Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy, often referred to by his initials JFK, was the thirty-fifth President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963.After Kennedy's military service as commander of the Motor Torpedo Boat PT-109 during World War II in the South Pacific, his aspirations turned political, with the encouragement and grooming of his father, Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. Kennedy represented the state of Massachusetts in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1947 to 1953 as a Democrat, and in the U.S. Senate from 1953 until 1960. Kennedy defeated then Vice President and Republican candidate Richard Nixon in the 1960 U.S. presidential election, one of the closest in American history. He is the only practicing Roman Catholic to be president, as well as the youngest elected to the office, at the age of 43. Kennedy is also the only president to have won a Pulitzer Prize. Events during his administration include the Bay of Pigs Invasion, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the building of the Berlin Wall, the Space Race, the African American Civil Rights Movement, and early events of the Vietnam War.Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas. Lee Harvey Oswald was charged with the crime and was murdered two days later by Jack Ruby before he could be put on trial. The Warren Commission concluded that Oswald had acted alone in killing the president; however, the House Select Committee on Assassinations declared in 1979 that there was more likely a conspiracy that included Oswald. The entire subject remains controversial, with multiple theories about the assassination still being debated. The event proved to be an important moment in U.S. history because of its impact on the nation and the ensuing political repercussions. Today, Kennedy continues to rank highly in public opinion ratings of former U.S. presidents.
Father of Arabella Kennedy, Caroline Kennedy , John Kennedy Jr. , and Patrick Bouvier Kennedy.
Brother-in-law of Peter Lawford.
Uncle of Maria Shriver , Tim Shriver , Mark Shriver , Robert Shriver and Anthony Shriver. Grandfather of Jack Schlossberg , Rose Schlossberg and Tatiana Kennedy Schlossberg.
Believed to have been shot by Lee Harvey Oswald , who was later killed by Jack Ruby.
Was the first and to date only Roman Catholic US President.
Was the youngest elected US President.
Was the 35th President of the US, from 1961-63.
Attended the installation in Rome of Pope Pius XII with his parents and family.
In 1956 his wife Jacqueline Kennedy gave birth to their first child, Arabella Kennedy. She was stillborn.
Son John Kennedy Jr. , born 25 November 1960 and died 16 July 1999.
His fourth child, Patrick Bouvier Kennedy, died from infant respiratory-distress syndrome two days after his birth in the summer of 1963.
Was instrumental in the creation of the space program, and in just eight years (1961-69) the US sent a man to the moon.
Appointed his brother, Robert F. Kennedy , as US Attorney General. After his appointment, Congress enacted laws to prevent immediate family members from serving in the Presidents cabinet.
Daughter Caroline Kennedy , born 27 November 1957.
Graduated from the Choate School in Connecticut in 1935.
Was elected to the House of Representatives in 1946 and to the United States Senate in 1952.
In 1940 he wrote the best-selling book "While England Slept", about some of the decisions which led to World War II.
Suffered from Addisons disease.
He created the Peace Corps.
He graduated from Harvard in 1940.
Was named after his grandfather, John Fitzgerald, who was elected mayor of Boston, MA, in 1905.
In 1955 he wrote the book "Profiles in Courage", which won the Pulitzer Prize in Biography or Autobiography in 1957.
Served in the United States Navy during World War II.
He was the youngest man elected President, and the youngest to die.
Son of Joseph P. Kennedy and Rose Kennedy.
Brother of Ted Kennedy , Jean Kennedy Smith and Eunice Kennedy Shriver.
His father never called him Jack, he always called him Johnny.
Uncle of Christopher Lawford
Pictured on a 5 US memorial postage stamp issued 29 May 1964 (birthday following assassination).
Pictured on the 13 US postage stamp in the original Prominent Americans series, issued 29 May 1967 (50th anniversary of his birth).
In 1961 he was chosen as Time Magazines "Man of the Year".
During a stopover in Palm Beach, FL, en route to Dallas, TX, on November 17, 1963, a private screening of Tom Jones was organized for him. It was the last film he saw.
During his tenure at the White House, Kennedy, like Herbert Hoover before him, refused to accept a presidential salary.
While in office, the family Secret Service code names were: Lancer (The President); Lace (Jacqueline Kennedy ); Lyric (Caroline Kennedy ); Lark (John Kennedy Jr. ). "SS-100-X" was the code for the 1961 Presidential Lincoln Continental four door convertible limousine (model 74A).
