What kind of president was Kennedy. "Happy Birthday, Mr. president". The sins and merits of John F. Kennedy

Name: John Kennedy

Age: 46 years old

Growth: 183

Activity: politician, 35th President of the United States

John Kennedy: biography

John Fitzgerald Kennedy is the 35th President of the United States. Despite the fact that in this post he took several important decisions, in the minds of most people, especially outside the United States, his name is primarily associated with a murder mystery. And although officially the perpetrator who fired shots at John F. Kennedy was found, numerous hypotheses are still being discussed.

From the biography of John F. Kennedy, it becomes clear that he especially had no choice but to become a politician. He was born in Brookline, in the family of businessman and politician Joseph Patrick Kennedy and his wife, Rose Fitzgerald, who was involved in charity work. John received his name in honor of his grandfather, John Francis Fitzgerald, who was the mayor of Boston and was considered one of the most eloquent politicians in the country. By the way, on the paternal side of the future president were mostly politicians.

baby photo John F. Kennedy | live internet

John was the second child in the Kennedy family, but not the last - Rosa and Joseph had nine children. The boy was sick a lot and grew up quite frail, he could even die from scarlet fever in early childhood. And during his school years, Kennedy spent most of his time in a hospital bed. But at the same time, the teenager was athletic: he loved to play baseball and basketball, was fond of athletics. In high school, the young man had a reputation as a disorganized and frivolous student who behaves defiantly and "rebelliously".

John as a student | The History Place

Of the higher educational institutions in the biography of John F. Kennedy, Harvard University, the London School of Economics and Political Science and Princeton University appear, but due to constant illnesses, he did not graduate from any of them the first time. The young man was even diagnosed with leukemia at one time, which he did not believe and turned out to be right. Later, John again becomes a student at Harvard and this time takes his studies seriously. He became interested in political science and history, excelled in student societies, and continued to actively play sports. After receiving his diploma, John F. Kennedy decided to continue his education and went to study law at Yale University, but the Second World War began and the guy brought up on patriotism and self-sacrifice goes into the army.

In the war, Kennedy was a naval officer | John Fitzgerald Kennedy Library

because of bad health he might not have been accepted into the armed forces, but for almost the only time in his life, John used the authority of the family to get his way. Moreover, the future President John F. Kennedy was not going to sit in office, but sought to participate in hostilities. As a result, he ends up in the Pacific Fleet as an officer of a fast torpedo boat, where he fought against Japanese army. There are confirmed historical facts that John Fitzgerald Kennedy showed heroism in battles, newspapers wrote about the exploits of his team, and John himself was awarded many military awards. He was demobilized ahead of schedule due to a deteriorating state of health: the young man caught malaria, received a complex back injury, and was wounded in battle.

Soon after leaving the armed forces, Kennedy took up journalism, but then agreed to his father's persuasion and plunged into the political life of the country. He entered the US House of Representatives in place of Congressman Michael Curley and began his political career. In 1953, John is already a senator. In this post, he is remembered primarily for his refusal to condemn Senator Joseph McCarthy, accused of anti-American behavior, as he worked with his brother. Subsequently, Kennedy will say that he "fulfilled the usual rate of mistakes for a politician."

At 43, John Fitzgerald Kennedy wins as the Democratic nominee presidential elections and becomes the first Catholic to lead the United States. By the way, it was during that election campaign the first-ever televised debate between contenders for the post took place. And many oppositionists claimed that Kennedy won because he looked very impressive on the screen. The president donated the entire state salary to charitable causes, and the slogan became the basis of his rule: “Think not about what the country can give you, but about what you can give it.”

John Fitzgerald Kennedy | Biography

The domestic policy of President Kennedy cannot be called unequivocally successful. The initial boom of the economy then gave way to stagnation, accompanied by the sharpest drop in stocks on the stock exchange since the terrible crash of 1929. John managed to lower the unemployment rate and lowered the prices of oil and steel, but because of this, he worsened relations with industrialists. At the same time, it was thanks to the president that serious steps were taken to normalize the racial issue and equalize the rights of black people. And the race with the USSR for space exploration led to the start of the large-scale Apollo program. Interestingly, the President of the United States proposed General Secretary join forces in this matter, but was refused.

Photo of President Kennedy | RF-media

foreign policy can be characterized as a significant improvement in relations with the Soviet Union, but at the same time, several other hot spots escalated. Under Kennedy, there were many tense conflicts, of which the Cuban and Berlin crises, as well as the unsuccessful Bay of Pigs landings, are the most famous. At the same time, John F. Kennedy founded the Alliance for Progress, which greatly helped countries Latin America in economic terms, initiated the signing of a trilateral treaty between the USSR, the USA and Great Britain on a test ban nuclear weapons and was about to withdraw troops from Vietnam. Kennedy's successor, Lyndon Johnson, on the contrary, unleashed large-scale military operations there.

