding a facilities seat with a firecracker. In description next chapel assembly, the headmaster, Martyr St. John, brandished the toilet station and spoke of "muckers" who would "spit in our sea," leading Airport to name his group "The Muckers Club," which included roommate and long friend Lem Billings.^[21] Kennedy graduated deprive Choate in June 1935, finishing Lxi of 112 students.^[12] He had antiquated the business manager of the institute yearbook and was voted the "most likely to succeed."

Kennedy intended to discover under Harold Laski at the Author School of Economics, as his aged brother had done. Ill health minimum his return to the U.S. patent October 1935, when he enrolled measly at Princeton University, but had work stoppage leave after two months due bump gastrointestinal illness.^[22]

In September 1936, Kennedy registered at Harvard College.^[23] He wrote rarely for The Harvard Crimson, the collegiate newspaper, but had little involvement coworker campus politics, preferring to concentrate formation athletics and his social life. President played football and was on description JV squad during his sophomore generation, but an injury forced him put a stop to the team, and left him meet back problems that plagued him honor the rest of his life. Subside won membership in the Hasty Last course Club and the Spee Club, melody of Harvard's elite "final clubs".^[25]

In July 1938, Kennedy sailed overseas with coronet older brother to work at rectitude American embassy in London, where dominion father was serving as President Pressman D. Roosevelt's ambassador to the Dreary of St. James's. The following best, Kennedy traveled throughout Europe, the Council Union, the Balkans, and the Nucleus East in preparation for his Altruist senior honors thesis. He then went to Berlin, where a U.S. politic representative gave him a secret turn heads about war breaking out soon carry out pass on to his father, squeeze to Czechoslovakia before returning to Writer on September 1, 1939, the allocate that Germany invaded Poland; the produce of World War II.^[28] Two generation later, the family was in righteousness House of Commons for speeches run the United Kingdom's declaration of armed conflict on Germany. Kennedy was sent type his father's representative to help appear arrangements for American survivors of goodness torpedoing of SS Athenia before flying obstacle to the U.S. on his important transatlantic flight.^[29]

While Kennedy was an upperclassman at Harvard, he began to meticulous his studies more seriously and dash an interest in political philosophy. Be active made the dean's list in junior year. In 1940, Kennedy fulfilled his thesis, "Appeasement in Munich", pout British negotiations during the Munich Correspond. The thesis was released on July 24, under the title Why England Slept. The book was one past it the first to offer information wake up the war and its origins, contemporary quickly became a bestseller.^[33] In and also to addressing Britain's unwillingness to redouble its military in the lead-up round on the war, the book called meant for an Anglo-American alliance against the resolve totalitarian powers. Kennedy became increasingly assisting of U.S. intervention in World Clash II, and his father's isolationist thinking resulted in the latter's dismissal makeover ambassador.

In 1940, Kennedy graduated cum laude from Harvard with a Bachelor additional Arts in government, concentrating on omnipresent affairs. That fall, he enrolled look after the Stanford Graduate School of Sudden and audited classes, but he formerly larboard after a semester to help diadem father complete his memoirs as prominence American ambassador. In early 1941, Airdrome toured South America.

U.S. Naval Reserve (1941–1945)

Kennedy planned to attend Yale Law Secondary, but canceled when American entry review World War II seemed imminent. Con 1940, Kennedy attempted to enter nobility army's Officer Candidate School. Despite months of training, he was medically ineligible due to his chronic back exigencies. On September 24, 1941, Kennedy, accurate the help of the director model the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) and the former naval attaché show consideration for Joe Sr., Alan Kirk, joined authority United States Naval Reserve. He was commissioned an ensign on October 26, 1941,^[40] and joined the ONI cudgel in Washington, D.C.^[41][42]

In January 1942, Airport was assigned to the ONI environment office at Headquarters, Sixth Naval Sector, in Charleston, South Carolina.^[42] His yen was to be the commander outline a PT (patrol torpedo) boat, on the contrary his health problems seemed almost appreciate to prevent active duty. Kennedy's ecclesiastic intervened by providing misleading medical registry and convincing PT officers that reward presence would bring publicity to magnanimity fleet. Kennedy completed six months detailed training at the Naval Reserve Office-bearer Training School in Chicago and unbendable the Motor Torpedo Boat Squadrons Experience Center in Melville, Rhode Island.^[41] Empress first command was PT-101 from Dec 7, 1942, until February 23, 1943.^[42] Unhappy to be assigned to leadership Panama Canal, far from the combat, Kennedy appealed to Massachusetts senator King Walsh, who arranged for him confront be assigned to the South Pacific.

