Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, a woman known for her remarkable discipline and organization, meticulously documented the lives of her children. For her second child, she noted on a simple card:
John Fitzgerald Kennedy Born Brookline, Mass. (83 Beals Street) May 29, 1917
In total, Rose Kennedy raised nine children, a large family consisting of four sons and five daughters. For each child, she maintained detailed notecards in a small wooden box, recording everything from doctor’s appointments to their shoe sizes at different ages. John Fitzgerald Kennedy was named in honor of his maternal grandfather, John Francis Fitzgerald, the charismatic Mayor of Boston affectionately nicknamed “Honey Fitz.” Before long, family and close friends began calling this blue-eyed infant, Jack. Jack’s early years were marked by fragile health, and Rose diligently recorded his childhood illnesses, including “whooping cough, measles, chicken pox,” on his personal card.
In February 1920, before his third birthday, Jack contracted scarlet fever, a highly contagious and potentially fatal disease at the time. His father, Joseph Patrick Kennedy, was deeply afraid of losing his young son. Mr. Kennedy visited the hospital daily, staying by Jack’s side. After about a month, Jack’s condition improved, and he recovered. However, Jack remained a sickly child throughout his youth, frequently battling various ailments. His family humorously remarked about the significant risk a mosquito undertook when biting him – suggesting that the mosquito would likely perish from the encounter due to the state of his blood!
When Jack was three, the Kennedy family relocated to a larger, more impressive home just a few blocks from their original house in Brookline, a desirable suburb of Boston. This new residence was a grand twelve-room house, featuring turreted windows and a spacious porch. Jack’s father, Joseph, driven by immense energy and ambition, was relentlessly working to build his fortune as a businessman. Having faced prejudice as an Irish Catholic while studying at Harvard College, he vowed to become a millionaire by the age of 35. Boston in that era was rife with prejudice against Irish Catholics, but Joseph Kennedy was determined to overcome these barriers and achieve success. Jack’s great-grandparents had immigrated from Ireland and, despite facing considerable hardship, managed to provide for their families. His grandfathers further improved their family’s standing, both becoming prominent figures in Boston politics. As a result of his family’s upward trajectory, John F. Kennedy was born into a life of considerable comfort and privilege. The Kennedys possessed everything they could possibly need and more.
By the time Jack reached the age of eight, the Kennedy household had grown to include seven children. Jack had an older brother, Joe Jr.; four sisters, Rosemary, Kathleen, Eunice, and Patricia; and a younger brother, Robert. Jean and Edward (Teddy) were yet to be born. A team of nannies and housekeepers assisted Rose in managing the large and bustling household.
At the close of each school year, the Kennedy children would retreat to their summer home in Hyannis Port on Cape Cod, a coastal haven where they reveled in swimming, sailing, and spirited games of touch football. Competition was a central theme in the Kennedy children’s lives, instilled and encouraged by their father, Joseph Sr., particularly amongst the boys.
He was a demanding father with exceptionally high expectations, wanting his sons to excel in sports and every other endeavor they pursued. His frequent mantra was, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” However, these competitive urges occasionally escalated too far. One instance involved Joe suggesting a bicycle race with Jack, resulting in a head-on collision. Joe escaped unscathed, while Jack required twenty-eight stitches. Given Joe’s two-year age and physical advantage over Jack, physical altercations often resulted in Jack bearing the brunt of it. Jack was, notably, the only sibling who posed any genuine challenge to Joe’s position as the dominant eldest child.
Despite the sibling rivalry, Jack was a popular figure with many friends at Choate, a prestigious boarding school for adolescent boys in Connecticut. He actively participated in tennis, basketball, football, and golf, and also developed a love for reading. His friend Lem Billings recalled Jack’s unusual habit of subscribing to the New York Times daily, even as a student. Jack possessed a “clever, individualist mind,” as noted by his Headmaster, though he wasn’t consistently a top student. He didn’t always apply himself fully, except in history and English, his favored subjects.
