This episode follows Kennedy into the White House, offering fresh assessments of the successes and failures of his tenure. In 1961, the most challenging issue facing the new administration is the spread of communism and continuing Cold War fears. Only a few months into his first term, Kennedy launches the Bay of Pigs invasion, an unmitigated disaster that teaches him a powerful lesson. Nikita Khrushchev proves a stubborn foe, and Kennedy takes a stand...

"This biography introduces readers to John F. Kennedy including his military service, early political career, and key events from Kennedy's administration including the Cold War, space race, Bay of Pigs invasion, and Cuban missile crisis. Information about his childhood, family, and personal life is included. A timeline, fast facts, and sidebars provide additional information. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards"--Provided...

At a press conference in 1962, President John F. Kennedy was asked to explain the virtual "press blackout" regarding military operations in South Vietnam. President Kennedy said that secrecy was necessary to keep crucial tactical information out of the hands of the communists. Although he admitted that the United States was providing "assistance" he did not reveal that he had authorized the deployment of 8,000 U.S. troops the previous October.

During the cold war, the Soviet Union and the United States were engaged in a constant struggle to dominate the new field of space exploration. When the United States failed to be the first superpower to launch a manned satellite into space, the moon became the focus of the newly created National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). In a 1962 speech at Rice University, President John F. Kennedy defended NASA's goal, saying "We choose to go...

Although Kennedy won the 1960 presidential election by a mere 115,000 popular votes, his youth and charisma made him a popular political and social figure. The youngest man to be elected president and the first American president born in the 20th century, Kennedy represented a departure from the past. He used his understanding of the new medium of television to great advantage over his opponent, Richard Nixon, in the first ever televised presidential...

John F. Kennedy is assassinated.

President Kennedy orders an arms blockade of Cuba.

President John F. Kennedy delivered his Report to the American People on Civil Rights on June 11, 1963, urging Congress to pass civil rights legislation. Earlier that day, President Kennedy had ordered the National Guard to escort two African-American students as they enrolled at the University of Alabama.

On June 26, 1963, President John F. Kennedy delivered a speech in West Berlin in which he commended the struggle of East Germans as a symbol of freedom during the cold war, and pledged U.S. support of the city (which had been divided by the recently-built Berlin Wall) by announcing "Ich bin ein Berliner" ("I am a citizen of Berlin".) The statement confirmed that the United States would not reduce its presence in East Germany, marking a major turning...

On November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. Close to 1,200 mourners attended Kennedy's burial ceremony in Arlington Cemetery, Washington, D.C., and millions of Americans watched the ceremony on television. Kennedy was survived by his wife, Jacqueline Kennedy and his two young children, Caroline and John.