Died November 22, 1963, the same day as C.S. Lewis and Aldous Huxley.
Although he was the youngest person elected president, he was not the youngest person to become president. That was Theodore Roosevelt , who became president after William McKinley was shot.
US Senator from Massachusetts from 1953-61.
His Vice President, Texas congressman Lyndon Johnson , campaigned against him for the presidential spot in 1960, and Kennedy later chose him to be his Vice President because he needed Johnson to win over southern voters. Johns brother, Robert F. Kennedy , disliked Johnson intensely and the feeling was mutual.
Was a natural speed reader. He could read about 2,500 wpm (ten times the average reading speed). He would read six newspapers from front to back while he had breakfast.
In stark contrast to his own poor physical health, his younger brother Robert F. Kennedy was a very strong and physically active man who enjoyed hiking and canoeing among other outdoor sports.
His favorite film was Spartacus .
His funeral took place on the same day as that of Lee Harvey Oswald and Officer J.D. Tippit , the Dallas policeman who was killed by Oswald.
His assassination inspired journalist Hunter S. Thompson to create his famous phrase, "Fear and Loathing".
He, Lee Harvey Oswald and Jack Ruby all died in Parkland Hospital in Dallas, TX.
The Lincoln Continental convertible limousine (plate: GG 300) in which he and then Texas governor John Connally and wife Nellie Connally were riding in on the day of Kennedys assassination is on display in a museum in Dearborn, MI.
In the course of his famous 1963 speech near the Berlin Wall, Kennedy had meant to say, "Ich bin Berliner" (I am a Berliner). Since nationalities in German are not preceded by articles, Kennedy actually said, "Ich bin ein Berliner" (I am one with the people of Berlin). The urban legend that it translates into "I am a jelly donut" is a myth, since the pastry is known in Germany as "pfannkuchen" (pan cake).
Was portrayed by Martin Sheen in the miniseries "Kennedy" .
The second of only two US presidents to be entombed in Arlington National Cemetery, the first being William Howard Taft.
"Black Jack", the riderless horse that served at his funeral, also participated in the funeral ceremonies of Presidents Herbert Hoover and Lyndon Johnson and Gen. Douglas MacArthur. Coincidentally, "Black Jack" was also the nickname of Jacqueline Kennedy s father.
Brother-in-law of Lee Radziwill
He had numerous bizarre distant connections with the 16th US president, Abraham Lincoln.
Although privately he suffered from numerous illnesses and ailments, he insisted on a public image of rugged fitness and masculinity. Following his infamous debate against Richard Nixon , he spent a week in Florida tanning and working out on the beach. He was often photographed playing football with younger brother Robert F. Kennedy , working out and playing various sports with his family. In one famous photograph, he is pictured wearing a leather jacket, jeans and sunglasses, casually leaning against a wall. In reality, he was so exhausted from getting over a virus and the job, that he literally fell asleep standing up.
Was portrayed by Stephen Collins in "A Woman Named Jackie" and Martin Donovan in RFK .
Grandson of Congressman John F. Fitzgerald.
Uncle of Kathleen Kennedy Townsend , Joseph Kennedy and Congressman Patrick Kennedy.
Both he and his brother Robert F. Kennedy have been portrayed by Martin Sheen.
Was an avid reader, and at one point expressed his fondness for the James Bond novels of Ian Fleming. He said that a particular favorite was "From Russia with Love". For this reason, the producers of the Bond series made From Russia with Love the second Bond film.
Encouraged Kirk Douglas to make the anti-nuclear movie Seven Days in May .
Was a Fourth-Degree member of the Knights of Columbus, belonging to both the Bunker Hill No. 62 and the Bishop Cheverus General Assembly.
Fourth US president to be assassinated (unsuccessful attempts had been made on Presidents Andrew Jackson and Harry S. Truman , and on President-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt ) and the seventh president to die in office.
He was a big fan of the Boston Red Sox baseball team. This was something instilled in him by his grandfather, Boston mayor John Francis Fitzgerald (aka "Honey Fitz"), who was himself a member of The Royal Rooters, a turn-of-the-century Red Sox fan club.
His sister Jean Kennedy Smith was US ambassador to Ireland from June 1993-September 1998.