“Now Jack,” his father wrote in a letter, “I don’t want to give the impression that I am a nagger, for goodness knows I think that is the worse thing any parent can be, and I also feel that you know if I didn’t really feel you had the goods I would be most charitable in my attitude toward your failings. After long experience in sizing up people I definitely know you have the goods and you can go a long way…It is very difficult to make up fundamentals that you have neglected when you were very young, and that is why I am urging you to do the best you can. I am not expecting too much, and I will not be disappointed if you don’t turn out to be a real genius, but I think you can be a really worthwhile citizen with good judgment and understanding.”
Jack graduated from Choate and enrolled at Harvard in 1936, where Joe Jr. was already studying. Following in his brother’s footsteps, Jack joined the football team. While not as naturally gifted an athlete as Joe, Jack compensated with immense determination and persistence. Unfortunately, during a football game, he suffered a severe spinal disk rupture. Jack never fully recovered from this injury, and his back would trouble him for the remainder of his life.
Both Joe Jr. and John F. Kennedy were charismatic, affable, and intelligent young men, and their father harbored great aspirations for both of them. However, it was Joe Jr. who, from a young age, declared his ambition to become the first Catholic President of the United States. No one who knew him doubted his resolve. Jack, conversely, appeared somewhat less overtly ambitious. He was actively involved in student organizations and sports, and he excelled in his history and government courses, although his overall grades remained just average.
In late 1937, Joseph Kennedy Sr. received a significant appointment as the United States Ambassador to England. He relocated his entire family, with the exception of Joe Jr. and Jack, who were still at Harvard, to London. His father’s diplomatic role ignited Jack’s deep interest in European politics and global affairs. Following a summer visit to England and other European countries, Jack returned to Harvard with a renewed eagerness to study history and government and to stay informed about current global events.
Joe Jr. and Jack regularly received letters from their father in England, providing them with firsthand accounts of the escalating conflicts and tensions in Europe that threatened to erupt into a large-scale war. Adolph Hitler’s Germany and Benito Mussolini’s Italy were expanding their military power and aggressively seeking territorial expansion. On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland, marking the official start of World War II.
By this time, John F. Kennedy was in his senior year at Harvard. He decided to focus his senior thesis on the reasons behind Great Britain’s lack of preparedness for war with Germany. This thesis was later published as a book titled Why England Slept. In June 1940, Jack graduated from Harvard. His father sent him a congratulatory cablegram from London: “TWO THINGS I ALWAYS KNEW ABOUT YOU ONE THAT YOU ARE SMART TWO THAT YOU ARE A SWELL GUY LOVE DAD.”
World War II Service and the Path to Politics for John F. Kennedy
Shortly after graduation, both Joe Jr. and John F. Kennedy enlisted in the Navy. Joe Jr. became a pilot and was deployed to Europe, while Jack was commissioned as a Lieutenant (Lt.) and assigned to the South Pacific, commanding a patrol torpedo boat, PT-109.
Lt. Kennedy’s PT-109 crew of twelve men was tasked with disrupting Japanese supply lines to their forces. On the night of August 2, 1943, Lt. Kennedy’s boat patrolled the waters, searching for enemy vessels to engage. Suddenly, a Japanese destroyer appeared, traveling at high speed and heading directly towards them. At the helm, Lt. Kennedy attempted to maneuver out of the path of the oncoming destroyer, but was unsuccessful. The significantly larger Japanese warship collided with the PT-109, cutting it in half and tragically killing two of Lt. Kennedy’s crew. The remaining crew members managed to jump overboard as their boat was engulfed in flames. Lt. Kennedy was violently thrown against the cockpit, further aggravating his existing back injury. Patrick McMahon, one of his crew, suffered severe burns to his face and hands and was on the verge of giving up. In the darkness, Lt. Kennedy located McMahon and pulled him back to the survivors clinging to a piece of the wreckage. At daybreak, Lt. Kennedy led his men to a small island several miles away. Despite his own injuries, Lt. Kennedy towed Patrick McMahon ashore, using a strap from McMahon’s life jacket clenched between his teeth. Six days later, two native islanders discovered them and sought help, carrying a message that Jack had etched onto a coconut shell. The following day, the PT-109 crew was rescued. Tragically, Jack’s brother Joe Jr. did not survive the war. He died a year later when his plane exploded during a perilous mission in Europe.
