In the film Thirteen Days, what were the pressures on The American President? Describe the relationship between the president and congress during this time of crisis. What was the relationship between the president and the military leadership? Why is it important that our military have a "civilian leader"?
The pressure was to declare war or not. The military wanted to avenge the Bay of Pigs issue, but Kennedy did not want to start a nuclear war. The relationship was strained with the military, Congress, and the President. The military immediately wanted to invade Cuba because Russia had nuclear weapons there, but Kennedy did not want another war. He did not care about pride and looking tough. He wanted to do what was right for the Country and not focus on the past losses. The pressure of siding with the Military or following his beliefs was a hard decision for Kennedy.
ReplyDeleteIn the movie the president faced lots of opposition on all fronts. In the beginning of the movie the president did not want to inform congress of the crisis because he wanted to handle the matter internally with his own staff and also because he did not want the news of potential war to get out and cause a national panic. Once he had come up with a potential solution he approached congress with hopes to obtain their support but they refused. Kennedy also faced pressure from the high ranking members of the military. The generals were convinced that immediate violent action was the best and only action to be taken to solve the crisis and they suggested preemptive strikes to defend the nation. on the other hand the president was hesitant and did not want to act militarily because of the amount of American lives that would be lost in the fight if not the lives of people from all over the world. In the end it worked out well for him because the blockade worked and the crisis was averted. This is precisely why it is important for the president to be a civilian leader instead of an active military person because sometimes they might get wrapped up in war or possibly turning the government into a military state whereas a civilian leader could have more regard for both human life and the well being of the nation.
ReplyDeleteKennedy was being pulled in every which way over the debate on whether to declare war with Russia or to just be put on the defensive. The militants in the White House were very strong in their views to attack Cuba with airstrike following the failure of the Bay of Pigs a short while earlier. More than once, the military leadership personel somewhat defied Kennedy and almost forced the United States into entering the war. Kennedy was not receiving any help from Congress either, who he did not want fully involved and did not trust. Once Congress did get involved, their relationship only strained further due to opposing fews and rising tension and anger throughout the government. Thirteen Days and the Cold War in general helped show the country how necessary it is for the military to have a civilian leader. If Kennedy had not been in charge of the military during the Cold War, it would no longer be the Cold War, rather World War 3. The military is more likely to want to commit aggressive acts. By having a non-militant in control of the army, over aggressive mistakes are far less likely to occur.
ReplyDeleteJohn F. Kennedy, in relation to the historical film Thirteen Days, was opposed in his approach to the nation’s well-being all around. As the current leader of the nation, Kennedy had to determine what would benefit the U.S to the greatest extent. Kennedy faced a problem relating to possible war emerging that would have been detrimental to America. There were already misconceptions on his decision to remain diplomatic simply because this paralleled to a similar incident known as the Bay of Pigs invasion. The President had to act as a bold leader and protect his nation from chaos materializing from even the possibility of bloodshed occurring. Kennedy even proposed a potential solution only to be blatantly rejected by members of Congress. In addition, the military believed that immediate military action would prove to be the most probable solution. They attempted to instill pressure into Kennedy by defending their claim that war was the answer to eliminating the Soviet Union as a possible threat. Although, Kennedy maintained his stance and called for a blockade that averted any possible violence. It is essential for our military to have a civilian leader because this helps create a proper balance between dictating certain acts of war and knowing when to refrain from such actions. Only considering the nation in terms of military action wouldn’t always allow for the value of the nation as a whole including its citizens to be taken into account.
ReplyDeleteIn the film, President Kennedy faced the pressure to find the best possible solution to the Cuban missile crisis problem. He was also feeling pressure from the top military generals because they wanted to redeem themselves fro the Bay of Pigs Invasion. Kennedy's refusal to allow the military to go to war with Cuba angered the military generals because they were very confident that they would destroy Cuba this time around. Kennedy's relationship with congress suffered when congress found out that he was keeping the information from them. It is very important that we have a civilian leader as president because we need someone who can think rationally at times of crisis. We also need a civilian leader because a true civilian leader would do what is in the country's best interest but also what is best of the people.