Personal life

John F. Kennedy's personal life changed 10 years before his death. At 36, he married a journalist and socialite, whom he dated for just under a year. Subsequently, Kennedy's wife will become one of the most popular women in America and a true trendsetter. They had four children, however, the eldest daughter Arabella and younger son Patrick passed away in infancy. Daughter Caroline became a writer and lawyer, as did John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Jr., nicknamed "Son of America" ​​because he was brought up in the White House in front of the whole country. In 1999, Kennedy Jr. died in a plane crash.

Wedding of the Kennedys | A wedding dance

It is difficult to judge how happy the marriage of John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline was, since literally on the eve of his marriage, the man had a serious affair with the Swedish girl Gunilla von Post, and earlier the president was in a romantic relationship with the artist Maria Pinchot Meyer, actresses Gene Tierney and Angie Dickinson, and also one Judith Campbell. But even after the wedding, Kennedy had at least two star mistresses - a Hollywood diva, as well as a German legendary film actress, who was not only much older, but had previously been one of his father's lovers.

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Already in the 21st century, after the declassification of documents, the public learned that the 35th president had suffered from severe pain all his life. No treatment helped him, and John was forced to inject novocaine before the press conferences. Peru Kennedy owns a number of books, the most famous of which is the collection of biographies of politicians "Profiles of Courage", for which the author received the Pulitzer Prize. Also became a bestseller Personal diary 35th President of the United States", where John entered his sayings and thoughts and which was published after his death.

Assassination of John F. Kennedy

On November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy and his wife scheduled a visit to the Texas city of Dallas. When their car drove along one of the streets, shots were heard and several bullets hit Kennedy, who was immediately taken to the hospital. But the intervention of doctors was in vain, and John Fitzgerald Kennedy died half an hour after the assassination attempt. The shootout also injured the governor of the state and one of the eyewitnesses of the events.

Former Marine Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested on suspicion of Kennedy's assassination. Interestingly, he was detained for killing a police officer 40 minutes after the death of the president, but during the investigation he turned out to be the main official suspect. Since Oswald was shot two days later by a local resident, Jack Ruby, who broke into the station, there is no concrete testimony from this person. By the way, Ruby also lost his life, so the assassination of John F. Kennedy is still one of the biggest mysteries in US history.

According to opinion polls, more than 60% of the population are sure that either Lee Harvey Oswald did not act alone, or has nothing to do with the death of the president at all. There are many hypotheses: from the involvement of organized crime and large financial figures to involvement in the CIA and counterintelligence. Many books have been written about the assassination of John F. Kennedy, and many feature films and documentaries have been shot.

Lee Harvey Oswald - the official culprit of the Kennedy assassination | Global Truth

The most significant are the painting “John F. Kennedy. Gunshots in Dallas, Norman Lewis's novel The Sicilian Specialist, and a 26-second video filmed with an amateur movie camera by eyewitness Abraham Zapruder, which became known as the "Zapruder film". The fantasy novel 11/22/63 is dedicated to an attempt to prevent the murder. In 2016, a mini-series based on this book was released, leading role in which he played.

Everyone knows the expression "About the dead, either good or nothing." However, when it comes to politicians, absolutely no rules and regulations work. This is a separate world with its own laws, which are difficult for mere mortals to understand. The activities of those in power are often given wide publicity and scrupulous study, which is fraught with ruthless condemnation.

American President John Fitzgerald Kennedy was no exception. Moreover, the strange and mysterious story of the attempt for many years baffled not only law enforcement officers different countries, but also experienced intelligence services. Many versions were put forward, but it was not possible to come to a consensus. Let's discard value judgments and figure out how the life and fate of this person turned out. Perhaps then it will be possible to find out what is the root cause of the fatal shots from the Elm Street Book Depository in Dallas.

The son of a millionaire John F. Kennedy: a biography of an unspoiled descendant of a billionaire

It is difficult to find a more fertile ground for conspiracy theorists of various kinds than the personality and activities of this person in history. He was lucky enough to be born into a wealthy Irish family, but he did not become a simple playboy. John Kennedy received an excellent American education, as well as practice in one of the main European capitals - London. There he observed the peculiarities of the politics of the Old World and gained experience.

When the United States officially entered World War II, the future President Kennedy felt it was his duty to take part in the fighting. However painful young man did not want to join the army. This is where all the influence of the billionaire father came in handy. In 41, he was enrolled and began to serve in intelligence agency naval forces of the United States.

