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John F. Kennedy 's Speech

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On June 26, 1963, the famous words “Ich bin ein Berliner” changed the world. These words, which in English mean “I am a Berliner,” were delivered by John F. Kennedy in West Berlin. His speech was viewed worldwide and brought national attention to the Berlin Crisis and the Cold War. Today, most people have heard about the speech, but may not know a whole lot about it. They may ask themselves the following questions: Who was John F. Kennedy? What was the message of the speech? What was going on in the United States or in the world at the time that made the speech important? What was the impact of the speech? This report of the “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech focuses on these questions. Who was John F. Kennedy? John F. Kennedy is known as one of the most famous people in history. His life began on May 29, 1917, in Brookline, Massachusetts. He was born into a wealthy and prominent family that gave him a very privileged childhood. While growing up, John attended private schools, including Canterbury and Choate. In 1936, he enrolled at Harvard. After graduating, Kennedy joined the U.S. Navy in 1941. He served there for a total of four years and then left to run for Congress. In 1946, as a 29 year old, moderately conservative Democrat, John won a spot on the 80th Congress. He was reelected to the House of Representatives for another two terms and then successfully ran for Senate in 1952. The next year, he married Jacqueline Lee Bouvier, a socialite and journalist. During his career

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