Council of Councils
Think Global Health
Online Store
Introduction
Over the last several decades, governments have collectively pledged to slow global warming. But despite intensified diplomacy, the world is already facing the consequences of climate…
Lessons Learned: John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address
January 19, 2012 5:22 am (EST)
- Explainer Video
On a cold, snowy morning fifty-one years ago, President John F. Kennedy stepped up to a podium at the East Front of the Capitol building and delivered what was perhaps the most memorable inaugural address since Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s first, remembers James M. Lindsay, senior vice president and director of studies. Seeking to calm fears about the rise of Soviet power during the 1950s, Kennedy spoke eloquently of the United States as a near limitless force for change in the world. He called on U.S. citizens to act in support of their government, uttering the immortal line: "Ask not what your country can do for you–ask what you can do for your country."
More From Our Experts
However, Vietnam disproved the notion that the American public was willing to "bear any burden," says Lindsay. A successful foreign policy, whether it be a war with Vietnam in the 1960s or negotiations with Iran or North Korea, requires balancing costs and benefits and ensuring public support. So while Kennedy’s words inspire us today, Lindsay argues, they also provide a powerful reminder of the perils of overreaching.
This video is part of Lessons Learned, a series dedicated to exploring historical events and examining their meaning in the context of foreign relations today.
More From Our Experts
Top Stories on CFR
Organized crime’s hold on local governments fuels record election violence; Europe’s cocaine pipeline shifting to the Southern Cone.
John Barrientos, a captain in the U.S. Navy and a visiting military fellow at CFR, and Kristen Thompson, a colonel in the U.S. Air Force and a visiting military fellow at CFR, sit down with James M. Lindsay to provide an inside view on how the U.S. military is adapting to the challenges it faces.
The Myanmar army is experiencing a rapid rise in defections and military losses, posing questions about the continued viability of the junta’s grip on power.