The John F. Kennedy years were often described as Camelot - Term Paper Example

?John F. Kennedy and the Camelot Years - Reality or Fantasy? Introduction John F. Kennedy was the 35th man to serve in the office of the President ofthe United States of America. His term was short, beginning in 1961 and ending with his assassination near the end of 1963. It is difficult to define President Kennedy. He was a man with a hidden past, and one who kept his life in strict compartments. He had spent much of his youth seriously ill, and even throughout his Presidency hid the constant pain he felt, so that even those who were closest to him were unaware of it1. As a man he w as easily bored, loved excitement and was charming to all those he dealt with. Whatever decisions he made he was able to back up through rhetoric and charm regardless of whether the choice that had been taken had been the correct one2. There were many events throughout Kennedy’s short presidency including riots over the admission of Negros into University, the Cuban Missile Crisis, civil rights movements, the Vietnam War, as well as countless other incidents3. The manner in which Kennedy handled these incidents and the depiction of him in later literature and film have led to the years of John F. Kennedy’s presidency have often been called the Camelot years, referring to an idealized time, analogous to the years of King Arthur. Under this analogy, Kennedy is thought of as a hero, promising peace to the United State including the complete withdrawal from the Vietnam War. This never happened because of the assassination of Kennedy in 1953. How realistic is this view of Kennedy? Was he a hero, giving the United States a few golden years, or does this view ignore many of the facts of Kennedy’s presidency? This essay examines some of the key aspects of Kennedy’s presidency, including his opinions and decisions concerning the Vietnam War, the way he was as a leader, how he appeared in public compared to his own staff and his personality. It is proposed that the concept of the ‘Camelot years’ of Kennedy’s presidency was brought about by opinions and theories following his assassination, and perhaps by the fact that he was assassinated, but that this description of his term bears little resemblance either to the man himself, or the events that occurred throughout his time as President. The Vietnam War Kennedy is often seen as a peace bringer and a hero because of his strong desire to bring about the end of the Vietnam War. This image was first advanced by the film JFK produced by Oliver Stone4. Stone forwarded the idea that Kennedy had the intention of ending the Vietnam War, but that this plan was prevented by his assignation in 1963. The image that Kennedy puts forward is one of a lone hero, and has grown in popular opinion since the film’s release5. Yet, considering him a hero in this respect is not entirely accurate. While it is true that in 1963 he strongly desired to end the war, the actions in the first two years of his presidency were not to this end. When he first took office, the war had been occurring for some time, and the position of the United States was poor and on the verge of collapse. Under his leadership, the war was escalated in 1961 and 1962 with the level of violence being increased6.He was responsible for substantially raising the level of aggression with such acts as ordering a squadron from the United States Air Force to become involved directly in combat operations7. As a consequence, he moved the focus from being warfare that was backed by the United State to direct armed attack8. Indeed, although Kennedy’s military advisors put forward predictions that the increases in violence would eventually lead to a military victory within Vietnam, and allow the United States to withdraw their forces, Kennedy himself never fully supported the idea of withdrawal9. The opinion that Kennedy planned to end the Vietnam War was not the only thesis that has been proposed by supporters of Kennedy. Some have proposed that he planned not only the complete withdrawal from the Vietnam War, but to break apart the CIA, the powers of the ‘military-industrial complex' and other plans that would have made him unpopular among others in power10. A Charismatic Leader The time in which Kennedy was President is idolized in no small part because of the charismatic nature of the man himself. Physically, he was handsome, and his looks won him many admirers. He was charismatic, with a strong sense of humor as well as being inquisitive and loving socialization. On meeting him women were mesmerized by his appearance, although Kennedy paid little attention to this. His affairs were numerous and the attention he paid to individual women little, to the extent that he did not always remember their names, instead asked for them by describing them by appearance11.Kennedy surrounded himself with men and was comfortable in their presence, much more so than he was with woman, and had a substantial amount of power over men. His charismatic nature meant that those around him sought to please him, to make