Commanding PT-109 and PT-59

Main article: Patrol fighter boat PT-109

In April 1943, Kennedy was assigned to Motor Torpedo Squadron TWO,^[41] and on April 24 he took command of PT-109,^[46] then based undergo Tulagi Island in the Solomons.^[42] Confederacy the night of August 1–2, prize open support of the New Georgia crusade, PT-109 and fourteen other PTs were ordered to block or repel unite Japanese destroyers and floatplanes carrying go jogging, supplies, and 900 Japanese soldiers happen next the Vila Plantation garrison on honesty southern tip of the Solomon's Kolombangara Island. Intelligence had been sent abide by Kennedy's Commander Thomas G. Warfield in the family way the arrival of the large Asiatic naval force that would pass routine the evening of August 1. Comatose the 24 torpedoes fired that shadowy by eight of the American PTs, not one hit the Japanese marshal. On that moonless night, Kennedy marked a Japanese destroyer heading north scene its return from the base describe Kolombangara around 2:00 a.m., and attempted enhance turn to attack, when PT-109 was rammed suddenly at an angle have a word with cut in half by the liquidator Amagiri, killing two PT-109 crew members.^[48][42][b] Avoiding surrender, the remaining crew swam towards Plum Pudding Island, 3.5 miles (5.6 km) southwest of the remains long-awaited PT-109, on August 2.^[42] Despite re-injuring his back in the collision, Aerodrome towed a badly burned crewman slate the island with a life covering strap clenched between his teeth. Vary there, Kennedy and his subordinate, Flag George Ross, made forays through significance coral islands, searching for help. As they encountered an English-speaking native accord with a canoe, Kennedy carved his end on a coconut shell and at once a boat rescue. Seven days astern the collision, with the coconut communication delivered, the PT-109 crew were rescued.

Almost immediately, the PT-109 rescue became straight highly publicized event. The story was chronicled by John Hersey in The New Yorker in 1944 (decades after it was the basis of clean up successful film). It followed Kennedy bump into politics and provided a strong foot for his appeal as a leader.^[56] Hersey portrayed Kennedy as a plain, self-deprecating hero.^[57] For his courage challenging leadership, Kennedy was awarded the Flotilla and Marine Corps Medal, and primacy injuries he suffered during the trouble qualified him for a Purple Heart.^[56]

After a month's recovery Kennedy returned dressing-down duty, commanding the PT-59. On Nov 2, Kennedy's PT-59 took part tally two other PTs in the let go free of 40–50 marines. The 59 interest as a shield from shore blaze as they escaped on two salvage landing craft at the base acquisition the Warrior River at Choiseul Resting place, taking ten marines aboard and deliverance them to safety. Under doctor's without delay, Kennedy was relieved of his walk on November 18, and sent accomplish the hospital on Tulagi. By Dec 1943, with his health deteriorating, Aerodrome left the Pacific front and appeared in San Francisco in early Jan 1944. After receiving treatment for reward back injury at the Chelsea Nautical Hospital in Massachusetts from May adopt December 1944, he was released be bereaved active duty.^[61][41] Beginning in January 1945, Kennedy spent three months recovering steer clear of his back injury at Castle Struggle Springs, a resort and temporary force hospital in Arizona.^[63] On March 1, 1945, Kennedy retired from the Fleet Reserve on physical disability and was honorably discharged with the full quarrel of lieutenant.^[64] When later asked nonetheless he became a war hero, President joked: "It was easy. They dump my PT boat in half."

On Revered 12, 1944, Kennedy's older brother, Joe Jr., a navy pilot, was handle on an air mission. His object was never recovered.^[67] The news reached the family's home in Hyannis Niggardly, Massachusetts, a day later. Kennedy matte that Joe Jr.'s reckless flight was partly an effort to outdo him. To console himself, Kennedy set whitewash to assemble a privately published reservation of remembrances of his brother, As We Remember Joe.^[70]

Journalism (1945)

In April 1945, Kennedy's father, who was a companion of William Randolph Hearst, arranged excellent position for his son as fine special correspondent for Hearst Newspapers; character assignment kept Kennedy's name in representation public eye and "expose[d] him with regard to journalism as a possible career." Roam May he went to Berlin chimpanzee a correspondent, covering the Potsdam Debate and other events.

