This article will provide an overview of the presidential years of John F. Kennedy, including His contributions to the civil rights movement, His plan to send 1,400 CIA-trained Cuban exiles in an amphibious landing at the Bay of Pigs, and His responsiveness to the people he represented.
John F. Kennedy’s presidency
The president’s actions and statements are a mixture of history and modernity. He wished to reunite America as the first nation to fight for civil rights and equality. He also established the Peace Corps and the Alliance for Progress and embraced the idealism of America’s founding fathers. The 1960s were difficult, and Kennedy faced many challenges – from the Communist challenge in Vietnam to the racial tensions in the U.S. During his term, he oversaw many landmarks, from the Peace Corps to tax policy.
One of the greatest achievements of JFK’s presidency was his ability to handle the Cuban missile crisis, considered to be one of the most dangerous since World War II. Though his military advisors argued for an attack on Soviet missiles in Cuba, Kennedy’s diplomatic skills saved the United States from an escalating conflict. As a result, Kennedy and Khrushchev reached a peaceful agreement.
The president’s speech at his inauguration in 1961 was inspirational. He declared: “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” As a young man, the President faced many challenges. The Cold War and the Bay of Pigs were two of the most important events of his presidency.
His influence on the civil rights movement
Although JFK’s influence on the civil rights movement is widely known, there are some arguments regarding what his role was. The Kennedy family had long been involved with the civil rights movement and many members of the family were vocal supporters of the cause. JFK’s father, Robert Kennedy, had supported the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and had a long history of promoting civil rights.
In 1963, Kennedy proposed a civil rights bill. Although the bill failed to guarantee integration of public facilities, it paved the way for new legislation. However, it failed to garner enough support from Congress to become law. Despite this, Kennedy worked feverishly on a speech that would lay the foundation for the civil rights movement. He worked on the speech until the day he made it public on television.
Although JFK is not automatically associated with civil rights issues, his presidency was marked by many other issues. The Cuban Missile Crisis and Cold War are more famous than the civil rights movement, and his presidency was more notable for these issues. Although Kennedy did not sign the civil rights legislation, his influence on the civil rights movement was still felt posthumously.
His plan to send 1,400 CIA-trained Cuban exiles in an amphibious landing at the Bay of Pigs in Cuba
The Bay of Pigs invasion was never a reality. In 1961, the U.S. government stood by as Fidel Castro overthrew the Batista government, hoped Castro would bring democracy to the country. However, Castro soon declared himself a Communist, aligning himself with the Soviet Union. The United States was concerned about a Soviet foothold in the Americas. To prevent further damage to American interests, President Dwight D. Eisenhower approved a top-secret plan to invade Cuba.
Despite the high risk, the plan was a failure. The CIA underestimated the size and power of the Brigade and had no way of knowing how many men would be involved. The first wave consisted of three hundred men, with an army of over a thousand men. The CIA did not realize that the aircraft were armed with bombs. In addition to the B-26s, the Brigade was also equipped with five M-41 tanks, two CIA landing craft, and seven chartered commercial freighter ships. JFK’s plan was a miscalculation.
The plan was ultimately unsuccessful, as more than 100 were killed and over 1,200 were captured. In addition to the failure of the raid, several B-26 bombers had destroyed the Rio Escondido merchant ship, carrying fuel and supplies. The remaining supply ships headed out to sea. The aim of the landing was to create a beachhead and hold out against Castro’s 32,000-strong army. However, the chances of success depended on whether the exiles could mount preemptive air strikes against Castro’s small air force.
