Context and Essential QuestionAs John Kennedy sought the Democratic Party’s nomination during the primaries of 1960, he was acutely aware of the growing international atmosphere of distrust and feared, along with the rest of the world, the potential of nuclear war. As a candidate, Kennedy took a firm stance on foreign policy, specifically against communism, but also recognized the impact that election rhetoric could have on diplomacy and the prospects of peace while the current administration was still in office. In his letter to then President Eisenhower, Kennedy expressed concern over rhetoric and support of Eisenhower’s negotiations at Geneva, pledging if elected to uphold the tenets of peace agreed upon.
Essential Question: Should Kennedy’s letter to Eisenhower be viewed as a political maneuver, insight into his foreign policy values, or both? Source:
Kennedy, John F., and Martin W. Sandler. The Letters of John F. Kennedy. New York: Bloomsbury PLC, 2013. Print. |