JFK New Way for Americas President

To consider John F. Kennedy “overrated” as a President is to overlook the contribution he made in Americans’ expectations of themselves. John F. Kennedy raised the bar and set America’s aspirations higher than people previously considered, and to a great extent carried out programs to achieve those aspirations in his short-lived time as the U.S leader. JFK was a new younger face to the Presidency and was a leader people could get behind and believe in. JFK let the American people know from day one that America would lead the world and overcome many of the problems that affected the country. He set expectations both for America’s leadership and for individual Americans to make contributions to their country and the world. During the Cold War America’s focus was on international affairs and the differences with Soviet Russia. JFK not only handled the international aspect during one of the toughest periods of foreign affairs in U.S history, but he also adequately managed to keep prosperity on the domestic level. Although he did make some mistakes, JFK brought the United States to a place in which all the parts were set in motion for the future. He prevented the Cold War from moving into real conflict with his handling of the Cuban missile crisis. Programs he set up such as the Peace Corps showed that America could work throughout the world on a peaceful basis and had much to offer other countries. On the domestic front he was ready to make more efforts to achieve equal civil rights than any President of the 20^th century at that point. In a short time JFK set the stage for many ideas and policies that Lyndon Johnson was able to follow through on to build the Great Society.

            JFK’s handling of foreign policy was overall an accomplishment for him and for the US in terms of reinforcing America’s strength in the world. The different situations that he had to make decisions on and take action on must be considered in the context of the situation at the time he became President. The Cold War continued and Kennedy supported a strong American posture against Russia and Communism. He was prepared to use aggressive action to show that America’s power and position would not be compromised, but he was also aware of the danger of nuclear attack.