Regardless of his motives, there is no doubt that Joseph Kennedy wielded an enormous influence in John’s life. Through a process of transference, he made his ambitions the life goals of his children. As a result, the eldest boys vied with each other to shine in their father’s eyes. And although he wasn’t the eldest, from his youngest days John commanded respect and admiration from his siblings as well as his parents. Initially, John had ambitions of pursuing a career in journalism or academics and leapt at the chance to be his father’s secretary when Joseph Kennedy used his connections to obtain a cushy post as the US ambassador to Great Britain in 1938. John made the most of this experience and was able to draw on his experiences in the State Department to complete his senior thesis at Harvard University. He would later expand this thesis into a best-selling book called ‘Why England Slept’, which explained how complacency allowed Germany to plunge Europe into the Second World War.
Outlines:
Regardless of his motives, there is no doubt that Joseph Kennedy wielded an enormous influence in John’s life. Through a process of transference, he made his ambitions the life goals of his children. As a result, the eldest boys vied with each other to shine in their father’s eyes. And although he wasn’t the eldest, from his youngest days John commanded respect and admiration from his siblings as well as his parents. Initially, John had ambitions of pursuing a career in journalism or academics and leapt at the chance to be his father’s secretary when Joseph Kennedy used his connections to obtain a cushy post as the US ambassador to Great Britain in 1938. John made the most of this experience and was able to draw on his experiences in the State Department to complete his senior thesis at Harvard University. He would later expand this thesis into a best-selling book called ‘Why England Slept’, which explained how complacency allowed Germany to plunge Europe into the Second World War.
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