Activities of a public figure

Having gone through the entire heroic path of a simple scout lieutenant, John was known as a real hero, for which he was awarded. Due to an injury, he was sent to the reserve, and by the year 53 he was already running for Massachusetts state senators. We managed to get a sufficient number of votes. Four years later, he published three books own writing and even won a Pulitzer Prize. In 1960, Kennedy ran for the Democratic presidential nomination and won. Thus, he managed to become not only the thirty-fifth leader of a huge country, but also the youngest of all previously existing presidents.

After that, every American knew who John F. Kennedy was. Together with his person, he brought new faces to the government, who also left their mark on history. For example, Lyndon Johnson and his sibling Robert. Despite the fact that his reign did not last long, he managed to have a hand in significant economic growth. Equalization of the rights of blacks and whites, improvement of relations with the Soviet Union, as well as joint development outer space- this is the little that he managed to do while remaining in his post.

The first years of the future politician

The talent of the politician went to the future president of the United States from his ancestors. Another maternal grandfather, after whom he was named, John Francis Fitzgerald, was elected three times to the post of mayor of the city of Boston, as well as to the US Congress. Until the end of his days, he remained one of the most influential people in the state. It was he who predicted a great future for his grandson. On the father's side, everything was also in order - grandfather Patrick Joseph began to work as a teenager to help the family, then opened a chain of restaurants, and eventually ran for the position of a member of the House of Representatives.

Joseph Patrick, John's father, was the founder of the family clan and a talented entrepreneur. Immediately after completing his studies at Harvard, he was appointed manager of a bank called the Columbia Trust. In his post, he managed to significantly increase capital. Rose Elizabeth, nee Fitzgerald, at the insistence of her father, was not to marry Joseph at all. But the wayward beauty decided in her own way. The young people had a chance to meet in 1906, but they could only get married by 1914. On May 29, 1917, the couple's second baby, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, was born.

Joseph was increasingly engaged in a career, and Rose took care of the children on her own. It was rumored that the man made mistresses, among whom were even famous actresses and artists. After John, who was called Jack in the family, Mrs. Kennedy had seven more children. Soon the family moved from a cramped apartment to an expensive house on Abbotsford Road in bustling New York. The boy himself grew up very weak and sickly. He constantly had, if not the flu, then scarlet fever, chicken pox, or inflammation of who knows what. Because of this, he several times found himself on the verge of death. According to Kennedy himself, it becomes clear that the most striking event in his life was a trip with his grandfather to the constituencies when he was going to become governor.

John's youthful hardening

Due to excessive illness, John was enrolled in the Canterbury School in Connecticut only in the thirtieth year, when he was already thirteen. The establishment was closed type. They demanded perseverance, diligence and religiosity from the students. It should be understood that in the whole class only Kennedy and another boy were Catholics. He never stopped getting sick: he spent more time in the bed of the school infirmary than at his desk. The future president completed his secondary education already at the Choate Rosemary Hall boarding school, where he invariably received good grades. Teachers described the guy as very capable, but lazy and unassembled.

After school, John planned to enter Harvard, but changed his mind, and in August he was already enrolled in the London School of Economics and Political Science, where the famous English scientist Harold Joseph Lasky taught. Kennedy did not have a chance to stay in Foggy Albion for a long time - he contracted jaundice and was forced to go home. He continued his education at Princeton University. Not even finishing the first semester, the young man fell ill again, and the doctors for a long time could not make a diagnosis, and then they found he had leukemia. Fortunately, this turned out to be a mistake. In the fall of 1935, he again sent papers to Harvard and was accepted.

On the summer holiday John learned about the beginning of World War II. But even on a world tour before that, he was smitten on the spot by dictatorial regimes in Germany and Italy. My thesis not without the help of friends, he managed to print and publish a separate volume called Why England Slept. From the sale of this work, he managed to gain about forty thousand dollars. In 1941, he decided to go to Yale to study law. However, the United States officially entered the war, and he felt it was his duty to go into the thick of things - as was the custom in the Kennedy family.

A sickly man with a serious back injury in the past was refused to be taken into the army, but he did not think to give up. He ended up being assigned to Naval Intelligence, a job he found boring. However, he managed to impress the authorities: first he was assigned to the Charleston shipyard, and then he was given command of a powerful torpedo boat of the PT-109 brand. On the second of August forty-three, he was supposed to take part in naval battles with the Japanese.

When an enemy destroyer rammed and smashed Kennedy's boat to pieces, he badly bruised his already sore lower back. Despite this, John managed to get out and save eleven more people. It took five hours for people to get to the shore, while the commander dragged the wounded with his last strength. This feat could not go unnoticed, because the brave hero was awarded numerous medals and even received the Purple Heart. After the infirmary, he returned to the front, but caught malaria, so he was forced to finally surrender - he was commissioned.

