Inaugural Address of John F. Kennedy (USG 17 MI)

Summary

In his inaugural address, President John F. Kennedy emphasizes the generational responsibility to uphold freedom and human rights. He calls for unity against global adversaries, support for the United Nations, and a commitment to peace through disarmament and cooperation. Kennedy's speech is a clarion call for collective effort in combating tyranny, poverty, and war, urging citizens to contribute to the nation's service.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speech marks the beginning of John F. Kennedy's presidency and emphasizes the continuity of American values and the oath of office.
• 🌟 JFK highlights the power of human potential to eliminate poverty and the responsibility to uphold the rights that come from God, not the state.
• 🔥 He calls for a new generation to carry the torch of freedom, committed to preserving human rights both domestically and globally.
• 🤝 Kennedy pledges loyalty to old allies and emphasizes the importance of unity in cooperative ventures for mutual success.
• 🏛 He warns of the dangers of division and the need to avoid replacing one form of tyranny with another, especially in newly free states.
• 🌍 JFK addresses global poverty and the commitment to help those in need, not for political gain but because it is morally right.
• 👬 He offers a special pledge to the Americas, vowing to oppose aggression and subversion, and asserting the hemisphere's autonomy.
• 🕊️ The speech calls for renewed support for the United Nations to prevent it from becoming a mere forum for conflict and to strengthen its protective role.
• ⚔️ Kennedy acknowledges the need for strong arms but also the importance of never employing them, emphasizing the balance of power.
• 🤝 He invites adversaries to a new quest for peace, advocating for civility and sincerity in negotiations and the exploration of shared problems.
• 🌌 JFK envisions a cooperative endeavor in science and exploration, aiming to create a world of law where peace is preserved and all are secure.
• 💪 He concludes by urging citizens to take responsibility for their country, emphasizing that the success of the nation depends on individual contributions.

Q & A

Who was being sworn in as President during the event described in the script?

John Fitzgerald Kennedy was being sworn in as President.

What is the significance of the phrase 'Hail to the Chief' in the context of this script?

The phrase 'Hail to the Chief' refers to the musical piece played to announce the President of the United States, indicating the start of the inauguration ceremony.

What does President Kennedy emphasize as the source of man's rights in his speech?

President Kennedy emphasizes that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state, but from the hand of God.

What does President Kennedy refer to as the 'torch' that has been passed to a new generation?

The 'torch' refers to the responsibility and commitment to uphold human rights and the values of freedom, which has been passed to a new generation of Americans.

What is the 'long twilight struggle' that President Kennedy mentions?

The 'long twilight struggle' is a metaphor for the ongoing fight against tyranny, poverty, disease, and war, which requires sustained effort and commitment from all Americans.

What does President Kennedy ask of the American citizens in his final remarks?

President Kennedy asks American citizens to not only consider what their country can do for them, but also what they can do for their country, emphasizing the importance of individual contribution to the nation's well-being.

What is the role of the Vice President, as mentioned in the script?

The Vice President is part of the audience during the inauguration ceremony, acknowledging the importance of the office and the continuity of government leadership.

What does President Kennedy mean by 'we shall pay any price, bear any burden'?

This phrase signifies the commitment of the United States to defend liberty and support its allies, even at great cost or sacrifice.

How does President Kennedy view the relationship between the United States and the newly independent states?

He views it as a relationship based on mutual support and freedom, pledging not to replace colonial control with a more oppressive form of dominance, and to help these states support their own freedom.

What is the 'new world of law' that President Kennedy envisions?

The 'new world of law' is a global order where the strong act justly and the weak are secure, with peace being preserved through international cooperation and adherence to the rule of law.

What is the significance of the United Nations in President Kennedy's speech?

The United Nations is presented as the world's last best hope for peace in an age where the instruments of war have outpaced those of peace, and it is a platform for strengthening the shield of the new and the weak.

Outlines

00:00

📜 Presidential Oath and Call for Freedom

In this inaugural address, John F. Kennedy takes the presidential oath of office, promising to execute the duties faithfully and protect the Constitution. He emphasizes the celebration of freedom over party victory, the revolutionary ideals of human rights as divine, and the responsibility of the new generation to uphold these rights. Kennedy calls for unity against the backdrop of global challenges, pledging to support liberty and oppose any foe, while also acknowledging the shared cultural and spiritual origins with allies and the need for cooperation in ventures.

