he was a young charismatic leader elected to office during one of the most
elected to office during one of the most
elected to office during one of the most turbulent times in American history
turbulent times in American history
turbulent times in American history welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re counting down our picks for the top five
counting down our picks for the top five
counting down our picks for the top five defining moments of john f kennedy’s
defining moments of john f kennedy’s
defining moments of john f kennedy’s presidency before we begin we publish
presidency before we begin we publish
presidency before we begin we publish new videos every day
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content for this list we’re focusing on
content for this list we’re focusing on the most memorable and significant
the most memorable and significant
the most memorable and significant moments from JFK’s time in the Oval
moments from JFK’s time in the Oval
moments from JFK’s time in the Oval Office these moments are not in
Office these moments are not in
Office these moments are not in chronological order as we’re ranking
chronological order as we’re ranking
chronological order as we’re ranking them based on their lasting impact
them based on their lasting impact
them based on their lasting impact number five fostering the space program
number five fostering the space program
number five fostering the space program once the Soviets launched Sputnik and
once the Soviets launched Sputnik and
once the Soviets launched Sputnik and later became the first nation to send a
later became the first nation to send a
later became the first nation to send a human into space the Cold War’s battle
human into space the Cold War’s battle
human into space the Cold War’s battle of ideologies manifested itself in the
of ideologies manifested itself in the
of ideologies manifested itself in the space race determine to see the United
space race determine to see the United
space race determine to see the United States triumph
States triumph
States triumph President Kennedy issued a challenge to
President Kennedy issued a challenge to
President Kennedy issued a challenge to his government and the American people
his government and the American people
his government and the American people put a man on the moon and bring him back
put a man on the moon and bring him back
put a man on the moon and bring him back to Earth in one piece within 10 years
to Earth in one piece within 10 years
to Earth in one piece within 10 years time to achieving the goal before this
time to achieving the goal before this
time to achieving the goal before this decade is out of landing a man on the
decade is out of landing a man on the
decade is out of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the
moon and returning him safely to the
moon and returning him safely to the earth
earth
earth later speaking at Rice University in
later speaking at Rice University in
later speaking at Rice University in Houston Texas JFK gave one of the most
Houston Texas JFK gave one of the most
Houston Texas JFK gave one of the most iconic speeches of his presidency to
iconic speeches of his presidency to
iconic speeches of his presidency to encourage support for the initiative we
encourage support for the initiative we
encourage support for the initiative we choose to go to the moon in this decade
choose to go to the moon in this decade
choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things not because they
and do the other things not because they
and do the other things not because they are easy but because they are hard
are easy but because they are hard
are easy but because they are hard ultimately his challenge was met in 1969
ultimately his challenge was met in 1969
ultimately his challenge was met in 1969 when Apollo 11 successfully landed on
when Apollo 11 successfully landed on
when Apollo 11 successfully landed on the moon at one all fair for man one
the moon at one all fair for man one
the moon at one all fair for man one giant leap for ever
giant leap for ever
giant leap for ever number four signing the nuclear test-ban
number four signing the nuclear test-ban
number four signing the nuclear test-ban treaty by the end of World War two
treaty by the end of World War two
treaty by the end of World War two nuclear weapons had become a persistent
nuclear weapons had become a persistent
nuclear weapons had become a persistent aspect of warfare and the nuclear arms
aspect of warfare and the nuclear arms
aspect of warfare and the nuclear arms race encouraged the development of even
race encouraged the development of even
race encouraged the development of even more dangerous munitions Kennedy himself
more dangerous munitions Kennedy himself
more dangerous munitions Kennedy himself had championed a ban on nuclear weapons
had championed a ban on nuclear weapons
had championed a ban on nuclear weapons testing both as a senator and during his
testing both as a senator and during his
testing both as a senator and during his presidential campaign
presidential campaign
presidential campaign however the Cuban Missile Crisis of
however the Cuban Missile Crisis of
however the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962
October 1962
October 1962 definitively to both JFK and Soviet
definitively to both JFK and Soviet
definitively to both JFK and Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev that the
premier Nikita Khrushchev that the
premier Nikita Khrushchev that the planets destruction due to nuclear war
planets destruction due to nuclear war
planets destruction due to nuclear war was all but inevitable as long as
was all but inevitable as long as
was all but inevitable as long as hostilities remained between the US and
hostilities remained between the US and
hostilities remained between the US and the USSR it took less than two weeks of
the USSR it took less than two weeks of
the USSR it took less than two weeks of negotiations for a treaty between the
negotiations for a treaty between the
negotiations for a treaty between the two countries to be signed on August 5th
two countries to be signed on August 5th
two countries to be signed on August 5th 1963 banning nuclear testing everywhere
1963 banning nuclear testing everywhere
1963 banning nuclear testing everywhere but underground courage and
but underground courage and
but underground courage and understanding and lodged Friday’s
understanding and lodged Friday’s
understanding and lodged Friday’s achievement but a special long road in
achievement but a special long road in
achievement but a special long road in quest of man’s essential number-3
quest of man’s essential number-3
quest of man’s essential number-3 integrating the University of Alabama
integrating the University of Alabama
integrating the University of Alabama Kennedy’s public support of Martin
Kennedy’s public support of Martin
Kennedy’s public support of Martin Luther King jr. was a deciding factor
Luther King jr. was a deciding factor
Luther King jr. was a deciding factor during his presidential campaign once in
during his presidential campaign once in
during his presidential campaign once in office
office
office JFK’s administration made significant
JFK’s administration made significant
JFK’s administration made significant efforts to ensure the civil rights of