Political Rise to the White House

After recovering from the signs of malaria, the future president decided to go into journalism and cover the UN agency. At the end of the summer of forty-four, the elder brother, Joseph, died. All eyes in the family were now on John. Although the father did not have confidence in the political abilities of his son, he persuaded him to deal with this issue closely. Soon, not without the participation of an influential parent, he became a full member of the US House of Representatives.

Worth knowing

Understanding what Kennedy is known for, one should not lose sight of the fact that from 1947 until the very 53rd in the United States Congress, he represented the democratic forces of Boston. John was involved in labor relations and education.

In a brutal "fight" with his Republican political opponent Henry Cabot Lodge, he won by a three percent margin and became a senator. In this position, he again dealt with labor issues, and additionally with public welfare. Around the same time, he was involved in a dark story with "reproaches to Joseph McCarthy", in which John himself did not take part. Afterwards, he will say that he was not sure if the majority was right.

In the July elections of 1960, his fate had already been decided - he confidently outran all the candidates. Republican Richard Nixon could be the only real opponent. key role the final decision of the Americans was played not by the presidential platform or program, but by the world's first televised debate. They have a charismatic and open son of a billionaire, real hero war, looked much more energetic, more attractive and nicer.

The 35th President of America: what she can be proud of

On November 8, 1960, Kennedy was elected head of a vast country, and on January 20, during his inauguration, he solemnly and with excitement pronounced the words of the oath. He became the thirty-fifth president and the first Catholic leader. It was from this moment that the short years of Kennedy's reign began. He concluded his first address to the voters with a parting word: “Do not think about what the state can and gives you. Think about what you can do for the country."

The new president acted in his own way: he removed all the "retrogrades" who worked before him under Eisenhower, and put on important posts trusted people. Of these, only six percent were entrepreneurs and businessmen, the rest were professors and managers with experience. The billionaire leader did not receive a salary in this post, but transferred it immediately to charity. The country's economy rose sharply, but already in the spring alarming signs appeared - stocks on the stock exchange began to fall catastrophically, unemployment, which had previously been declining, reached 5.5 percent and froze.

In October 1962, the so-called Caribbean Crisis broke out, which was a conflict Soviet Union and the United States. The bottom line was quite simple: in response to the deployment of Jupiter missiles in Turkey (NATO), Khrushchev put his own in Cuba, having agreed with Fidel Castro, an old "friend" of the USSR. The Americans staged a blockade of the island. I had to negotiate. As a result, our missiles were removed from the island, which took about three weeks, and the “enemy” ones from Turkey.

An important milestone in Kennedy's life was a meeting in 1963 with Martin Luther King Jr. in Washington, a well-known fighter for the rights of black citizens of the country. John preferred to follow the line of Abraham Lincoln, who always opposed racial discrimination. In the summer of that year, the president introduced a bill that would ban this kind of sharing in public places. This meant banning bars, schools, restaurants, colleges, kindergartens, and whites-only shops.

Controversial Kennedy assassination

Everything that happened in the fall of that year has been in the minds of Americans for more than fifty years. Driving down Elm Street in Dallas, Texas, open car the president was shot at. November 22, 1963, he was hit on the spot by two bullets. The first smashed the back of his head and, coming out of the neck, also wounded the governor of Connolly County, who occupied the front seat, and also slightly touched a passerby. The second demolished the unfortunate head of the country half of the skull. He died a few tens of minutes later in the hands of doctors. There was nothing to help him.

To avoid panic in the country, Vice President Lyndon Johnson took the oath on the same day. He became acting president and investigated the murder of his predecessor. Soon witness Howard Brennan said that he saw the face of a man in the window of the book depository and even identified him. It turned out to be Lee Harvey Oswald, a former US Navy SEAL who worked there. After one hour and twenty minutes in a movie theater, the suspect was apprehended and three days later killed by Jack Ruby, an ordinary nightclub owner who allegedly decided to help "an unfortunate widow escape the hardships of litigation". All these events gave conspiracy theorists (followers of the conspiracy theory) the ground for the growth of many unlikely versions of what happened.

• It is not known where the bullets went. Only one was found - the first one - and it became the cause of death. However, it is known for certain that there were not even two shots, but three or four.
• There are no data on ballistics studies in the medulla in the forensic medical examination. The situation is complicated by the fact that after the autopsy, the brain disappeared. It was rumored that Robert Kennedy, the brother of the deceased, took him, but the man himself never said this.
• Oswald was not a good shooter and while serving in marines usually passed the standards on "bad" or "satisfactory". In addition, he had to shoot three times in six seconds, which is not at all easy. And yes, it was quite a distance.
• The information that Lee's prints were on the rifle appeared and got into print only after his death.

Interested parties were perplexed that the testimony of eyewitnesses seemed to be recorded, but not taken into account. For example, many witnesses heard shots not from the book depository, but from behind a grassy hill. Later, the real American gangster and notorious hitman James Files also confessed to the Kennedy assassination. They did not believe him, although they found cartridge cases hidden in the indicated places. Weird? Still would!