His portrait appears on the US half-dollar coin.
The street Rue John-F-Kennedy in downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada, is named in his honor.
When he died in 1963 he left an estate estimated at $10 million, all of which derives from trust funds established by his father, Joseph P. Kennedy.
PT 109--the boat that he commanded during World War II--was mentioned on more than one occasion on the television series, "McHales Navy" , Kennedy is referred to, but he is never mentioned by name. On at least one episode, however, PT 109 is seen backing out of the dock next to the one where McHales PT boat is, although no one can be seen on it.
He is mentioned in the lyrics of the songs "Killer Queen" by Queen , "Hey Manhattan!" by Prefab Sprout and "We Didnt Start the Fire" by Billy Joel.
The Oscar-winning "High Hopes" (from A Hole in the Head ) was Kennedys official presidential campaign song.
Uncle of Anthony Radziwill and Tina Radziwill.
Considered his younger brother Robert F. Kennedy to be his top advisor and closest friend. Bobby similarly felt the same way about Jack and was "utterly devastated" by Jacks death in 1963. Friends and family said that, after his brothers death, Bobby was never the same man.
Despite their later close bond, he and brother Robert F. Kennedy were not close growing up. This was due, in part, to the eight-year age difference between them. It was not until Jack, during his third term as a Massachusetts congressman, took a seven-week trip through the Far East and parts of the Middle East, and took Bobby (who had just graduated from law school) with him that they grew closer. During the trip the duo discovered their mutual similarities and forged the deep bond that would last until Jacks death. Jack appointed Bobby his campaign manager in 1952 and in 1960 he was reportedly so close to Bobby that while he was President he would often ask "Wheres Bobby?" during important meetings, and would finally relax when Bobby showed up. For his part, Bobbys devout loyalty to Jack was often ridiculed and parodied by the media. Bobby, loving to poke fun at himself, often joked, "If I find the guy who says Im too ruthless, Ill kill him".
During his entire political career, he never once lost a single election.
Journalist Jeff Greenfield (who later became a speech writer for Robert F. Kennedy ) described Jack as "the guy who looked like your cool older brother".
When he visited Ireland in late June 1963, he became the first sitting U.S. President to set foot on Irish soil.
His 1953 marriage to Jacqueline Kennedy (then Jacqueline Bouvier) was celebrated at St. Marys Church in Newport, RI, where more than 700 guests were in attendance. The couple later went to Hammersmith Farm overlooking Narragansett Bay (Rhode Island Sound), where a reception for 900 guests was lavishly catered. Best man at the wedding was Kennedys brother Robert F. Kennedy. Among the ushers were Ted Kennedy , George A. Smathers and Sargent Shriver. Jacquelines matron-of-honor was sister Lee Bouvier (aka Lee Radziwill ).
Only US President to predecease both his parents: (father) Joseph P. Kennedy (d. 18 November 1969); (mother) Rose Kennedy (d. 22 January 1995).
Was the first Irish-American Catholic president (several previous presidents, none of whom were Catholic, had varying degrees of Irish-born ancestors).
Was the first US President to be born in the 20th century.
After the parade through Dallas, Kennedy was scheduled to attend a Texas barbecue and then spend the night at Vice President Lyndon Johnson s ranch. Johnson had organized a whip-cracking and sheep-herding demonstration for Kennedys entertainment.
The Kennedy assassination (Nov. 22, 1963) occurred on a Friday. The 50th anniversary of the Kennedy assassination (Nov. 22, 2013) also fell on a Friday.
His great-grandfather, Patrick Kennedy, was a very poor Irish immigrant who emigrated to America in the fall of 1848. He fell sick from cholera and died in his Boston home on November 22, 1858, exactly 105 years to the day of JFKs assassination.
His younger sister, Kathleen Kick Kennedy , married English politician and soldier William Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington, in the spring of 1944. This angered father Joseph P. Kennedy , who hated the idea of his Irish-American daughter marrying an English man.
His older sister, Rosemary Kennedy , was born with learning deficits and had to be placed in alternative school. This shamed their father, Joseph P. Kennedy , who wanted all of his Kennedy children to be perfect in every way. In 1941 he forced Rosemary to undergo a lobotomy that went devastatingly wrong, causing her to become mentally incapacitated for the rest of her life.
