America and peace: Kennedy’s 1963 speech
I am still in the process of watching on Sky Atlantic the series “Oliver Stone’s Untold History Of The United States”. It’s a fascinating, if controversial, project and I have now viewed eight of the 10 episodes.
Stone seeks to highlights opportunities when the aggressive nature of US foreign policy could have been tempered. One of those occasions was a speech made by President John F Kennedy exactly 50 years ago today in which he addressed the need for world peace. He said:
“What kind of peace do we seek? Not a Pax Americana enforced on the world by American weapons of war. Not the peace of the grave or the security of the slave. I am talking about genuine peace – – the kind of peace that makes life on earth worth living — the kind that enables man and nations to grow and to hope and to build a better life for their children – – not merely peace for Americans but peace for all men and women – – not merely peace in our time but peace for all time.”
Five months later, JFK was assassinated and his vision went with him. You can read the text of this remarkable speech here.