Topic > John Fitzgerald Kennedy in Major Historical Events

John Fitzgerald Kennedy (JFK) was the 35th President of the United States from January 1961 until his assassination in November 1963 while traveling through Dallas, Texas, in a motorcade. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayDuring his presidency JFK was involved in many important historical events.InaugurationOn January 20, 1960, JFK was sworn in as president and delivered his inaugural address. In this speech he urged his countrymen to seek opportunities to serve their country. “The energy, the faith, the devotion that we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it, and the glow of that fire can truly light the world.”Peace CorpsOn March 1, 1961, JFK established the Peace Corps. President Kennedy pointed out that the Soviet Union had hundreds of men and women ready to spend their lives abroad in the service of communism. The United States had no such program, and Kennedy wanted to involve Americans more actively in the cause of global democracy, peace, development, and freedom. Then JFK and his brother-in-law Sargent Shriver gave the order to start the Peace Corps. Shriver was elected to lead the task force. Shriver recruited an energetic and talented group to implement the task force's recommendations. During his first foreign trip as director, he received invitations from leaders in India, Ghana, and Burma to place Peace Corps volunteers in their countries. To participate, countries had to meet certain criteria. A country must invite the Peace Corps. The Peace Corps decides which countries to enter. Volunteers must be guaranteed safety. In 1959, Cuban President Fulgencio Batista collapsed because he could not survive the uprising of guerrilla armies led by a charismatic young man named Fidel Castro. Castro's overthrow of Batista shocked some Cubans, particularly members of the upper classes who had gained much wealth under his reign. Castro's relationship with the United States was always going to be difficult. Although Castro's revolution was not sponsored by the Soviet Union, the young revolutionary's left-wing nationalism caused alarm in Washington. In 1960, Castro seized millions of acres of land owned by large American multinationals and returned them to Cuban farmers, which led the United States to impose economic sanctions against Cuba. Castro was always eager to pick a fight with his northern neighbors. Castro retaliated by nationalizing Cuba's oil refineries and other American-owned businesses. Remember: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay The next episode of discussions between Castro and his northern neighbor saw diplomatic relations collapse in 1961. This action led Castro to seek a formal alliance with America's enemy, the Soviet Union. This alliance was disapproved of by the Americans as Kennedy soon discovered that the Soviet Union was building missile silos in Cuba to strike America..