Some believe that Oswald did not shoot at the motorcade at all, he did not understand well what he was doing and what all this threatened him with. He was just a "screen" behind which the real killers hid. The funeral was scheduled for the twenty-fifth, after they completed the examination and said goodbye. Along all the streets along which the funeral procession moved, about eight hundred thousand people lined up, and maybe more. After a Catholic Mass, the body was interred at Arlington National Cemetery.

Personal life of John Fitzgerald

Despite poor health since childhood, this handsome and charming man has always been a success with women. He himself liked to say that it was simply unrealistic for him to endure three days without sex. Johnny loved his wife without memory, but this did not prevent him from cheating on her regularly and having many mistresses. In 1953, he married Jacqueline Lee "Jackie", née Bouvier. The woman bore him four children.

• Arabella (1956), died before reaching the age of one.
• Caroline (1957). Subsequently, she became a lawyer and a writer.
• John Jr. (1960), lawyer and journalist, died in a plane crash
• Patrick (1963) died in infancy.

After the death of her husband, Jackie did not suffer and cry for a long time. She remarried to a Greek billionaire and entrepreneur, an incredibly famous man - Aristotle Onassis.

One of the Kennedy women was the famous Marilyn Monroe. She even managed to call her lover's wife in the middle of the night. She “happily” noted that she would be happy to leave and leave the “doves” to solve the remaining problems. It was rumored that Marlene Dietrich, her father's mistress, had relationships with her sons, not excluding John. Many years later, White House intern secretary Mimi Alford also spoke of a fleeting connection with the president.

Public Figure Awards

Military

• Navy and Marine Corps Medal.
• Purple heart.
• American Campaign Medal.
• Medal of Victory in World War II.
• Medal "For the Asia-Pacific Campaign"

In peacetime

• Presidential Medal of Freedom.
• Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography.
• Order of the Star of Italy.

The image in the memory of contemporaries and descendants

Despite the fact that the life of John F. Kennedy was short - he was shot dead at the age of forty-six - it was eventful and full of various achievements, for which he is remembered and loved by posterity. An airport in New York is named after him, as well as streets and squares in many American cities. Famous horror master Stephen King published a novel called "11 22 63", one of the main characters of which is the murdered president.

Documentaries about life and tragic death Kennedy is the Americans and Russians. In addition, there is the series "The Kennedy Clan" about the family as a whole. John is mentioned in the entertaining science fiction film Back to the Future, and in the Call of Duty computer toy: Black Ops he becomes almost the main character.

John grew painful, his temperature often jumped. The boy was born with a spinal defect, from a young age his back began to hurt, doctors recommended wearing a corset. One leg was shorter than the other, and all his life he had to make a left shoe to order. Of course, the Kennedy family did not advertise all this. Senator Joseph Kennedy ranked twelfth in the list of the richest people in America, his fortune was equal to several billion dollars. The only thing he failed to do was to become President of the United States, and Joseph hoped that one of his sons could do it. “It is politics, and not a bank account at all, that makes a person powerful,” he said.

The Kennedy Brothers: John, Robert, Ted. Photo: Public Domain

John graduated from the prestigious Harvard University, which was called the "factory of snobs, millionaires and geniuses," and during the Second World War, as a naval officer, he showed real heroism. Near the Solomon Islands, a torpedo boat commanded by John was hit by a Japanese destroyer. Two crew members died, and Kennedy and 10 other people sailed for 15 hours to the nearest island. John pulled one of his subordinates with his teeth by the strap of his life jacket. Photos of John in an officer's uniform with reports on his military exploits went around all the newspapers. best start for a political career and it was impossible to wish!

He had a special, "boyish" charm. In carnal pleasures he was insatiable. At the same time, he had a kind of "code of honor": he never bought women with the help of expensive gifts didn't make any promises. On the contrary, he seemed slightly aloof and indifferent, pretending that he did not care much how the courtship would end. “I am not so much interested in the result as in the process of hunting,” he said. Kennedy was in a hurry to get everything out of life. Perhaps because he did not hope to reach fifty.

bronze disease

John was in London when his temperature rose sharply, his blood pressure dropped, he began to vomit, and had stomach pains. He was admitted to a London clinic where he was first diagnosed with Addison's disease. Kennedy was 31 at the time.

It is possible that John's disease began much earlier than the diagnosis was made. Since childhood, he suffered from severe allergies: to dust, to dogs and horses. He often had bouts of allergic rhinitis, redness appeared on the skin, and lymph nodes became inflamed. The future president was periodically haunted by asthma attacks and indigestion. In his youth, he was distinguished by terrible thinness, despite his excellent appetite. Chronic wasting, weight loss - all this is typical for those who suffer from Addison's disease.