ReplyDeleteIn the film Thirteen Days, President John F. Kennedy and many pressures during these crucial days. He was pressured to start a war, pressured to keep the scary information away from the press, and pressured to redeem his office for their actions for the Bay of Pigs. The President worked with congress to make sure all possibilities and strategies were thought of. Not only was he pressured to begin a war, but this crisis was involving nuclear weapons which could end up obliterating humankind. With the terrible mistakes which took place for the Bay of Pigs, it caused leaders in the military to want to make a powerful strike solely at the beginning. What they did not realize was that this was not the same situation or a ‘re-do’, but an entirely new and sensitive problem which would have begun a World War III. President JFK went against their proposals to immediately strike and wanted to keep the situation as diplomatic and calm as possible. The movie displayed that many of the officials had a lack of respect for the Kennedy family, but JFK made sure to be a President for the American people and not worry about what they thought about him. The reason it is important that our military have a ‘civilian leader’ is because the military mindset would have neglected the long term affect to the citizens and would have sparked deadly nuclear warfare.
ReplyDeleteIn the film, President Kennedy was pressured from almost all of his colleagues to use force against the Soviet Union because of the close proximity of the nuclear missiles they placed in Cuba. The movie depicted the internal struggle Kennedy had with the idea of starting World War 3 using nuclear warheads instead of attempting to diplomatically resolve the Cuban Missile Crisis. At the time, the President seemed to disregard Congress with the matter, but it was with reason. Kennedy did not want the news of the missiles reaching the American Public until they knew they were they for sure. After news broke out, the President had an limited relationship with Congress, but he made sure they were ready to act fast if need be. With his military leaders, they believed that war was the only option and they were desperate to make up for their Bay of Pigs disaster earlier in the presidency. They had completely forgotten about the human disaster that would occur in the world if the United States fired upon Cuba, and Kennedy was furious towards them because of it. Kennedy's desire to prevent worldwide disaster and to continue world prosperity instead of use his military weapons reminds the public of the importance of having a civilian at the head of the military. Kennedy kept a cool head during the process and represented the desire of american families to stay out of war.
ReplyDeletePresident John F. Kennedy and his advisers must come up with a plan of action to prevent their activation of their missiles. Kennedy is determined to show that the United States will not allow a missile threat. The Joint Chiefs of Staff advise immediate U.S. military strikes against the missile sites followed by an invasion of Cuba. However, Kennedy is reluctant to attack and invade because it would very likely cause the Soviets to invade Berlin, which could lead to an all-out war. A civilian leader has regards for the people and the nation as a whole.
ReplyDeleteJohn F. Kennedy was under pressure to declare war or not and also what was the best way to confront the missiles in Cuba. Because they were still on bad terms with the USSR and these were their missiles, Kennedy did not know how to react to the situation. However at the time, Kennedy felt that he wanted to make the situation easier by taking control and not involving Congress. Because there are too many people in Congress, it would be hard to come to a conclusion. When he did need the help from Congress they approved his decisions. Therefore Kennedy created a cabinet with heads of other departments. The relationship between the military generals and the president were rocky. This is because the generals wanted to make up for the Bay of Pigs disaster so they wanted to invade Cuba to make sure they were the dominant power. This caused the generals to overstep the presidents requests and disregarding him as a military leader. They believed that Kennedy did not understand exactly what needed to be done. However this idea of a civilian leader allowed Kennedy to make decisions based on the people. Kennedy did not want to go war because he did not want to risk the lives of his soldiers. He was coming under more pressure when time was running out, but being patient and taking all outcomes into consideration allowed him to make the right decision and eventually avoid war.
ReplyDeleteJFK had to deal with first the backlash from the Bay of Pigs invasion while leading into the Cuban missile crisis. He had to worry about making the right choice diplomatically while also no appearing weak. It caused many tensions within the White House because there were so many differing opinions. The president pretty much didn't want Congress involved because it would have been to hard to get everyone to agree and come to a consensus. The president and the military though had an extremely strained relationship because the military leaders just want to invade Cuba and shut the Russians down. It is good to have a civilian leader over the military because they see all angles of the situation and understand how they must approach situations in order to have the best result for the country.
