Many critics believed Kennedy was too inexperienced when hetook office. Did his actions refute or justify?

Question

Many of his critics believed he was too inexperienced in foreign affairs to handle the pressures of Cold War diplomacy, and that he would not handle foreign policy well. Did his ctions during presidency refute or justify this criticism?

I love all who give answers, eprops to you.

Cite your sources, yo.

Answer 1

i really don't know a whole lot about the kennedy administation. but these are my opinions from what i've studied so far, so some info may not be as elaborate as you wish and there's a lot more about kennedy's foreign policy than what i've written on.

i think the role of kennedy in the bay of pigs invasion demonstrates his underestimating and misunderstanding of fidel castro and his inexperience in foreign policy. if i remember correctly, u.s. encouraged invasion happened just months after kennedy took office so that might have also explained his misguided encouragement.

but i also believe he made the best decision of his presidency by listening to his brother, rfk, by not launching any sort of attack against cuba in retaliation for the ussr setting up missile sites in cuba. he believed that there was always time for an attack, but that the u.s. should send warnings and wait it out. after the fall of the soviet union, records show that the ussr had missiles in cuba ready if the u.s. did attack and without a doubt the u.s. would have fired back.

Answer 2

I think he not only was too inexperienced but had serious character flaws that effected his presidency.The down side of Kennedy is laid out in a book by Seymour Hersh http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Side-Camelot-Seymour-Hersh/dp/0316360678
Hersh is an investigative reporter and not a conservative, and this book is not politically motivated. Some critics of the book cite his inadequate sourcing of some facts, but it serves as a antidote to the glorification that usually passes for history about the Kennedy years.