John F Kennedy was sworn in as the 35th president of the United States of America on January 20th 1961. His inaugural address included the infamous line 'Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country'.

His short term in office was littered with many of the worlds most famous historic events - The Bay of Pigs Invasion, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the building of the Berlin Wall, the early stages of the Vietnam War and the Space Race.

This documentary was first broadcast 5 months before his death in Dallas, Texas in November 1963. This account examines his family history and the origins of the man who became one of the most important political figures of the 20th centruy. It looks as his early life, how he excelled at Harvard college studying political science and his time spent serving with the US military.

Produced and Presented by Norris Davidson

Readers: Frank O'Dwyer, Jim Norton and Brendan Cauldwell

First Broadcast 25th June 1963

An Irish radio documentary from RTÉ Radio 1, Ireland - Documentary on One - the home of Irish radio documentaries.