05:01

🌏 Global Solidarity and the Quest for Peace

Kennedy addresses the global community, pledging support to those struggling with poverty and urging nations to help themselves for the common good. He offers a special commitment to the Americas, vowing to oppose aggression and subversion, and calls for the United Nations to strengthen its role in peacekeeping. The speech also reaches out to potential adversaries, urging a new quest for peace and disarmament, and advocating for the exploration of science for the betterment of humanity rather than for destructive purposes.

10:04

🛠️ A New World Order and the Burden of Generations

The president outlines a vision for a cooperative world, focusing on shared goals such as space exploration, desert conquest, disease eradication, and oceanic development, alongside the promotion of arts and commerce. He calls for the alleviation of global burdens and the establishment of a world governed by law, where both the strong and weak are secure. Kennedy acknowledges that achieving this vision will be a long-term endeavor, requiring the commitment of generations, and ends with a call to action for citizens to contribute to the nation's and humanity's progress.

15:05

🤝 Unity and Sacrifice for a Brighter Future

In the concluding part of the speech, Kennedy emphasizes the importance of unity and personal sacrifice for the greater good. He invites both American citizens and the global community to join in the historic effort of defending freedom and creating a more fruitful life for all. The president expresses confidence in the energy, faith, and devotion of the people and calls for a mutual commitment to high standards of strength and sacrifice, recognizing that the work of building a better world is a collective responsibility.

Keywords

💡Freedom

Freedom is the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance. In the context of the video, it is a central theme symbolizing an end and a beginning, signifying renewal and change. The script mentions a 'celebration of freedom' and the importance of preserving human rights, which are seen as inherent and not granted by the state but by God, indicating the foundational belief in individual liberty and its defense.

💡Constitution

The Constitution refers to the fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. In the script, it is mentioned as the document that the President-elect, John F. Kennedy, swears to 'preserve, protect, and defend,' highlighting the commitment to uphold the foundational legal and moral framework of the United States.

💡Revolution

A revolution is a fundamental change in the way of thinking about or visualizing something. The script refers to the audience as 'heirs of that first revolution,' emphasizing the historical legacy of the American Revolution and the ongoing commitment to the ideals it represented, such as liberty and democracy.

💡Torch

In the script, the 'torch' is used metaphorically to represent the responsibility and legacy of freedom and democracy being passed to a new generation. It signifies the continuation of the struggle for human rights and the commitment to uphold them.

💡Liberty

Liberty denotes the state of being free within a society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views. The script emphasizes the pledge to support the survival and success of liberty, indicating the dedication to the cause of freedom and the willingness to bear any burden to ensure its preservation.

💡Allies

Allies are countries or groups that cooperate and support each other, often in a military or political context. The script mentions 'old allies' and pledges loyalty and cooperation, suggesting the importance of maintaining strong relationships with countries that share cultural and spiritual origins.

💡Colonial Control

Colonial control refers to the domination or rule over a territory or people by an external power. The script warns against the replacement of one form of colonial control with a more oppressive regime, indicating a commitment to preventing the loss of freedom in newly independent states.

💡United Nations

The United Nations is an international organization founded to promote peace, security, and cooperation. In the script, the United Nations is referred to as the 'world assembly of sovereign states,' and there is a call to renew support for it to prevent it from becoming a mere forum for invective and to strengthen its role in peacekeeping.

💡Arms Control

Arms control involves the regulation of the proliferation of arms and the reduction of armaments. The script calls for both sides to formulate proposals for the inspection and control of arms, emphasizing the need to bring the power to destroy nations under the control of all nations to prevent the escalation of destructive capabilities.

💡Cooperation

Cooperation is the process of working together to the same end. The script mentions the need for a 'beachhead of cooperation' to push back against suspicion and to create a new world of law where peace is preserved, indicating the importance of collaborative efforts in achieving global peace and stability.

💡Service

Service refers to the action of helping or doing work for someone. In the script, the call to service is a summons to the new generation to bear the burden of a long struggle against common enemies of humanity, such as tyranny, poverty, disease, and war, emphasizing the duty and responsibility of citizens to contribute to the nation's well-being.

