Peace Corps

t the University of Michigan, Kennedy proposes the idea of starting a peace corps. Kennedy asks, "How many of you are willing to spend ten years in Africa or Latin America or Asia working for the U.S. and working for freedom?" (Redmon 4). In November 1960, John F. Kennedy was elected President of the United States and on March 1, 1961, he signed an executive order establishing the Peace Corps ("Peace Corps", World Book 2). The idea of an "Army of Peace" soon became a reality with the establishment of the Peace Corps.
             With the creation of the Peace Corps in 1961, American volunteers began to serve underprivileged communities in third world countries. The Peace Corps is a federally funded, volunteer program that sends Americans overseas to serve in needy countries ("Peace Corps", World Book 1). Peace Corps volunteers work to promote world peace and friendship with the countries served by performing social and humanitarian services ("Peace Corps", Encarta 1). The main goals of the Corps are (1) to help the underprivileged obtain daily necessities by meeting their need for trained personnel, (2) to promote world peace by increasing the understanding between the countries served and the US, (3) to increase the understanding between Americans and the countries served ("Peace Corps", Encyclopedia Americana 1, "Peace Corps", World Book 1).
             To become a volunteer in the Peace Corps, individuals must be dedicated, be able to learn new skills quickly, and work efficiently with people ("Peace Corps", World Book 2). In the book, Making a Difference: The Peace Corps Story, John F. Kennedy explains the skills that a volunteer would need to
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Peace Corps. (2000, January 01). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 23:04, September 28, 2026, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/95459.html