Eisenhower - Kennedy
In January 1961, Dwight Eisenhower's presidency was coming to an end, and the nation was preparing for the new administration of John Kennedy. Within a week of each other, the two men both made addresses to the nation - Eisenhower made a farewell speech and Kennedy delivered his inaugural address. There were significant similarities and differences in the speeches. While both men understood that the Cold War would be a national priority for the foreseeable future, they also saw the risks posed by a global military buildup - albeit from different perspectives. Finally, Eisenhower focused some of his address on domestic issues, while Kennedy spent his entire address talking in more global terms. One area of similarity between the Eisenhower and Kennedy addresses is that both men recognized the lasting threats posed by the Cold War, although neither man directly referenced the Soviet Union. Eisenhower, as a general and then president, saw the Iron Curtain descend across Europe and how the Soviet influence was spreading around the globe. This was an active and volatile situation inherited by Kennedy, and both Eisenhower and Kennedy made it clear in their addresses that they expected the conflict to
" Kennedy, by contrast, uses his speech to communicate with "every nation" and people "across the globe. Eisenhower saw detente as something that could undermine personal liberty, while Kennedy was more concerned that the massive and expensive buildup was leading to technologies that could erase human life. The two men saw the same threats, but simply from different angles. " He was girding America for a protracted struggle, a strategy that was also used by Kennedy. " Both Eisenhower and Kennedy understood that America was embroiled in what promised to be a long struggle against the Soviet Union and the spread of communism. " He strikes a bit of a conciliatory note, making it clear that he would like to see peace and constructive dialogue with the Soviet Union, but, like Eisenhower, he prepares Americans for the fact that it will not happen overnight. However, while supporting detente, Eisenhower can envision how an arms buildup could undermine democracy in America. Eisenhower warned that America was going to have to confront the threat for years, even going so far as to say it "promises to be of indefinite duration. Eisenhower, on the other hand, does focus on some domestic issues. A military buildup is one of the things that Eisenhower cautioned must be "weighed in the light of a broader consideration: the need to maintain balance in and among national programs. Eisenhower says America "must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex," saying it could "endanger our liberties or democratic processes. Nor will it be finished in the first 1,000 days, nor in the life of this administration, nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. " He also reflects on the need for America to have a steady military economy that is not simply improvised when war arises, as it had been in the past.
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Acceptance Essays