him smile, and shied away from anything that would upset him. As a consequence even Kennedy’s advisors, who were meant to give him sound advice instead told him what they thought would make him happy12. While he was well aware of protocol concerning behavior and manners, even before he was President, he did not consider that these applied to him. Instead, he behaved as he deemed fit, even to those that society considered he should show respect for. Adlai Stevenson, the man with whom Kennedy was competing with for the nomination considered him to never say sorry or please13 Kennedy as a Hard Worker The public viewed Kennedy as a young, energetic man who was a hard worker and dedicated to his role. When campaigning for election, Kennedy focused on three perspectives, these were that the military power of the United States was lower than it should be, that the United States needed to become more modern in terms of public services, city structure and transportation, and that the American economy needed to grow14. Staff that served under Kennedy saw a different side to the man. The hard working image that the President gave to the public was not reflected in his private life and time within the White House. One strong example of this was Kennedy’s obsession with sex. He had multiple partners as well as his own wife, and this obsession was so strong that he was often late to his own meeting and unavailable for many hours of the day15. The Assassination The simple fact that Kennedy was assassinated played a tremendous role in cementing him as a kind of hero for the country. No one had any way of knowing how he would have acted in the years that were to come, and consequently speculation grew quickly. Public reaction to the assignation occurred quickly16 and was strong, not just within the United States, but throughout the world17. Indeed, the assignation was one of those events that people were able to remember clearly the activities that they were doing during that time, even many years after the event18. To this day it is not known for certain who assassinated Kennedy, although theories widely vary. Some consider that it was the FBI or someone within the government itself who set up the assassination in order to stop Kennedy’s plans, other theories suggest the Mafia, or a lone gunman19 with many considering that the official story of the assassination is not feasible or realistic20. From this time onwards Kennedy became not simply a man but a legend. Who he was and what he had done stopped being important, instead the crucial facts were what he could have done and what hope was lost when he was killed. Many considered that the turmoil that followed in the years after his death would not have happened had he lived21. Conclusion The Kennedy assassination is considered by many to be a tragedy and that it robbed this nation not only of a great leader, but also of a much brighter future. John F. Kennedy is painted as a man who was young, brilliant and charismatic who had many strong ideas for the country and its future, but these were cut short by his assassination. This has brought forward the concept of the Camelot years; however, while this theory is widespread and popular there is not a large amount of evidence as to its legitimacy. Those that worked directly with Kennedy talked of him being obsessed with sex, compromising his own position and role to satisfy this desire. Although it is often considered that Kennedy was assassinated to prevent him from ending the Vietnam War, this appears unlikely as it was Kennedy who substantially increased the conflict, turning it from being supported by the United States, to driven by them. The Camelot years are a romantic myth that glosses over many of the flaws within President Kennedy as well as the nature of the time. Perhaps the best descriptor of the Kennedy years is that they were like any other presidency, some good decisions, some poor ones, and a large amount of politics. References Bugliosi, V. Reclaiming History: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy: WW Norton & Company, 2007. Chomsky, N. Rethinking Camelot: Jfk, the Vietnam War, and Us Political Culture: South End Pr, 1993. Garrison, J. On the Trail of the Assassins: My Investigation and Prosecution of the Murder of President Kennedy: Sheridan Square Press New York, 1988. Greenberg, B.S. "Diffusion of News of the Kennedy Assassination." Public Opinion Quarterly 28, no. 2 (1964): 225. Griffin, L.M. "When Dreams Collide: Rhetorical Trajectories in the Assassination of President Kennedy." Quarterly Journal of Speech 70, no. 2 (1984): 111-131. Hersh, S.M. "The Dark Side of Camelot." Wheeler Pub.(Rockland, MA), 1998. Reeves, R. President Kennedy: Profile of Power: Touchstone Books, 1994. Sheatsley, P.B., and J.J. Feldman. "The Assassination of President Kennedy: A Preliminary Report on Public Reactions and Behavior." Public Opinion Quarterly 28, no. 2 (1964): 189. Stone, O. "JFK." 1991. Yarmey, A.D., and M.P. Bull. "Where Were You When President Kennedy Was Assassinated?" Bulletin of the Psychonomic Society (1978). Read More