History of Vietnam and twentieth century turning points

Vietnam & 20th Century Experience

Turning Point: The 1963 Assassination of President Kennedy

The 1963 assassination of President Kennedy in Dallas, Texas has long been considered to be a turning point in American history (Kelin, 2007). While there have been many events that have made a difference throughout history, the Kennedy Assassination can be considered a turning point because many Americans believed it marked the end of the post-WWII era with all of its optimism (Associated Press, 1963). Kennedy was seen as a president who could really lead the country into a strong, bright future, and was a young man with a beautiful family and everything going for him (Kelin, 2007). Then he was killed, and everything changed -- seemingly in an instant. The 1960s and 1970s were decades that saw a great deal of turmoil throughout the United States, and while the demise of Kennedy did not really cause that to happen, there were many people who equated one with the other (Kelin, 2007). There were fundamental changes, in the view of most Americans, that came along with the bullet that took Kennedy's life so suddenly that day.

The events that immediately preceded this turning point were necessary and essential in it actually happening. Everything had to be in just the right (or wrong) place and time, or the shot that rang out from the grassy knoll would not have reached its intended target (Kelin, 2007). There was much blame placed on the Secret Service, but they had taken all the precautions that would have been expected during that time (Kelin, 2007). The Warren Commission was then created to study the assassination (Kelin, 2007). It was concluded that there was one lone shooter, and that the Secret Service had not done anything wrong when it came to the events that led up to Kennedy's assassination (Kelin, 2007). Since that time, however, the report has been both argued for and argued against. Some people still believe it to be inaccurate, while others feel there are no errors in it.

Subsequent events were also dependent on that turning point, because the world changed so much after Kennedy was assassinated. Some of the events that would likely have taken place were rendered impossible because of the assassination, as well. There was so much promise in the world when Kennedy took office (Kelin, 2007). The goal was for Kennedy to keep the "Camelot" style that he had created and move forward as he led the country through prosperous times. When he died, the country mourned -- and a part of the American spirit died with him. That took place because the social constructs that defined life for so many people during that time were forever changed (Associated Press, 1963). Once the torch had been passed and the vice president took office, things were not the same. The country and the world had high hopes for Kennedy, and so much of what he wanted to do would not be able to come to pass because he did not live long enough to leave his mark on the presidency and on the United States (Kelin, 2007).