An experienced doctor pronounced a verdict: Kennedy had no more than a year to live. In Addison's disease, the function of the adrenal glands is impaired, at that time this process was considered irreversible. The adrenal glands were gradually destroyed, the immunity was reduced to such an extent that the patient became defenseless against any infection. Patients most often died, having contracted tuberculosis.

The only thing he could now count on was the idle life of a sick rich man. But John decided not to give up. And fate smiled at him again: Addison's disease began to be successfully treated with deoxycorticosterone acetate (Doc's granules). It was implanted in the form of granules in the muscles of the thighs and back. The pellets had to be changed every 2-3 months. Nevertheless, in the 1950s, the diagnosis of Addison's disease sounded about the same as inoperable cancer. If the illness of the future president became public knowledge, it would be possible to put an end to his political career so everything was kept in the strictest confidence. All medical records relating to John's health were strictly classified.

Joseph Kennedy purchased entire batches of the rare drug and kept it in deposit offices across America so that his son could always get the drug while traveling around the country. Soon they synthesized and began to produce hydrocortisone, which began to be used in combination with Doc's granules. Hormones worked wonders: John felt completely healthy, he was full of energy. Thanks to hormone therapy, Kennedy recovered a little and became more attractive from this.

Case #3

The next step in his political career was the Senate, where John ran for Massachusetts. The election campaign demanded maximum return from him. Kennedy learned to save energy: he got up late, went to bed early, and rested during the day. As a result, during performances, he looked unusually cheerful and energetic. Weekends for him now did not exist, John traveled to all the towns of the state, not neglecting the smallest. And the pain in the back again made itself felt. When he plunged into a hot bath, it became easier. To do this, sometimes he had to go along a long hotel corridor: not all rooms of third-rate hotels where he had to stay had a bath. John won by 70,000 votes. And soon his wedding took place with Jacqueline Bouvier- to enter the White House, it was required to become a respectable family man.

In the meantime, the back pains returned. To pick up a fallen pencil or paper clip from the floor, you had to call the secretary for help. In his office, when no one was looking, Kennedy used crutches, and when waiting for visitors, he hid them. He couldn't sleep at night because of the pain. Doctors suggested surgery, but at the same time they warned: the chances of surviving it are no more than 50%. In addition, recovery could be hampered by Addison's disease, which reduced the body's resistance to various infections. Relatives, especially his father, dissuaded him. But the alternative was crutches. "I'd rather die than spend the rest of my life on crutches!" John said.

The operation lasted three hours, a silver plate was implanted in his back and about one and a half liters of blood was transfused. The Archives of the American Medical Association described this as "Case No. 3: Patient with adrenal insufficiency due to Addison's disease, surgery at the request of the patient."

Time passed, but there was no improvement. Jacqueline treated the terrible festering wound on her husband's back every morning. There was something to be discouraged about. Anyone but Kennedy. He endured pain with a smile and never missed an opportunity to joke on any occasion, whether hospital orders or your own illness. Perhaps it was thanks to his sense of humor that he survived.

A few months later, Kennedy decided on a second operation. The silver plate was replaced with a bone graft. This time the pain subsided. It was a victory. Periodically, the back pain returned, but not so severe. Saved hot baths, painkillers. Barely recovered, he returned to the Senate. Everyone who saw him had the impression that he was completely healthy and literally overflowing with energy.

Shot in Dallas

John achieved everything he dreamed of, and illness could not prevent him from this. Ahead of him was still waiting for victory in the presidential race, the birth of a son and daughter, an affair with a sex symbol of the twentieth century Marilyn Monroe. Kennedy became the youngest president in the history of the country, carried out many democratic changes and remained in history as a progressive politician. Unfortunately, his presidency did not last long - only two years. On November 22, 1963, a fatal shot rang out in Dallas. Jacqueline's elegant costume was stained with her husband's blood...

The mystery of the President's assassination has not been solved so far. He was suspected of Oswald, a former Marine with links to organized crime and federal counterintelligence services. But he pleaded not guilty, and two days after his arrest, he was murdered by a Dallas nightclub owner.

Paradoxically, Kennedy's most tragic death was also his victory: he could have died so many times in a hospital bed or on an operating table, but he was hit by a bullet - like a soldier on the battlefield.

John Fitzgerald Kennedy, usually referred to in his homeland by the initial letters of the name and surname JFK, - American politician, President of the United States from 1961 until his assassination in 1963, participant in the war of 1939-1945, member of the Senate.

Jack (as the family called him in the old local tradition) was elected the leader of America at the age of 43, becoming the youngest in its history and the first head of state born in the twentieth century, as well as the only Pulitzer Prize winner in this post (for biographical work "Profiles of Courage") and an adherent of the Roman catholic church.

