John F. Kennedy Essay, Research Paper

John F. Kennedy was born on May 29, 1917 in Brookline, Massachusetts. He was the second child of nine children. He lived in the suburbs of Boston but as his family grew his father’s income increased and they moved back to Brookline. John had a seemingly happy childhood. He attended private selementary schools where he played sports and games. Though never making the varsity, his father encouraged him to take part in athletics. He was taught by Roman Catholic lawmen at Canturbery School and later spent four years at the Choate School in Wallingford, Connecticut. Though suffering from many illnesses, his classmates voted him “most likely to succeed.” He graduated in 1935, he ranked 64th in a class of 112. In the summer of 1935 he studied at the London School of Economics. He then went to Princeton University to study. During Christmas break his freshman year he had an attack of jaundice and was forced to leave. Through much determination he enrolled at Harvard in 1936, where his fater went to college. He played football and graduated in 1940.

Soon after he graduated he wrote his first book, “Why England Slept.” It received good reviews.

In March of 1941, Kennedy volunteered for the army, he was rejected shortly after for a back injury he obtained playing football at Harvard. He took classes to strengthen his back and was accepted into the navy. In 1943, Kennedy was on a navy boat when it was detroyed by the Japnese. He was thrown from the boat, and forced to swim the seas for a rescue ship. He received a Purple Heart for his brave actions. He also recieved a Navy and Marine Corps. medal. But after having more problems with his back and operation he was discharged in 1945.

Kennedy had many jobs after he was discharged from the Army. He was unsure of the career he wanted to pursue. He worked as a reporter for Hearst Newspapers, which he covered a conference that established the United Nations. He then returned to Boston to pursue his new career as a polititian. In early 1946, Kennedy announced his cadidacy. Some of his rivals called him a “carpetbagger”, a person who traveled south for reconstruction. These comments did not bother Mr. Kennedy, he campaigned ceaselessly and nearly doubled the vote of this nearest opponent. Moving forward again, Kennedy announced his cadidacy for the Senator of Massachusetts, in 1952.

On September 12, 1953, Kennedy married Jacqueline Bouvier. Not too far into the marriage, Kennedy suffered from a major illness due to his bad back injury. He underwent two spinal operations. While he was out of the senate office he wrote a book, “Profiles of Courage”, which won a Pulitzer Prize in Biography.

It is yet indeed President John F Kennedy led an exciting life. He did everything from attending great colleges to earning purple hearts for courageous behavior. He married a beautiful woman with whom he shared lovely children. Although he did live a great life, in the peak of his presidency his life was put to an end. As the nation joined and mourned his death, people from all over the world gathered at the funeral in Washington D.C. to pay their respects. Mayor Willy Brandt of West Berlin expressed the world’s sense of loss when he said that “a flame went out for those who had hoped for a just peaceful and better life.” President Kennedy was buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

It is believed that President Kennedy was shot by Lee Harvey Oswald. It was never proven because Mr. Oswald was shot to death just days after the death of the president by Jack Ruby. In the commission’s report (made public on September 24, 1964) Oswald was said to have fired the shots that killed John F. Kennedy.

Furthermore, the committee stated that they “found no evidence” that either Ruby or Oswald “were part of any conspiracy, domestic or foreign, to assasinate President Kennedy”.

However, in 1979, the House assassinations committee concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald “probably” was part of a conspiracy that also may have included members of organized crime.