ReplyDeleteJFK and his colleagues were faced with the potential greatest tragedy in human history. If their negotiations went the other way at any point, it is likely they would have triggered World War 3. Kennedy, a civilian leader, was reluctant to endanger the lives of his people in following the advice of the JCS and other military forces. The military wanted an immediate military action, but due to Kennedy's efforts in peaceful negotiation, war was averted.
ReplyDeleteDuring the Cuban Missile Crisis, John F. Kennedy had an enormous amount of pressure on him. Kennedy had to deal with the pressure of deciding how exactly to deal with Russia. His two main options were to either have a military blockade on Russia or to out right attack Russia. Kennedy was receiving a lot of pressure from his military leaders to go ahead and bomb. Kennedy had to also deal with the pressure of knowing that his is decision could lead to an all out nuclear war. Kennedy also had trouble comprising with both congress and the military leaders. The congress was not really willing to pass the blockade plan and was also having issues with coming up with any other plans.The military leaders were not listening to JFK were often making decisions without informing him. The military desperately wanted to attack Russia with the idea of making themselves look better after the failure of The Bay of Pigs. The military need a civilian leader, so they could have someone make unbiased decisions. A civilian leader would also better represent the wants and concerns of the press.
ReplyDeleteThe main pressure on the president was to declare war or not against Russia. JFK wanted to make sure he would make the right decision that would ultimately save lives during the Cuban Missile Crisis, but he did not want to seem like he was a weak leader. JFK also realizes that if he tries to attack, the Soviets would end up invading Berlin, which would lead to an all out war. World War III was on the brink of becoming a reality and JFK did everything in his power to try to stop it. JFK acted as a civilian leader by not being aggressive in regards to the military. He had more regard to the lives of million Americans than the military had in plan. If JFK did not have any say in this scenario, World War III would have most likely happened.
ReplyDeleteThe main pressure on the president was to declare war or not against Russia. JFK wanted to make sure he would make the right decision that would ultimately save lives during the Cuban Missile Crisis, but he did not want to seem like he was a weak leader. JFK also realizes that if he tries to attack, the Soviets would end up invading Berlin, which would lead to an all out war. World War III was on the brink of becoming a reality and JFK did everything in his power to try to stop it. JFK acted as a civilian leader by not being aggressive in regards to the military. He had more regard to the lives of million Americans than the military had in plan. If JFK did not have any say in this scenario, World War III would have most likely happened.
ReplyDeleteThe primary pressure that the president had to deal with was whether or not to declare war. The relationship was strained with the military, Congress, and the President. While the military wanted to do something about the Bay of Pigs, Kennedy was reluctant because he didn't want to start a nuclear war. Kennedy was not concerned with how weak or strong his decisions were, he cared whether or not they were the right decisions for the country. JFK was considered a civilian leader. This type of leader would represent the problems and other things relating to citizens
ReplyDeleteJohn F Kennedy was pressured to make history-altering decisions on a whim as the Cuban Missile Crisis escalated. He had to deal with the responsibility of making the right decision that would keep Americans safe. The tension between the president and congress grew as the idea of declaring war became an option. Similarly, the relationship between JFK and the military leaders was intense because they did not trust a civilian leader to make the right decision in a military crisis. However, it is actually important to have a civilian leader be a part of military matters because military leaders can easily get carried away and make impulse decisions without some outside guidance.
ReplyDeleteThe president was facing pressure on whether or not to go to war with Russia. He knew that if he did go to war, it could escalate into a nuclear holocaust. At the same time, if he did not respond to the aggression of the Soviets, he would appear weak. Congress was filled with war hawks who were desperate to go to war and with experienced congressmen who thought Kennedy to be green and stupid, leading to much tension between President Kennedy and Bobby Kennedy and a large portion of Congress. The relationship Kennedy had with the military was tense. The military was humiliated after the Bay of Pigs and its devastating failure, and they were eager to reestablish their military superiority through war. Kennedy, however, knew that it could lead to World War III. Kennedy, being a civilian leader, was more concerned with American citizens and their lives than the military's suffering image. It is important that the military has a leader who puts the wellbeing of civilians before anything else, because it prevents reckless and costly escalation like it did in this case.