Childhood and family of John F. Kennedy

The future head of the American state was born on May 29, 1917 in a town in the Boston area called Brookly. He became the second child in the family of a Catholic with Irish roots, diplomat and millionaire entrepreneur Joseph Kennedy and Rose Fitzgerald. In total, the couple subsequently had 4 sons and 5 daughters.

During his school years, John looked frail, often ill and even nearly died of scarlet fever. But in adulthood appearance, on the contrary, fascinated women, he had an amazing figure. He studied at primary school Edward Devotion, then Dexter School for Boys, and finally The Noble and Greenough School co-educational.

When he was 10 years old, their family moved into a 20-room mansion located in Riverdale (borough of the Bronx, New York), where he attended a local school from 5th to 7th grade. private school. Two years later, the family moved again, now to Bronxville, a suburb of New York. In the 8th grade, he studied at the Catholic Canterbury School, and from 9th to 12th grades - in Wallingford (Connecticut). Despite frequent illnesses, he was actively involved in sports, was distinguished by rebellious behavior and not very brilliant academic performance.

Education of John F. Kennedy

After graduating from school, the young man briefly became a student at Harvard, then studied economic and political science in London with the famous political scientist Harold Lasky. However, health problems forced him to return to the US, where he continued to receive higher education at Princeton University. The young man's studies were soon interrupted again by an illness that doctors diagnosed as leukemia. Interestingly, he did not believe the experts, and later they admitted the fallacy of their conclusion.

In 1936, Jack was again accepted to Harvard University, recognizing the high level of his knowledge and mental abilities. In the summer, together with a friend, he traveled through the countries of the Old World, met (thanks to the patronage of his father) Pope Pius XII. The trip impressed the future politician and aroused in him even greater interest in the sphere of domestic and foreign relations. He graduated from the university with honors in 1940.

Despite health problems, during the largest military conflict in history, 1939-1945. John F. Kennedy participated in military battles. Moreover, as a commander, he showed determination and courage in rescuing the crew of a torpedo boat sunk by the Japanese. Together with his colleagues, he managed to swim to the shore, supporting the wounded soldier for 5 hours.

Political career of John F. Kennedy

After being transferred to the reserve, Jack became a journalist. His older brother, who served as a pilot, died in 1944. All the hopes of the parents now pinned on John, and he, under the influence of his father, decided to devote himself to big politics.

In 1946 he was elected to Congress. Subsequently, John F. Kennedy held this post for another 3 terms. In 1952, he defeated Republican Henry Lodge to enter the Senate, and was re-elected as a senator in 1958.

In 1960, the Democrats nominated him for the presidency, and in 1961 John F. Kennedy became president.

Over the years of being in power, he has repeatedly shown decisiveness, statesmanship and a high level of intelligence that impressed many. So for the purpose of mitigation international tension he secured the signing of the Prohibition Treaty nuclear testing, initiated the implementation of socio-economic reform programs, the introduction of "new frontier" diplomacy, the creation of the Peace Corps, the "Union for Progress". John Kennedy gained great popularity and popular love, demonstrating high responsibility in making decisions.

Personal life of John F. Kennedy

Jack was married. His wife Jacqueline Lee Bouvier was 12 years his junior. They first met in 1951 at the home of journalist Charles Leffingwell Bartlett. After 2 years, he began to seriously care for the girl, while giving not flowers and sweets, but books that he himself liked, for example, “The Twelve Figures of Greco-Roman History” by Arnold Joseph Toybi.

Their marriage took place in Newport. During the wedding, the Archbishop of Boston in the Church of the Holy Virgin Mary read the blessing sent by Pope Pius XII to the young.

The couple had 4 children, but the first child, daughter Arabella (born 1956), and the last, son Patrick (born 1963), died. The survivors were Caroline (b. 1957) and John (b. 1960). The son was a lawyer and journalist. At 38, he tragically died in a plane crash.

Daughter - Doctor of Law, lawyer, philanthropist and writer. In 1986, she married Edwin Schlossberg, owner of a New York design company. They have three children. In 2013, she was elected US Ambassador and headed the country's diplomatic mission to Japan.

Monroe wishes John F. Kennedy a happy birthday

John Kennedy was known as a womanizer and was not faithful to Jacqueline. His mistresses included Pamela Turner, an employee of the Belgian embassy, ​​whom he later made the press secretary of his wife, actresses Judith Campbell-Exner and Marilyn Monroe, the Swedish aristocrat Gunilla von Post, who described their love affair in her autobiographical book, and many others.