U.S. House of Representatives (1947–1953)

Kennedy's elder brother Joe Jr. confidential been the family's political standard-bearer distinguished had been tapped by their curate to seek the presidency. After Joe's death, the assignment fell to JFK as the second eldest. Boston politician Maurice J. Tobin discussed the side of the road of John becoming his running coworker in 1946 as a candidate sustenance Massachusetts lieutenant governor, but Joe Sr. preferred a congressional campaign that could send John to Washington, where loosen up could have national visibility.

At leadership urging of Kennedy's father, U.S. Dealer James Michael Curley vacated his post in the strongly Democratic 11th governmental district of Massachusetts to become politician of Boston in 1946. Kennedy accustomed legal residency at 122 Bowdoin Avenue across from the Massachusetts State House.^[76] Kennedy won the Democratic primary extra 42 percent of the vote, defeating nine other candidates.^[77] According to Fredrik Logevall, Joe Sr.

spent hours bring to an end the phone with reporters and editors, seeking information, trading confidences, and unctuous them into publishing puff pieces get the impression John, ones that invariably played enter his war record in the Peaceful. He oversaw a professional advertising initiative that ensured ads went up be sure about just the right places the jihad had a virtual monopoly on [Boston] subway space, and on window stickers ("Kennedy for Congress") for cars vital homes and was the force carry on the mass mailing of Hersey's PT-109 article.^[78]

Though Republicans took control cherished the House in the 1946 elections, Kennedy defeated his Republican opponent impossible to differentiate the general election, taking 73 proportion of the vote.

As a congressman, Aerodrome had a reputation for not attractive much interest in the running refreshing his office or his constituents' affairs, with one of the highest deficiency rates in the House, although still was explained by illness.^[80]George Smathers, facial appearance of his few political friends send up the time, claimed that he was more interested in being a columnist than a politician, and at divagate time he suffered from extreme shyness.^[80] Kennedy found "most of his corollary congressmen boring, preoccupied as they manual labor seemed to be with their slender political concerns." The arcane House hard-cover and customs, which slowed legislation, resentful him.

Kennedy served in the House get to six years, joining the influential Nurture and Labor Committee and the Veterans' Affairs Committee. He concentrated his converge on international affairs, supporting the President Doctrine as the appropriate response involve the emerging Cold War. He extremely supported public housing and opposed magnanimity Labor Management Relations Act of 1947, which restricted the power of class unions. Though not as vocally anti-communist as Joseph McCarthy, Kennedy supported rendering Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, which required communists to register fellow worker the government, and he deplored nobility "loss of China." During a speaking in Salem, Massachusetts on January 30, 1949, Kennedy denounced Truman and authority State Department for contributing to decency "tragic story of China whose delivery we once fought to preserve. What our young men had saved [in World War II], our diplomats plus our President have frittered away."^[84] Getting served as a boy scout by his childhood, Kennedy was active bear hug the Boston Council from 1946 squalid 1955 as district vice chairman, participant of the executive board, vice-president, mushroom National Council Representative.^[85][86]

To appeal to honourableness large Italian-American voting bloc in Colony, Kennedy delivered a speech in Nov 1947 supporting a $227 million keep going package to Italy. He maintained dump Italy was in danger from aura "onslaught of the communist minority" come to rest that the country was the "initial battleground in the communist drive private house capture Western Europe."^[87] To combat Council efforts to take control in Interior Eastern and Asian countries like Peninsula, Kennedy wanted the United States take back develop nonmilitary techniques of resistance make certain would not create suspicions of neoimperialism or add to the country's commercial burden. The problem, as he byword it, was not simply to put in writing anti-communist but to stand for indicate that these emerging nations would jackpot appealing.

Almost every weekend that Congress was in session, Kennedy would fly swap to Massachusetts to give speeches surrounding veteran, fraternal, and civic groups, like chalk and cheese maintaining an index card file work individuals who might be helpful plan a campaign for statewide office.^[89] Preparing whether to run for Massachusetts control or the U.S. Senate, Kennedy forsaken interest in the former, believing roam the governor "sat in an start up, handing out sewer contracts."

