President John F Kennedy

Who was President Kennedy?

John F Kennedy, commonly referred to as JFK, was the 35th President of the United States.

When was Kennedy president?

John F Kennedy was president between January 1961 and November 1963.

What was Kennedy's background?

Kennedy's background included the following:

• ❖ He came from an Irish-American family which was very wealthy and heavily involved in politics.
• ❖ He went to Harvard University and studied politics. He wrote his dissertation on Britain's policy of the appeasement of Adolf Hitler.
• ❖ He was in the US navy and served in the Second World War, where he was seriously injured when his boat was destroyed by the Japanese.

What were the key events of Kennedy's presidency?

The key events of Kennedy's presidency included the following:

• ❖ Kennedy created the Peace Corps in 1961.
• ❖ The Bay of Pigs Invasion in Cuba, in April 1961.
• ❖ In May 1961 he pledged America would put a man on the moon by the end of the decade.
• ❖ The Berlin Wall was built in 1961.
• ❖ The Cuban Missile Crisis took place in October 1962.
• ❖ He signed the Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in August 1963.

What were Kennedy's beliefs about the Cold War?

Kennedy was anti-communist and, like his predecessors, was committed to containing communism. However, he was aware of the dangers of nuclear warfare after tensions were brought to the brink during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and wanted to reduce the chances of nuclear war.

What was President Kennedy's role in the Bay of Pigs invasion?

Kennedy attempted to implement a counter-revolution in Cuba by sending in Cuban exiles. The aim was to make it look like the USA wasn't involved. However, the plan failed.

What was President Kennedy's involvement with the Cuban Missile Crisis?

In 1962, two U2 spy planes spotted what looked like missiles in Cuba. This led to a tense 13 days where Kennedy deliberated what to do. He decided to set up a naval blockade and managed to prevent nuclear war.

What was President Kennedy's role in Vietnam?

President Kennedy continued to support South Vietnam with money, military advisers and commandos.

How did President Kennedy die?

Kennedy was assassinated in November 1963 in Dallas, Texas.

Why was President Kennedy in Dallas?

Kennedy was in Dallas because he needed to win support from the southern Democrats, nicknamed the Dixiecrats, for his Civil Rights bill.