JFK Pros - opened up economy for practically a decade long boom, managed to avoid nuclear war over Cuba, inspired a generation of volunteerism with Peace Corps, inspired the Space program, brought a cool style to the White House.
Cons - Bay of Pigs, gave up bases in Turkey, put Civil Rights on a back burner at the start of his Administration, didn't manage to get us out of Viet Nam entirely. Reduced the moral authority of the presidency with his infidelities and lied to the American people about his infirmities.
I'm not sure that he had a coherent foreign policy, but his altruistic, technology-oriented, forward-looking vision captivated a generation. I don't know where I'd rank him - maybe in the teens? What's your thought?
JFK Pros - opened up economy for practically a decade long boom, managed to avoid nuclear war over Cuba, inspired a generation of volunteerism with Peace Corps, inspired the Space program, brought a cool style to the White House.
Cons - Bay of Pigs, gave up bases in Turkey, put Civil Rights on a back burner at the start of his Administration, didn't manage to get us out of Viet Nam entirely. Reduced the moral authority of the presidency with his infidelities and lied to the American people about his infirmities.
I'm not sure that he had a coherent foreign policy, but his altruistic, technology-oriented, forward-looking vision captivated a generation. I don't know where I'd rank him - maybe in the teens? What's your thought?
I would rank him in the lower middle. Regarding Vietnam, Kennedy was short term thinking the whole time.