ReplyDeleteKennedy's pressures in the film include the decision on how to respond to Russia keeping missiles in Cuba. This is an offensive action and against the agreement the U.S. had with Russia. Kennedy was timid in including congress fully on the situation because he couldn't trust such game-changing information to get out. The relationship between the President and the military leaders was pretty tumultuous as the military leaders felt very adamant that the administration needed to respond in a strong, no-nonsense manner. Kennedy was afraid to fire the air strikes in fear of what would happen with retaliation. Sometimes it is hard for a military leader to understand the real life reprecussions of actions when air strikes are involved and especially when their egos were bruised from the Bay of Pigs disaster. Kennedy's role as a "non-miltary civilian" was to step back and look at the best decision for the country as a whole.
ReplyDeleteDespite facing resistance from most of those in the American government, especially military members, Kennedy did what he felt was best and handled the Cuban Missile Crises. Kennedy was sure to keep the majority of details of the problem mainly within the executive branch, not wanting too much to get out. Kennedy did not back down to the intimidating military leaders surrounding him, all of whom were desperate to avenge their Bay of Pigs failure. Kennedy, however, would not let pride get the best of him and knew he had to avoid war at all costs. Kennedy refused to resort to war, and took all the steps necessary to find a diplomatic solution to the problem.
ReplyDeleteKennedy faced a daunting challenge when Russia placed the missile in Cuba. No President had previously had to worry about a nuclear threat against the US. Kennedy acted as he thought was necessary to prevent a war with Russia. However, military leaders wanted to act militarily against Russia. This led to tension between the leaders of the military and the President. Kennedy kept the private details of the Cuban Missile Crisis from Congress. It is important that their be a civilian leader of the military to prevent us from going into war without our consent. The President is the held accountable by the people unlike Military leaders.
ReplyDeleteJFK and his staff were in a bind, trying to fight the potential of the deadliest war in history. When placed in a life threatening situation, people tend to easily work together in order to prevent tragedy. This applies for the Cold War. Congress and JFK worked in a swift, yet efficient manner to find the easiest way to prevent global catastrophe. Their meetings and negotiations with Soviet Russia went well, but had they gone the other way at any point, the US would be looking into the eyes of WWIII. JFK wanted to avoid war at all costs, knowing millions of US lives were at stake. He took the more passive route, enforcing to react if only attacked. Some of his advisors close to him wanted to initiate the attack so they could have the upper hand, but one ICMB could counteract that. Fortunately, peace was the end result of the Cold War, thanks to JFK's selfless work.
ReplyDeletePresident Kennedy faced some of the biggest challenges a president has ever had to encounter. In the movie Thirteen Days, he is dealing with the Russians placing close range nuclear war heads and missiles in Cuba. The pressure and questions he had to take on were large. Instead of performing airstrikes over Cuba, he decided to blockade the island and not allow Soviet ships to get to Cuba for reinforcements. This was not advised by Congress or military leaders who wanted vengeance for the Bay of Pigs failed invasion.
ReplyDelete-- Pete Weil
In Thirteen Days, JFK was being pressured by the United State’s military leadership to engage in nuclear warfare with Cuba. The president’s relationship with congress during this time was rather tense, however JFK was able to use his judgment and learn from the mistakes he made during the Bay of Pigs invasion to not be pressured by congress or the military leadership. His patience and resilience, however, was much easier said than done. Had JFK made the decision to give in to the pressures put on him by those in positions of power in the US government, our nation could have kickstarted WWIII. This is why it is important to have a civilian leader instead of one that is strictly driven by military power and decisions. A civilian leader ensures that the opinions of the American people and the intel coming from those in positions of power are taken into equal account before making decisions that can affect the entire country.
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