During the Cuban Missile Crisis he secretly agreed to remove US missiles from Turkey and Italy, and publicly announced that the United States would never invade Cuba again.
He refused to provide air support for the Bay of Pigs invasion, even though Dwight D. Eisenhower had provided air support for the 1954 Guatemalan coup detat.
He increased the number of American soldiers in South Vietnam, and tolerated an illegal coup dtat there on 1-2 November 1963.
His official height was six foot, although Kennedy himself said he was 511".
Has an airport named after him in New York.
Pictured on a USA nondemoninated commemorative stamp issued 20 February 2017. Price on first day of issue was 49. The stamp was issued in sheets of 12; the sheets selvage featured the official White House portrait painted by Aaron Shikler.
Caused the Skybolt Crisis in December 1962 when he almost canceled the UKs nuclear deterrent, until being informed it would likely bring down Harold Macmillan s government.
Over two thousand books has been written about the events surrounding his assassination.
Personally ordered the Bay of Pigs invasion on 4 April 1961.
The failure of the Bay of Pigs Invasion, the construction of the Berlin Wall, and a negotiated settlement between the pro-Western government of Laos and the Pathet Lao communist movement made Kennedy believe that another failure to stop Communist expansion would fatally damage U.S. credibility with its allies and his own reputation. Kennedy was thus determined to "draw a line in the sand" and prevent a Communist victory in Vietnam.
Served 1,037 days as the 35th President of the USA (20 Jan. 1961 - 22 Nov. 1963).
In November 2017 newly released documents showed Kennedy considered manufacturing or obtaining Soviet aircraft in March 1962 in order to launch an attack on American or friendly bases that could then provide an excuse for war.
Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your,country.
[5/25/61, in a special address to Congress] I believe that this nation,should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out,of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the Earth.
[1/20/61 inaugural address, on joint US/Soviet scientific ventures] Let,both sides seek to invoke the wonders of science instead of its,terrors.
[1/30/61, State of the Union address] In a very real sense, it will not,be one man going to the moon . . . it will be an entire nation. For all,of us must work to put him there.
Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall,pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend,oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.
Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names.
[6/26/63, speech in West Berlin, Germany] Two thousand years ago, the,proudest boast was "Civis Romanus sum". Today, in the world of freedom,the proudest boast is "Ich bin ein Berliner". All free men, wherever,they may live, are citizens of Berlin, and, therefore, as a free man, I,take pride in the words "Ich bin ein Berliner!".
I am certain that after the dust of centuries has passed over our,cities, we, too, will be remembered not for victories or defeats in,battle or in politics but for our contributions to the human spirit.
Victory has a thousand fathers but defeat is an orphan.
Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth.
. . and if he became President, we could expect Republican policy would,switch to the right. He is a filthy, lying son-of-a-bitch, and a very,dangerous man.
[9/12/62, speech at Rice University, Houston, TX] We choose to go to the,moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy,but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to measure and,organize the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is,one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone and,one which we intend to win, and the others, too.
Let us never negotiate out of fear, but let us never fear to negotiate.
[6/10/63, in a commencement address] The United States, as the world,knows, will never start a war. We do not want a war. We do not now,expect a war. This generation of Americans has already had enough--more,than enough--of war and hate and oppression.
We shall do our part to build a world of peace where the weak are safe,and the strong are just. We are not helpless before the task or,hopeless of its success. Confident and unafraid, we must labor on--not,towards a strategy of annihilation but towards a strategy of peace.
Our problems are manmade. Therefore, they can be solved by man. And man,can be as big as he wants. No problem of human destiny is beyond human,beings.
[after the Bay of Pigs invasion] The advice of those who were brought in,on the executive branch was unanimous, and the advice was wrong. And I,was responsible.
[1962] If anybody is around to write after this, they are going to,understand that we made every effort to find peace and every effort to,give our adversary room to move. I am not going to push the Russians an,inch beyond what is necessary.
[in the fall of 1960] I suppose if I win, my poon days are over.
[November 1961] This chimpanzee who is flying in space took off at,10:08. He reports that everything is perfect and working well.
I must say, in defense of our own country, if the United States had not,emphasized the military since 1945, the shape of the globe would be,very different than it is today. So that those who feel that we,overemphasize it might consider the fate of freedom if we had not,emphasized it.
