Rhetorical Analysis of JFK's 1961 Inaugural Address

Introduction: Setting the Tone for a Presidency

A president's inaugural speech, particularly its conclusion, is meant to set the tone for the speaker's entire presidency. Long after he was tragically assassinated, phrases from John F. Kennedy's inaugural address were used to eulogize the young president, such as his reference to the thousand days by which his presidency would be judged: "All this will not be finished in the first 100 days. 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. But let us begin" (20). Throughout his January 20, 1961 inaugural address, the new, young, and handsome president sounds a cry to the nation for hope, optimism, and a commitment to make the world a better place. He suggests that his administration will bring forth a new tomorrow and asks a new generation of Americans to help him realize his goals.

Cold War Tensions and the Language of Idealism

Although Kennedy became president during one of the most tension-ridden phases of the Cold War, he did not wish to strike purely militaristic and inflammatory notes, even though he did wish to convey an image of strength to Soviet leaders — particularly because of his perceived inexperience and youth. Yet as the speech comes to its conclusion, Kennedy does not rally the crowd with words of violence and fear alone. Rather, he strives to rise above the fray: "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" (17).

This is a less confrontational, nobler way of referring to the fact that science had rendered the Soviet Union and the United States at an atomic impasse of mutually assured destruction, as well as a reference to fears that the U.S.S.R. would jump ahead in the space race and conquer the heavens. His reference to commerce signals a capitalistic vision, and thus Kennedy does not abdicate traditional American values in his quest to formulate a new tomorrow based upon the principles of peace and freedom.

Anti-Communist Rhetoric Framed in Moral Terms

Kennedy's choice to close his speech with idealistic rather than militaristic rhetoric also deflects from the more militant language found earlier, when he says: "To those peoples 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" (8).

Kennedy demonstrates that he is a committed Cold Warrior, fully aware that the leaders of the Kremlin are listening to his words even though they are not physically present in the largely loyal and respectful audience. Nevertheless, he does not end with such specific, confrontational phrases directed at Vietnam and other regions where Soviet territorial encroachments — including Eastern Europe — remain pressing concerns. Even his anti-communist rhetoric is framed idealistically: the United States fights for the moral right of individuals to better their circumstances, not simply because it is in America's strategic interest that developing nations reject communism.

Works Cited

"Cold War." Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia. 2007. http://encarta.msn.com. © 1997–2007 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

"JFK Inaugural Address: 2 of 2." Added 26 Oct. 2006. Youtube.com. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s6U8GActdQ. [2 Apr. 2006].

"John F. Kennedy's January 20, 1961 Inaugural Address." Inaugural Addresses of the Presidents of the United States. Washington, D.C.: U.S.G.P.O.: for sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S.G.P.O., 1989; Bartleby.com, 2001. www.bartleby.com/124/. [2 Apr. 2006].