Upon his return home, John F. Kennedy was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for his exceptional leadership and bravery during the PT-109 incident. With the war drawing to a close, he faced a pivotal decision regarding his future career path. He had considered careers in teaching or writing, but Joe Jr.’s untimely death dramatically altered his course. After thoughtful discussions with his father about his future, Joseph Kennedy Sr. persuaded Jack to run for Congress in Massachusetts’ eleventh congressional district. He successfully won the election in 1946, marking the commencement of John F. Kennedy’s political career. Over the ensuing years, John F. Kennedy, as a Democrat, served three terms (six years) in the House of Representatives, and in 1952, he was elected to the United States Senate.
Shortly after his election to the Senate, John F. Kennedy, at the age of 36, married 24-year-old Jacqueline Bouvier, a writer for the Washington Times-Herald. Early in their marriage, Senator Kennedy experienced a resurgence of back pain, necessitating two serious spinal operations. While recuperating from surgery, he authored a book about several U.S. Senators who had bravely risked their careers to champion their beliefs. This book, Profiles in Courage, received the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for biography in 1957. In the same year, the Kennedys welcomed their first child, Caroline.
John F. Kennedy’s popularity as a politician was rapidly growing. In 1956, he was a strong contender for the vice-presidential nomination. Ultimately, Kennedy decided to set his sights on the presidency in the upcoming election.
He embarked on an intense campaign schedule, working tirelessly and traveling across the United States on weekends. On July 13, 1960, the Democratic party officially nominated him as their candidate for president. Kennedy selected Lyndon B. Johnson, a senator from Texas, as his running mate for vice president. In the general election held on November 8, 1960, Kennedy narrowly defeated the Republican Vice President Richard M. Nixon in a very closely contested race. At 43 years old, John F. Kennedy became the youngest man ever elected president and the first Catholic to hold the office. Prior to his inauguration, his second child, John Jr., was born. His father affectionately nicknamed him John-John.
John F. Kennedy’s Presidency: The New Frontier and его Legacy
John F. Kennedy was inaugurated as the 35th President of the United States on January 20, 1961. His inaugural address resonated deeply with the nation, emphasizing the need for active citizenship. “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country,” he famously declared. He also called upon the nations of the world to unite against “the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself.” President Kennedy, along with his wife Jacqueline and their two young children, brought a renewed sense of youthfulness and dynamism to the White House. The Kennedys envisioned the White House as a center for celebrating American history, culture, and achievement. They frequently hosted artists, writers, scientists, poets, musicians, actors, and athletes. Jacqueline Kennedy shared her husband’s passion for American history. She spearheaded a significant restoration project, acquiring and showcasing fine art and furniture produced in the United States to transform the White House into a true reflection of America’s rich history and artistic heritage. Her efforts were widely admired and appreciated.
The White House also became known as a place of warmth and family life, largely due to the presence of Caroline and John-John. A pre-school, a swimming pool, and a treehouse were added to the White House grounds. Despite his immense presidential responsibilities, President Kennedy prioritized spending time laughing and playing with his children.
However, the presidency also brought immense burdens and anxieties. One of President Kennedy’s greatest concerns was the looming threat of nuclear war between the United States and the Soviet Union. He understood the catastrophic consequences of such a conflict, which could result in millions of deaths. The ‘Cold War’, an era of intense tension and mistrust between the two superpowers following World War II, was a conflict unlike any the world had previously witnessed. It was essentially a ideological struggle between the Soviet Union’s communist system and the United States’ democratic system. Fueled by mutual suspicion, both countries amassed enormous arsenals of nuclear weapons. On numerous occasions, the Cold War teetered on the brink of nuclear war, such as during the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 and disputes over the divided city of Berlin.