[June 11, 1963] It is not enough to pin the blame on others, to say this,is the problem of one section of one country or another, or deplore the,fact that we face. A great change is at hand, and our task, our,obligation, is to make that revolution, than change, peaceful and,constructive for all. Those who do nothing are inviting shame, as well,as violence. Those who act boldly are recognizing right, as well as,reality.
[June 11, 1963] If an American, because his skin is dark, cannot eat,lunch in a restaurant open to the public, if he cannot send his,children to the best public school available, if he cannot vote for the,public officials who will represent him, if, in short, he cannot enjoy,the full and free life which all of us want, then who among us would be,content to have the color of his skin changed and stand in his place?,Who among us would then be content with the counsels of patience and,delay?,[1962] Too often in the past we have thought of the artist as an idler,and dilettante and of the lover of arts as somehow sissy or effete. We,have done both an injustice. The life of the artist is, in relation to,his work, stern and lonely. He has labored hard, often among,deprivation, to perfect his skill. He has turned aside from quick,success in order to strip his vision of everything secondary or,cheapening. His working life is marked by intense application and,intense discipline. As for the lover of arts, it is he who, by,subjecting himself to the sometimes disturbing experience of art,sustains the artist - and seeks only the reward that his life will, in,consequence, be the more fully lived.
[March 1962] I sometimes think we are too much impressed by the clamor,of daily events. Newspaper headlines and the television screens give us,a short view . . . Yet it is the profound tendencies of history, and,not the passing excitements, that will shape our future.
[on Inauguration Day, January 21, 1961] The energy, the faith, the,devotion which we bring to this endeavour will light our country and,all who serve it - and the glow from that fire can truly light the,world.
[on Inauguration Day, January 20, 1961] Together, let us explore the,stars, conquer the deserts, tap the ocean depths and encourage the arts,and commerce.
[to 49 Nobel Prize winners who came for dinner] This is the most,extraordinary collection of talent that has ever gathered at the White,House--with the possibility of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone.
We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is,to sail or watch - we are going back from whence we came.
The rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened.
A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on. Ideas have endurance without death.
Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate.
Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men.
The great enemy of truth is very often not the lie--deliberate, contrived and dishonest--but the myth--persistent, persuasive and unrealistic. Too often we hold fast to the cliches of our forebears. We subject all facts to a prefabricated set of interpretations. We enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.
Liberty without Learning is always in peril and Learning without Liberty is always in vain.
The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life.
To those peoples in the huts and villages of half the globe struggling to break the bonds of mass misery, we pledge our best efforts to help them help themselves, for whatever period is required - not because the Communists may be doing it, not because we seek their votes, but because it is right. If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.
I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute - where no Catholic prelate would tell the President (should he be Catholic) how to act, and no Protestant minister would tell his parishioners for whom to vote - where no church or church school is granted any public funds or political preference - and where no man is denied public office merely because his religion differs from the President who might appoint him or the people who might elect him. I believe in an America that is officially neither Catholic, Protestant nor Jewish - where no public official either requests or accepts instructions on public policy from the Pope, the National Council of Churches or any other ecclesiastical source - where no religious body seeks to impose its will directly or indirectly upon the general populace or the public acts of its officials - and where religious liberty is so indivisible that an act against one church is treated as an act against all.
In a time of turbulence and change, it is more true than ever that knowledge is power.
Our progress as a nation can be not swifter than our progress in education.
Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth.
Freedom is being allowed to think your own thoughts and live your own life.
I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute - where no Catholic prelate would tell the President (should he be Catholic) how to act, and no Protestant minister would tell his parishioners for whom to vote - where no church or church school is granted any public funds or political preference - and where no man is denied public office merely because his religion differs from the President who might appoint him or the people who might elect him. I believe in an America that is officially neither Catholic, Protestant nor Jewish - where no public official either requests or accepts instructions on public policy from the Pope, the National Council of Churches or any other ecclesiastical source - where no religious body seeks to impose its will directly or indirectly upon the general populace or the public acts of its officials - and where religious liberty is so indivisible that an act against one church is treated as an act agains,Time and the world do not stand still. Change is the law of life.
It is not only the unit vote for the Presidency we are talking about, but a whole solar system of governmental power. If it is proposed to change the balance of power of one of the elements of the solar system, it is necessary to consider the others.
Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or the present are certain to miss the f,Peace is a daily, a weekly, a monthly process, gradually changing opinions, slowly eroding old barriers, quietly building new structures. And however undramatic the pursuit of peace, that pursuit must,If art is to nourish the roots of our culture, society must set the artist free to follow his vision wherever it takes him.
Victory has a hundred fathers and defeat is an o,Leadership and learning are indispensable to each,Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.
All this will not be finished in the first one hundred days. Nor will it be finished in the first one thousand days . . . nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin.
Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronge,Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names.
It is not always easy. Your successes are unheralded -- your failures are trumpeted. I sometimes have that feeling my,The highest duty of the writer is to remain true to himself and let the chips fall where they may. In serving his vision of the truth the artist best serves his nation.
The greater our knowledge increases the greater our ignorance unfolds.
The great enemy of truth is very often not the lie--deliberate, contrived and dishonest--but the myth--persistent, persuasive and unrealistic. Too often we hold fast to the cliches of our forebears. We subject all facts to a prefabricated set of interpretations. We enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of th,She breathes all the political gases that flow around this, but she never seems to inhale them.
Without debate, without criticism no administration and no country can succeed and no republic can survive.
We set sail on this new sea because there is new knowledge to be gained, and new rights to be won, and they must be won and used for the progress of all people. For space science, like nuclear science and technology, has no conscience of its own. Whether it will become a force for good or ill depends on man, and only if the United States occupies a position of preeminence can we help decide whether this new ocean will be a sea of peace or a new terrifying theater of war.
We must find time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives.
As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by,Let Us Be GratefulToday we give our thanks most of all, for the ideals of honor and faith we inherit from our forefathers - for the decency of purpose, steadfastness of resolve and strength of will, for the courage and the humility, which they possessed and which we must seek every day to emulate. As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them.
We are not afraid to entrust the American people with unpleasant facts, foreign ideas, alien philosophies, and competitive values. For a nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its pe,Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans, born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage, and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today at home and around the world. Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.
The interaction of disparate cultures, the vehemence of the ideals that led the immigrants here, the opportunity offered by a new life, all gave America a flavor and a character that make it as unmistakable and as remarkable to people today as it was to Alexis de Tocqueville in the early part of the nineteenth century.
The cost of freedom is always high, but Americans have always paid it. And one path we shall never choose, and that is the path of surrender, or submission.
Geography has made us neighbors. History has made us friends. Economics has made us partners. And necessity has made us allies. Those whom nature hath so joined together, let no man put asunder.
Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevit,Truth is a tyrant-the only tyrant to whom we can give our allegiance. The service of truth is a matter of heroism.
For we are opposed around the world by a monolithic and ruthless conspiracy that relies primarily on covert means for expanding its sphere of influence -- on infiltration instead of invasion, on subversion instead of elections, on intimidation instead of free choice, on guerrillas by night instead of armies by day. It is a system which has conscripted vast human and material resources into the building of a tightly knit, highly efficient machine that combines military, diplomatic, intelligence, economic, scientific and political operations. Its preparations are concealed, not published. Its mistakes are buried, not headlined. Its dissenters are silenced, not praised. No expenditure is questioned, no rumor is printed, no secret is revealed. It conducts the Cold War, in short, with a war-time discipline no democracy would ever hope or wish to match.
The time to repair the roof is when the sun is sh,Peace is a process - a way of solving problems.
In the years since man unlocked the power stored up within the atom, the world has made progress, halting, but effective, toward bringing that power under human control. The challenge may be our salvation. As we begin to master the destructive potentialities of modern science, we move toward a new era in which science can fulfill its creative promise and help bring into existence the happiest society the world has ever known.
Freedom is indivisible, and when one man is enslaved, all are not free. JFK,I believe that this Nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to earth.
We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win.
There is no strife, no prejudice, no national conflict in outer space as yet. Its hazards are hostile to us all. Its conquest deserves the best of all mankind, and its opportunity for peaceful cooperation many never come again. But why, some say, the moon? Why choose this as our goal? And they may well ask why climb the highest mountain? Why, 35 years ago, fly the Atlantic? Why does Rice play Texa. . . s? We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too.