Highlights

John F. Kennedy's inauguration and swearing-in as the 35th President of the United States.

Kennedy's emphasis on the importance of freedom and the celebration of it, rather than a party victory.

The acknowledgment of the world's changed state with mankind holding the power to abolish poverty or all human life.

The reaffirmation of the belief in unalienable rights coming from God, not the state.

Kennedy's declaration that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans.

The commitment to liberty and the willingness to support it against any foe.

The pledge of loyalty to old allies and the potential for united strength in cooperative ventures.

A warning against division and the need for unity to meet powerful challenges.

The promise to new states of not replacing one form of colonial control with a more oppressive one.

The call to help people in poverty-stricken areas and the commitment to do what is right, not for votes or communist influence.

A special pledge to the sister republics of the Americas to convert good words into good deeds.

The assertion of the hemisphere's intention to remain the master of its own house.

The renewal of support to the United Nations to prevent it from becoming a mere forum for invective.

A call for the exploration of peace and the avoidance of fear in negotiations.

The proposal for both sides to formulate proposals for the inspection and control of arms.

The vision of uniting to explore the stars, conquer deserts, eradicate disease, and tap ocean depths.

The call for a new world of law where the strong are just and the weak secure, with peace preserved.

Kennedy's acknowledgment that the work ahead will not be finished quickly, but the call to begin the effort.

The famous line 'Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.'

The final call for unity and high standards of strength and sacrifice from both American citizens and the world.

Transcripts

[MUSIC - "HAIL TO THE CHIEF"]

EARL WARREN: Do you, John Fitzgerald Kennedy,

solemnly swear--

JOHN F. KENNEDY: I, John Fitzgerald Kennedy,

do solemnly swear--

EARL WARREN: --that you will faithfully execute the Office

of President of the United States--

JOHN F. KENNEDY: --and I will faithfully execute the Office

of President of the United States--

EARL WARREN: --and will to the best of your ability--

JOHN F. KENNEDY: --and will to the best of my ability--

EARL WARREN: --preserve, protect,

and defend the Constitution of the United States--

JOHN F. KENNEDY: --preserve, protect,

and defend the Constitution of the United States--

EARL WARREN: --so help you God?

JOHN F. KENNEDY: --so help me God.

[CHEERING]

Vice President Johnson, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Chief Justice,

President Eisenhower, Vice President Nixon,

President Truman, reverend clergy, fellow citizens,

we observe today not a victory of party,

but a celebration of freedom, symbolizing an end, as well as

a beginning, signifying renewal, as well as change.

For I have sworn before you and almighty God the same solemn

oath our forebears prescribed nearly a century and 3/4 ago.

The world is very different now.

For man holds in his mortal hands

the power to abolish all forms of human poverty

and all forms of human life.

And yet the same revolutionary beliefs

for which our forebears fought are still

at issue around the globe--

the belief that the rights of man

come not from the generosity of the state,

but from the hand of God.

We dare not forget today that we are the heirs

of that first revolution.

Let the word go forth from this time

and place, to friend and foe alike,

that the torch has been passed to a new generation

of Americans born in this century, tempered by war,

disciplined by a hard and bitter peace,

proud of our ancient heritage, and unwilling to witness

or permit the slow undoing of those human rights

to which this nation has always been committed

and to which we are committed today

at home and around the world.

[CHEERING]

Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill,

that we shall pay any price, bear any burden,

meet any hardship, support any friend,

oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success

of liberty.

[CHEERING]

This much we pledge and more.

To those old allies whose cultural and spiritual origins

we share, we pledge the loyalty of faithful friends.

United, there is little we cannot do in a host

of cooperative ventures.

Divided, there is little we can do

for we dare not meet a powerful challenge at odds and split

asunder.

To those new states whom we welcome

to the ranks of the free, we pledge our word

that one form of colonial control

shall not have passed away merely

to be replaced by a far more iron tyranny.

We shall not always expect to find them supporting our view,

but we shall always hope to find them strongly supporting

their own freedom and to remember that, in the past,

those who foolishly sought power by riding the back of the tiger

ended up inside.

[APPLAUSE]

To those people in the huts and villages

across the globe struggling to break the bonds of mass misery,

we pledge our best efforts to help them help themselves

for whatever period is required, not because the communists may

be doing it, not because we seek their votes,

but because it is right.

