HIS FINEST HOUR
The Cuban Missile Crisis was the single most decisive moment in Kennedy's legacy. By rejecting the risk of nuclear war and refusing to be coerced by the Soviet government, Kennedy struck a balance between aggression and nonviolence that protected the world from destruction. Through his leadership, Kennedy reveals the importance of learning from mistakes and adapting, as evidenced by his growth between the failure of earlier operations to the success of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Furthermore, Kennedy understood what mattered most, and acted accordingly. Despite aggression from the Soviets and opposition from his own government, Kennedy grasped the urgency of finding a peaceful resolution, which led him to implement a blockade. Instead of being eager to exercise military bravado by ordering an air strike or invasion, Kennedy was guided by his principles through the darkness of conflict. Without his leadership, our world may have succumbed to the perils of nuclear war.
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"President Kennedy managed the crisis in a reasonable way. He understood that war was not acceptable and he must hold control . . . Kennedy preferred negotiation first. Americans did not know at that time there were 94 tactical nuclear weapons on the island and if the U.S. invaded at the time those weapons would have been used" -Sergei Khrushchev, son of Nikita Khrushchev (LaGrone).
"The real lesson of the Cuban missile crisis is that we do have to look for compromises consistent with our national interests" (Gelb).
"Nuclear deterrence could no longer be viewed as a stable condition that allowed governments to brandish nuclear weapons for diplomatic advantage. The crisis had exposed deterrence's fragilities, requiring that it be managed openly as a delicately balanced process" (NARA). "And there was an unknown quality about Kennedy, despite all his realism, that gave you infinite hope that somehow or other he was going to change the course of history... to solidify and calm down the world and more or less render the keeping of the peace more secure " -Former Soviet Ambassador Charles E. Bohler (Bohler). |
The Undelivered Speech: November 22, 1963
The day of his assassination, "[This] undelivered speech [was] intended for the Dallas Citizens Council concerning the qualities of successful leadership and the crucial elements to the country's defense and security, such as nuclear power, military strength, foreign aid, supremacy in space, and domestic stability" (JFK Library).
"Undelivered remarks for Dallas Citizens Council, Trade Mart, Dallas, Texas, 22 November 1963" (JFK Library).
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"We in this country, in this generation, are--by destiny rather than choice--the watchmen on the walls of world freedom. We ask, therefore, that we may be worthy of our power and responsibility, that we may exercise our strength with wisdom and restraint, and that we may achieve in our time and for all time the ancient vision of 'peace on earth, good will toward men.' "Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.... In a world of complex and continuing problems... America's leadership must be guided by the lights of learning and reason." |
"For democracy means much more than popular government and majority rule, much more than a system of political techniques to flatter or deceive powerful blocs of voters... The true democracy, living and growing and inspiring puts its faith in the people-- faith that the people will not simply elect men who will represent their views ably and faithfully, but also elect men will exercise their conscientious judgment-- faith that the people will not condemn those whose devotion to principal leads them to unpopular courses, but will reward courage, respect honor and ultimately recognize right." -John F. Kennedy (Profiles in Courage).