Terror is not a new weapon. Throughout history it has been used by those who could not prevail, either by persuasion or example. But inevitably they fail, either because men are not afraid to die for a life worth living, or because the terrorists themselves came to realize that free men cannot be frightened by threats, and that aggression would meet its own response. And it is in the light of that history that every nation today should know, be he friend or foe, that the United States has both the will and the weapons to join free men in standing up to their responsibilities.
When written in Chinese the word crisis is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity.
There are risks and costs to a program of action. But they are far less than the long-range risks and costs of comfortable inaction.
We should not let our fears hold us back from pursuing our hopes.
The White House was designed by Hoban a noted Irish-American architect and I have no doubt that he believed by incorporating several features of the Dublin style he would make it more homelike for any President of Irish descent. It was a long wait but I appreciate his efforts.
The one unchangeable certainty is that nothing is certain or unchangeable.
Everything changes but change itself.
Change is the law of life.
The courage of life is often a less dramatic spectacle than the courage of a final moment but it is no less a magnificent mixture of triumph and tragedy. A man does what he must - in spite of personal consequences in spite of obstacles and dangers and pressures - and that is the basis of all morality.
The courage of life is often a less dramatic spectacle than the courage of a final moment but it is no less a magnificent mixture of triumph and tragedy. A man does what he must- in spite of personal consequences in spite of obstacles and dangers and pressures-and that is the basis of all morality.
There is in addition to a courage with which men die a courage by which men must live.
When written in Chinese the word crisis is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity.
There are risks and costs to a program of action. But they are far less than the long-range risks and costs of comfortable inaction.
All this will not be finished in the first one hundred days. Nor will it be finished in the first one thousand days nor in the life of this administration nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet.
The complacent the self-indulgent the soft societies are about to be swept away with the debris of history.
If a free society cannot help the many who are poor it cannot save the few who are rich.
The Family of Man is more than three billion strong. It lives in more than one hundred nations. Most of its members are not white. Most of them are not Christians. Most of them know nothing about free enterprise or due process of law or the Australian ballot.
We should not let our fears hold us back from pursuing our hopes.
Every area of trouble gives out a ray of hope and the one unchangeable certainty is that nothing is certain or unchangeable.
I am not so much concerned with the right of everyone to say anything he pleases as I am about our need as self-governing people to hear everything relevant.
Let the word go forth from this time and place to friend and foe alike that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans - born in this century tempered by war disciplined by a hard and bitter peace proud of our ancient heritage - and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this nation has always been committed and to which we are committed today at home and around the world. Let every nation know whether it wishes us well or ill that we shall pay any price bear any burden meet any hardship support any friend oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty. All this will not be finished in the first 100 days. Nor will it be finished in the first 1 000 days nor in the life of this administration nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin. Now the trumpet summons us again - not as a call to bear arms though arms we need - not as a call to battle though embattled we are - but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle year in and year out "rejoicing in hope patient in tribulation"- a struggle against the common enemies of man: tyranny poverty disease and war itself. And so my fellow Americans ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country . My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you but what together we can do for the freedom of man.
Let every nation know whether it wishes us well or ill that we shall pay any price bear any burden meet any hardship support any friend oppose any foe in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty.
Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.
Peace is a daily a weekly a monthly process gradually changing opinions slowly eroding old barriers quietly building new structures. And however undramatic the pursuit of peace the pursuit must go on.
It takes two to make peace.
If we are strong our strength will speak for itself. If we are weak words will be no help.
Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.
If a free society cannot help the many who are poor it cannot save the few who are rich.
I am sorry to say there is too much point to the wise crack that life is extinct on other planets because their scientists were more advanced than ours.
If we are strong our strength will speak for itself. If we are weak words will be no help.
If we are strong our strength will speak for itself. If we are weak words will be no help.
If we are strong our strength will speak for itself. If we are weak words will be no help.
If we are strong our strength will speak for itself. If we are weak words will be no help.
If we are strong our strength will speak for itself. If we are weak words will be no help.
If we are strong our strength will speak for itself. If we are weak words will be no help.
If we are strong our strength will speak for itself. If we are weak words will be no help.
If we are strong our strength will speak for itself. If we are weak words will be no help.
War will exist until that distant day when the conscientious objector enjoys the same reputation and prestige that the warrior does today.
When written in Chinese the word "crisis" is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity.
