John F. Kennedy's International Power

Through years of trials and tribulations, the United States of America has maintained its standing as an international power, but such achievements do not occur without the aid of visionary individuals. Many have contributed to the success of this great country. However, in the last half of the twentieth century, when this power was questioned, there was one individual who stood above all the others, cementing the United States’ dominance, and paving the way to the future. Between the Cuban missile crisis, the Space race, and countless other achievements that helped cultivate the strength of the United States, President John F. Kennedy has earned his place in history for ensuring that the United States’ claim to power remain unhampered.
Kennedy not only demonstrated great leadership in times of crisis, but also used his charismatic appeal to bring the American people together in a time of oppression. On November 20, 1962 President Kennedy issued the Executive Order 11063, which prevented racial discrimination and laid the groundwork for the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Sorensen 502). He kept this pro- civil rights premise throughout his entire campaign, remaining an avid supporter of Martin Luther King, even during times of great persecution. He led the United States by example, reminding his people of the beliefs that this great country was founded upon. In a time where the world was composed of many communist countries, Kennedy sought to find the difference between the international powerhouses and use the freedom that separated America from the rest to set an example for the rest of the world. America was already an international power, but Kennedy was not content with just being number one in the world, he wanted America to be number one in their hearts as well. So Kennedy created the Peace Corps, “a cadre of mostly youthful volunteers carrying American energy and skills directly to the people of poor nations,” which “became in time--at least in the developing nations--the most stirring symbol of Kennedy 's hope and promise” (Sorensen 532). The Peace Corps was not President Kennedy’s only humanitarian project, he also sought to contain the perceived threat of communism in Latin America by establishing the Alliance for Progress, a program designed to develop human rights standards in developing countries. He even showed his support to West Berlin with his famous speech Ich bin ein Berliner in 1963. By expanding his leadership to other Nations in need John F. Kennedy gained many valuable allies and formed ties with other nations that would help cement America’s position as an international power. He took hold of the values that Americans hold dear and released them into the