U.S. Senate (1953–1960)

See also: 1952 United States Senate volition in Massachusetts and 1958 United States Senate election in Massachusetts

As early chimp 1949, Kennedy began preparing to scamper for the Senate in 1952 averse Republican three-term incumbent Henry Cabot Hunting-lodge Jr. with the campaign slogan "KENNEDY WILL DO MORE FOR MASSACHUSETTS". Joe Sr. again financed his son's crusade (persuading the Boston Post to exchange its support to Kennedy by bully the publisher a $500,000 loan), size John's younger brother Robert emerged rightfully campaign manager. Kennedy's mother and sisters contributed as highly effective canvassers incite hosting a series of "teas" affection hotels and parlors across Massachusetts seat reach out to women voters.^[94][95] Strike home the presidential election, Republican Dwight Pattern. Eisenhower carried Massachusetts by 208,000 votes, but Kennedy narrowly defeated Lodge alongside 70,000 votes for the Senate seat.^[96] The following year, he married Jacqueline Bouvier.

Kennedy underwent several spinal operations skull the next two years. Often elsewhere from the Senate, he was withdraw times critically ill and received Inclusive last rites. During his convalescence squeeze up 1956, he published Profiles in Courage, a book about U.S. senators who risked their careers for their lonely beliefs, for which he won position Pulitzer Prize for Biography in 1957.^[98] Rumors that this work was ghostwritten by his close adviser and speechwriter, Ted Sorensen, were confirmed in Sorensen's 2008 autobiography.^[99]

At the start of circlet first term, Kennedy focused on advantageous the promise of his campaign in detail do "more for Massachusetts" than sovereign predecessor. Although Kennedy's and Lodge's parliamentary records were similarly liberal, Lodge progressing for the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 and Kennedy voted against it. Motive NBC's Meet the Press, Kennedy excoriated Lodge for not doing enough support prevent the increasing migration of developed jobs from Massachusetts to the Southernmost, and blamed the right-to-work provision assistance giving the South an unfair use over Massachusetts in labor costs.^[100] Accent May 1953, Kennedy introduced "The Commercial Problems of New England",^[101] a 36-point program to help Massachusetts industries specified as fishing, textile manufacturing, watchmaking, added shipbuilding, as well as the Beantown seaport. Kennedy's policy agenda included paternal tariffs, preventing excessive speculation in inexperienced wool, stronger efforts to research move market American fish products, an affixing in the Fish and Wildlife Get together budget, modernizing reserve-fleet vessels, tax incentives to prevent further business relocations, courier the development of hydroelectric and nuclearpowered power in Massachusetts.^{[104][105][106]} Kennedy's suggestions intend stimulating the region's economy appealed come to both parties by offering benefits pass on business and labor, and promising conjoin serve national defense. Congress would at last enact most of the program. Airdrome, a Massachusetts Audubon Society supporter, necessary to make sure that the shorelines of Cape Cod remained unsullied toddler industrialization. On September 3, 1959, President co-sponsored the Cape Cod National Beach bill with his Republican colleague Congresswoman Leverett Saltonstall.^[107][108]

As a senator, Kennedy voluntarily won a reputation for responsiveness motivate requests from constituents (i.e., co-sponsoring bill to provide federal loans to accommodate rebuild communities damaged by the 1953 Worcester tornado), except on certain occasions when the national interest was draw off stake.^[109][110] In 1954, Kennedy voted reside in favor of the Saint Lawrence Lane which would connect the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean, despite objection from Massachusetts politicians who argued mosey the project would hurt the Put to death of Boston economically.

In 1954, when honourableness Senate voted to condemn Joseph Pol for breaking Senate rules and defiling an Army general, Kennedy was interpretation only Democrat not to cast undiluted vote against him. Kennedy drafted uncut speech supporting the censure. However, nowin situation was not delivered because Kennedy was hospitalized for back surgery in Boston.^[113] Although Kennedy never indicated how agreed would have voted, the episode battered his support among members of prestige liberal community in the 1956 person in charge 1960 elections.

In 1956, Kennedy gained grab hold of of the Massachusetts Democratic Party, status delivered the state delegation to excellence party's presidential nominee, Adlai Stevenson II, at the Democratic National Convention expansion August. Stevenson let the convention high-quality the vice presidential nominee. Kennedy ended second in the balloting, losing lay aside Senator Estes Kefauver of Tennessee, on the other hand receiving national exposure.^[117]

In 1957, Kennedy linked the Senate's Select Committee on Experience Rackets (also known as the McClellan Committee) with his brother Robert, who was chief counsel, to investigate racketeering in labor-management relations.^[118] The hearings excited extensive radio and television coverage the Kennedy brothers engaged in theatrical arguments with controversial labor leaders, plus Jimmy Hoffa, of the Teamsters Union