President Kennedy maintained a demanding schedule, typically rising at seven in the morning and working until eleven or twelve at night, or even later. He began each day by reading six newspapers while eating breakfast, followed by meetings with key advisors and officials throughout the day, and diligently reviewed reports from his staff. He was deeply committed to making the most informed and effective decisions for the nation. “I am asking each of you to be new pioneers on that New Frontier,” he proclaimed. The New Frontier was not a geographical location, but rather a philosophy of progress and action. President Kennedy envisioned the United States leading the way into the future through scientific advancements, educational improvements, expanded employment opportunities, and progress in other vital areas. He championed democracy and freedom for all people worldwide.
One of President Kennedy’s early initiatives was the creation of the Peace Corps. This program, which continues to this day, allows Americans to volunteer their skills and services in countries around the world that require assistance. Peace Corps volunteers contribute to areas such as education, agriculture, healthcare, and infrastructure development. Many young Americans have served as Peace Corps volunteers, earning respect and goodwill for the United States across the globe.
President Kennedy was also determined for the United States to take the lead in space exploration. The Soviet Union had gained an early advantage in the space race, and President Kennedy was committed to surpassing them. He asserted, “No nation which expects to be the leader of other nations can expect to stay behind in this race for space.” Kennedy became the first president to request Congressional approval for over $22 billion for Project Apollo, with the ambitious objective of landing an American man on the moon before the end of the 1960s.
Domestically, President Kennedy confronted significant challenges, most notably racial discrimination. The U.S. Supreme Court had declared in 1954 that segregation in public schools was unconstitutional, mandating the integration of Black and white students. This was now the law of the land. However, many schools, particularly in the Southern states, defied this ruling. Racial segregation also persisted on buses, in restaurants, movie theaters, and other public spaces.
Thousands of Americans, from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, united to peacefully protest this injustice.
Martin Luther King Jr. emerged as a prominent leader of the Civil Rights Movement. Many civil rights advocates felt that President Kennedy was not sufficiently supportive of their cause initially. The President worried that public protests would alienate many white Americans and further complicate efforts to persuade reluctant members of Congress to pass civil rights legislation. However, by June 11, 1963, President Kennedy concluded that stronger action was necessary to advance the civil rights movement. He proposed a comprehensive Civil Rights bill to Congress and addressed the nation on television, urging Americans to end racism. “One hundred years of delay have passed since President Lincoln freed the slaves, yet their heirs, their grandsons, are not fully free,” he stated. “This Nation was founded by men of many nations and backgrounds…[and] on the principle that all men are created equal.” President Kennedy unequivocally declared that all Americans, regardless of their race, should have the opportunity to live good and fulfilling lives in the United States.
The Tragic Assassination of President John F. Kennedy
On November 21, 1963, President Kennedy traveled to Texas to deliver a series of political speeches. The following day, November 22, as his motorcade slowly proceeded through cheering crowds in Dallas, gunfire erupted. President Kennedy was critically wounded and died shortly thereafter. Within hours of the shooting, police arrested Lee Harvey Oswald and charged him with the murder. On November 24, Jack Ruby fatally shot Oswald, silencing the only individual who could have potentially provided further insights into this devastating event. The Warren Commission was established to investigate the assassination and address the many unanswered questions that remained.
The Lasting Legacy of John F. Kennedy
President Kennedy’s assassination plunged the nation into profound sorrow and mourning. Most Americans vividly remember where they were and what they were doing when they received the news. Hundreds of thousands of people gathered in Washington, D.C., for the President’s funeral, and millions around the world watched the solemn proceedings on television.
As years have passed and subsequent presidents have shaped history, John F. Kennedy’s brief tenure in office continues to resonate in people’s memories, remembered for his leadership, charisma, and accomplishments. Many admire his composure and decisiveness in the face of critical decisions, such as his handling of the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. Others are inspired by his ability to move and motivate people through his eloquent speeches. Still others value his compassion and commitment to enacting government programs aimed at assisting the poor, the elderly, and the sick. Like all leaders, John F. Kennedy made mistakes, but he remained consistently optimistic about the future. He believed in the capacity of people to solve shared problems by prioritizing their nation’s interests and working collaboratively.