The last years of the life and death of John F. Kennedy

In 1963, in preparation for the upcoming election year, John F. Kennedy undertook a series of trips around the country. On November 21, he arrived in Dallas, and at noon on the 22nd, while his car was moving through the streets of the city, 3 shots rang out from the crowd of citizens welcoming him, 1 of them turned out to be fatal.

Assassination of John F. Kennedy

There are many versions of this high-profile crime. According to the official - the president died at the hands of 24-year-old Lee Harvey Oswald. He was arrested and shot dead by Jack Ruby, who allegedly had connections with the mafia, on the second day after his arrest. Among many other hypotheses, involvement in the assassination of the CIA, Lyndon Johnson (who later replaced JFK as president), the Vietnamese authorities, Fidel Castro was mentioned.

The funeral of the youngest head of state took place on November 25 in the capital of the United States. More than 200,000 Americans came to say goodbye to the US Congress building on Capitol Hill. Buried JFK at Arlington National Cemetery.

Who killed Kennedy?

About this tragedy, more than 25 books were published and several films were shot. His belongings were very popular at auctions. In 2016, several personal items and a love letter from John to his mistress Mary Meyer, the wife of a CIA agent, were put up for sale from June 16 to June 23 at an online auction.

The years of his reign are from 1961 to 1963, when he was assassinated. Kennedy was a participant in the war of 1939-1945, as well as a member of the Senate.

Childhood and youth

According to local American tradition, he was called Jack. He was first elected to the Senate at the age of 43. In the history of the United States, he was the youngest president. John Kennedy was born on May 29, 1917 in a small town called Brookly to a Catholic family. He was the second child in the family.

As a child, John F. Kennedy was very frail, often ill, and due to scarlet fever, he even nearly died. When he grew up, many women, on the contrary, were crazy about him. When the boy was ten years old, his family moved into a twenty-room house. At school, the future president was distinguished by a rebellious spirit, and his academic performance left much to be desired. Despite the fact that John F. Kennedy Jr. was very often sick, he continued to play sports intensively.

After graduating from school, he entered the truth, stayed there for a short time due to health problems. Returning to the States, Kennedy continued his studies - now at Princeton. Soon he falls ill, and the doctors diagnose him with leukemia. Kennedy does not believe the doctors, and later they themselves admit that they made the diagnosis incorrectly.

Traveling in Europe and participating in hostilities

In 1936, John F. Kennedy returned to Harvard University. In the summer, he travels to European countries, which further spurs his interest in politics and international relations. Under the patronage of his father, the future president meets the head of the Catholic Church - Pope Pius XII.

Despite poor health, Kennedy took part in the hostilities, which lasted until 1945. At the front, he takes an active part in the battles, showing courage in rescuing a boat sunk by enemy troops. And after his dismissal from the armed forces, he takes up the work of a journalist.

The beginning of a political career

In 1946, John F. Kennedy is elected to the House of Congressmen. Further, the same post is occupied by him three more times. In 1960, he was first nominated for the presidency of the country, and, finally, in 1961, he became the head of the United States. Many of Kennedy's contemporaries were impressed by his decisiveness, intellect and wisdom in governing the country. For example, Kennedy managed to achieve a ban on nuclear testing. He also introduced many popular reforms and became the lover of the whole nation.

President's personal life

John Fitzgerald Kennedy was married to Jacqueline Lee Bouvier, who was 12 years his junior. Instead of flowers and sweets, Kennedy gave her books that he himself considered the most valuable. Their wedding took place in Newport. Subsequently, the Kennedy family had four children. However, the older girl and the younger boy died. Caroline's middle daughter became a writer. Son John died under tragic circumstances in a plane crash.

John Kennedy also had a large number of extramarital affairs. Among his passions was Pamela Turner, who worked as a press secretary for his wife Jacqueline. An aristocrat from Sweden, Gunilla von Post, described her relationship with the president in a book. Also the infamous Marilyn Monroe had an affair with Kennedy.

John Fitzgerald Kennedy: death

Before the upcoming elections in 1963, Kennedy begins a series of trips around the country. On November 21, 1963, his procession was on the streets of Dallas. Exactly at half past one, three shots rang out. The first bullet went through and also wounded the governor of Texas. Another of the shots hit the head and was fatal.

Five minutes later, the president was taken to the hospital. But the doctors were powerless against such wounds, and at about one o'clock the death of the president was reported. Texas Governor John Connally survived. After two hours, the police arrested the suspect in the murder - Lee Harvey Oswald, and two days later he was shot dead by Jack Ruby, whom the authorities suspected of having links with the mafia. Ruby was sentenced to death.

But, having filed an appeal, he managed to get a pardon. A date for a new trial has not yet been set, as Ruby was found oncological disease. He died in January 1967. There are many versions according to which John Fitzgerald Kennedy could have been killed. According to one of them, the massacre of the president was a response to his program to combat organized crime.