If a free society cannot help the many who are poor,

it cannot save the few who are rich.

[CHEERING]

To our sister republics south of our border,

we offer a special pledge to convert our good words

into good deeds and a new alliance

for progress, to assist free men and free governments,

in casting off the chains of poverty.

But this peaceful revolution of hope cannot become the prey

of hostile powers.

Let all our neighbors know that we

shall join with them to oppose aggression or subversion

anywhere in the Americas.

And let every other power know that this hemisphere

intends to remain the master of its own house.

[CHEERING]

To that world assembly of sovereign states, the United

Nations, our last best hope in an age

where the instruments of war have far outpaced

the instruments of peace, we renew our pledge of support

to prevent it from becoming merely a forum for invective,

to strengthen its shield of the new and the weak,

and to enlarge the area in which it writ may run.

Finally, to those nations who would

make themselves our adversary, we also

need a pledge but a request--

that both sides begin anew the quest for peace

before the dark towers of destruction,

unleashed by science, engulf all humanity

in planned or accidental self-destruction.

We dare not tempt them with weakness.

For only when our arms are sufficient beyond doubt can

we be certain beyond doubt that they will never be employed.

But neither can two great and powerful groups of nations

take comfort from our present course--

both sides overburdened by the cost of modern weapons, both

rightly alarmed by the steady spread of the deadly atom, yet

both racing to alter that uncertain balance of terror

that stays the hand of mankind's final war.

So let us begin a new, remembering on both sides that

civility is not a sign of weakness and sincerity

is always subject to proof.

Let us never negotiate out of fear,

but let us never fear to negotiate.

[APPLAUSE]

Let both sides explore what problems unite us,

instead of belaboring those problems which divide US.

Let both sides, for the first time,

formulate serious and precise proposals

for the inspection and control of arms

and bring the absolute power to destroy other nations

under the absolute control of all nations.

[APPLAUSE]

Let both sides seek to invoke the wonders of science

instead of its terrors.

Together, let us explore the stars, conquer the deserts,

eradicate disease, tap the ocean depths,

and encourage the arts and commerce.

Let both sides unite to heed in all corners of the Earth

the command of Isiah to undo the heavy burdens

and let the oppressed go free.

And if a beachhead of cooperation

may push back the jungle of suspicion,

let both sides join in creating a new endeavor, not

a new balance of power, but a new world of law,

where the strong are just and the weak secure

and the peace preserved.

All this will not be finished in the first 100 days,

nor will it be finished in the first thousand days,

nor in the life of this administration, nor even,

perhaps, in our lifetime on this planet.

But let us begin.

[CHEERING]

In your hands, my fellow citizens, more than mine,

will rest the final success or failure of our course.

Since this country was founded, each generation of Americans

has been summoned to give testimony

to its national loyalty.

The graves of young Americans who answered the call

to service surround the globe.

Now, the trumpet summons us again, not as

a call to bear arms, though arms we

need, not as a call to battle, though

embattled we are, but a call to bear

the burden of a long twilight struggle, year in and year out,

rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation,

a struggle against the common enemies of man--

tyranny, poverty, disease, and war, itself.

Can we forge against these enemies

a grand and global alliance--

North and South, East and West--

that can assure a more fruitful life for all mankind?

Will you join in that historic effort?

[CHEERING]

In the long history of the world,

only a few generations have been granted

the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger.

I do not shrink from this responsibility.

I welcome it.

[CHEERING]

I do not believe that any of us would exchange places

with any other people or any other generation.

The energy, the faith, the devotion

which we bring to this endeavor will light our country

and all who serve it.

And the glow from that fire can truly light the world.

And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what

your country can do for you.

Ask what you can do for your country.

[CHEERING]

My fellow citizens of the world, ask

not what America will do for you,

but what together we can do for the freedom of man.

[APPLAUSE]

Finally, whether you are citizens of America

or citizens of the world, ask of us

here the same high standards of strength

and sacrifice which we ask of you.

With a good conscience, our only sure reward, with history

the final judge of our deeds, let

us go forth to lead the land we love,

asking His blessing and His help,

but knowing that here on Earth, God's work must truly

be our own.

[CHEERING]