efforts to ensure the civil rights of
efforts to ensure the civil rights of African Americans nonetheless the racial
African Americans nonetheless the racial
African Americans nonetheless the racial segregation of schools remained an issue
segregation of schools remained an issue
segregation of schools remained an issue tensions boiled over in Alabama On June
tensions boiled over in Alabama On June
tensions boiled over in Alabama On June 11th 1963 when Governor George Wallace
11th 1963 when Governor George Wallace
11th 1963 when Governor George Wallace made his so-called stand in the
made his so-called stand in the
made his so-called stand in the schoolhouse door attempting to prevent
schoolhouse door attempting to prevent
schoolhouse door attempting to prevent two black students from being admitted
two black students from being admitted
two black students from being admitted to UA Kennedy responded by federalizing
to UA Kennedy responded by federalizing
to UA Kennedy responded by federalizing the Alabama National Guard and Wallace
the Alabama National Guard and Wallace
the Alabama National Guard and Wallace was ordered to step aside the president
was ordered to step aside the president
was ordered to step aside the president then addressed the nation stating that
then addressed the nation stating that
then addressed the nation stating that civil rights were as much a moral issue
civil rights were as much a moral issue
civil rights were as much a moral issue as a political one they had a right to
as a political one they had a right to
as a political one they had a right to expect the land would be fair but the
expect the land would be fair but the
expect the land would be fair but the Constitution will be colorblind as
Constitution will be colorblind as
Constitution will be colorblind as justice Harlan said at an intersection
justice Harlan said at an intersection
justice Harlan said at an intersection the Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed
the Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed
the Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed such discrimination and was a lasting
such discrimination and was a lasting
such discrimination and was a lasting legacy of Kennedy’s leadership I think
legacy of Kennedy’s leadership I think
legacy of Kennedy’s leadership I think the passage of the civil rights bill is
the passage of the civil rights bill is
the passage of the civil rights bill is a lasting tribute to the memory of the
a lasting tribute to the memory of the
a lasting tribute to the memory of the late John Fitzgerald Kennedy
late John Fitzgerald Kennedy
late John Fitzgerald Kennedy number two handling the Cuban Missile
number two handling the Cuban Missile
number two handling the Cuban Missile Crisis in October of 1962 it was
Crisis in October of 1962 it was
Crisis in October of 1962 it was confirmed to United States government
confirmed to United States government
confirmed to United States government officials the Sicilia Union had
officials the Sicilia Union had
officials the Sicilia Union had positioned nuclear weapons within Cuba
positioned nuclear weapons within Cuba
positioned nuclear weapons within Cuba putting the entire continental US at
putting the entire continental US at
putting the entire continental US at risk of a potential missile strike on
risk of a potential missile strike on
risk of a potential missile strike on October 22nd in an address to the nation
October 22nd in an address to the nation
October 22nd in an address to the nation President Kennedy warned that unchecked
President Kennedy warned that unchecked
President Kennedy warned that unchecked aggression would lead to war but his
aggression would lead to war but his
aggression would lead to war but his goal was a peaceful resolution to the
goal was a peaceful resolution to the
goal was a peaceful resolution to the Cuban
Cuban
Cuban for crisis our goal is not the victory
for crisis our goal is not the victory
for crisis our goal is not the victory of might but the vindication of right he
of might but the vindication of right he
of might but the vindication of right he then deployed a military blockade to
then deployed a military blockade to
then deployed a military blockade to quarantine Cuba and prevent more weapons
quarantine Cuba and prevent more weapons
quarantine Cuba and prevent more weapons from being delivered and demanded the
from being delivered and demanded the
from being delivered and demanded the existing weapons be dismantled through
existing weapons be dismantled through
existing weapons be dismantled through diplomatic negotiations the Americans
diplomatic negotiations the Americans
diplomatic negotiations the Americans and Soviets reached an agreement with
and Soviets reached an agreement with
and Soviets reached an agreement with both countries dismantling the offensive
both countries dismantling the offensive
both countries dismantling the offensive nuclear missiles in question number one
nuclear missiles in question number one
nuclear missiles in question number one delivering his inaugural address after
delivering his inaugural address after
delivering his inaugural address after winning one of the tightest elections in
winning one of the tightest elections in
winning one of the tightest elections in almost half a century John F Kennedy
almost half a century John F Kennedy
almost half a century John F Kennedy appeared before a nation divided by
appeared before a nation divided by
appeared before a nation divided by civil rights issues and fearful of a
civil rights issues and fearful of a
civil rights issues and fearful of a foreign superpower to deliver his first
foreign superpower to deliver his first
foreign superpower to deliver his first speech as president of the United States
speech as president of the United States
speech as president of the United States on January 20th 1961 in what was the
on January 20th 1961 in what was the
on January 20th 1961 in what was the first inaugural address televised in
first inaugural address televised in
first inaugural address televised in color President Kennedy spoke directly
color President Kennedy spoke directly
color President Kennedy spoke directly to the American public calling for unity
to the American public calling for unity
to the American public calling for unity within the country and asked
within the country and asked
within the country and asked international allies for cooperation
international allies for cooperation
international allies for cooperation towards peace ultimately the sentiment
towards peace ultimately the sentiment
towards peace ultimately the sentiment that closed out JFK’s inaugural speech
that closed out JFK’s inaugural speech
that closed out JFK’s inaugural speech has since come to define not only john f
has since come to define not only john f
has since come to define not only john f kennedy’s presidency but also his legacy
kennedy’s presidency but also his legacy
kennedy’s presidency but also his legacy and so my fellow America and not what
and so my fellow America and not what
and so my fellow America and not what your country can do for you at what you
your country can do for you at what you
your country can do for you at what you can do for your country
can do for your country
can do for your country [Music]
”
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