Background When John F. Kennedy took office in 1961, the United States was locked in a potentially explosive stalemate with the then Soviet Union and its allies. Fierce adversaries in the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union were stockpiling nuclear weapons, creating the possibility of a disastrous war that could destroy the earth. In his now-famous inaugural address, Kennedy addressed our nation's fears and reached out to our adversaries, even as he reaffirmed our nation's strength and the ideals of freedom.
Vice President Johnson, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Chief Justice, President Eisenhower, Vice President Nixon, President Truman,1reverend clergy, fellow citizens, we observe today not a victory of party, but a celebration of freedom—symbolizing an end, as well as a beginning—signifying renewal, as well as change. For I have sworn before you and Almighty God the same solemn oath our forebears prescribed nearly a century and three quarters ago.