Israel was not created in order to disappear - Israel will endure and flourish. It is the child of hope and the home of the brave. It can neither be broken by adversity nor demoralized by success. It carries the shield of democracy and it honors the sword of freedom.
I hope that no American will waste his franchise and throw away his vote by voting either for me or against me solely on account of my religious affiliation. It is not relevant.
As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.
Mankind must put an end to war before war puts an end to mankind.
Communism has never come to power in a country that was not disrupted by war or corruption, or both.
There is always inequality in life. Some men are killed in a war and some men are wounded and some men never leave the country. Life is unfair.
It is an unfortunate fact that we can secure peace only by preparing for war.
The world knows that America will never start a war. This generation of Americans has had enough of war and hate. . . we want to build a world of peace where the weak are secure and the strong are just.
War will exist until that distant day when the conscientious objector enjoys the same reputation and prestige that the warrior does today.
We prefer world law in the age of self-determination to world war in the age of mass extermination.
Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans - born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace.
Unconditional war can no longer lead to unconditional victory. It can no longer serve to settle disputes. . . can no longer be of concern to great powers alone.
I am sorry to say that there is too much point to the wisecrack that life is extinct on other planets because their scientists were more advanced than ours.
America has tossed its cap over the wall of space.
It might be said now that I have the best of both worlds. A Harvard education and a Yale degree.
The pay is good and I can walk to work.
Let both sides seek to invoke the wonders of science instead of its terrors. Together let us explore the stars, conquer the deserts, eradicate disease, tap the ocean depths, and encourage the arts and commerce.
I look forward to a great future for America - a future in which our country will match its military strength with our moral restraint, its wealth with our wisdom, its power with our purpose.
The tax on capital gains directly affects investment decisions, the mobility and flow of risk capital. . . the ease or difficulty experienced by new ventures in obtaining capital, and thereby the strength and potential for growth in the economy.
If we cannot now end our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity.
In a time of domestic crisis, men of goodwill and generosity should be able to unite regardless of party or politics.
The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.
We must use time as a tool, not as a couch.
Geography has made us neighbors. History has made us friends. Economics has made us partners, and necessity has made us allies. Those whom God has so joined together, let no man put asunder.
In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility - I welcome it.
We have the power to make this the best generation of mankind in the history of the world or to make it the last.
We would like to live as we once lived, but history will not permit it.
History is a relentless master. It has no present, only the past rushing into the future. To try to hold fast is to be swept aside.
The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty, and all forms of human life.
There are risks and costs to action. But they are far less than the long range risks of comfortable inaction.
Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction.
The goal of education is the advancement of knowledge and the dissemination of truth.
The greater our knowledge increases the more our ignorance unfolds.
I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent, of human knowledge, that has ever been gathered at the White House - with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone.
My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.
A nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people.
The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie, deliberate, contrived and dishonest, but the myth, persistent, persuasive and unrealistic.
We are not afraid to entrust the American people with unpleasant facts, foreign ideas, alien philosophies, and competitive values. For a nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people.
The courage of life is often a less dramatic spectacle than the courage of a final moment but it is no less a magnificent mixture of triumph and tragedy.
A nation which has forgotten the quality of courage which in the past has been brought to public life is not as likely to insist upon or regard that quality in its chosen leaders today - and in fact we have forgotten.
Those who dare to fail miserably can achieve greatly.
To state the facts frankly is not to despair the future nor indict the past. The prudent heir takes careful inventory of his legacies and gives a faithful accounting to those whom he owes an obligation of trust.
Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer, but the right answer. Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past. Let us accept our own responsibility for the future.
Politics is like football; if you see daylight, go through the hole.
Things do not happen. Things are made to happen.
Our progress as a nation can be no swifter than our progress in education. The human mind is our fundamental resource.
Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.
Peace is a daily, a weekly, a monthly process, gradually changing opinions, slowly eroding old barriers, quietly building new structures.
Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.
Victory has a thousand fathers, but defeat is an orphan.
Our growing softness, our increasing lack of physical fitness, is a menace to our security.
For time and the world do not stand still. Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or the present are certain to miss the future.
If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.
The path we have chosen for the present is full of hazards, as all paths are. The cost of freedom is always high, but Americans have always paid it. And one path we shall never choose, and that is the path of surrender, or submission.
We cannot expect that all nations will adopt like systems, for conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth. .
