"KEPT A DISTANCE OF ABOUT FIVE MILES"

JFK'S PRESS SECRETARY'S PLANE 'SHADOWED' BY REDS OVER EAST GERMANY

Berlin, West Germany (JFK+50) On May 12, 1963, The Sunday Star reports that a jet airplane carrying President John F. Kennedy's press secretary, Pierre Salinger*, "was shadowed" last Thursday "by a Soviet jet fighter" as it flew over Communist East Germany.

The Boeing 707**, headed to West Berlin, "was under observation for twenty minutes."  According to U.S. tracking records, the Soviet fighter kept a distance of "about five miles" from the U.S. airplane.

Mr. Salinger "and a number of other White House and State Department officials" flew to West Berlin to prepare for President Kennedy's planned visit scheduled for June 28.

*Pierre Emil Salinger (1925-2004) was born in San Francisco, CA & served in the U.S. Navy during WWII.  PES earned his B.S. at the University of San Francisco in 1947. 

He was JFK's press secretary & continued in the position with LBJ.  PS was RFK's campaign manager in 1968.

**Boeing 707 was the 1st jetliner developed & produced by Boeing.  It made its 1st flight on Dec 20 1957 & began commercial service Oct 26 1958.

SOURCE

"Reds Shadow Kennedy Plane With Salinger Over Germany," The Sunday Star, Washington, D.C., May 12, 1963, Chronicling America, Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/

Pierre Salinger

JFK's Press Secretary

May 10 1961

U.S. National Archives

Flickr Commons

"ALL FREE MEN ARE CITIZENS OF BERLIN"

JFK STANDS STRONG IN SUPPORT OF WEST BERLIN

West Berlin (JFK+50) On June 26, 1963, President John F. Kennedy spoke in Rudolph Wilde Platz to a million citizens of West Berlin.

The President, as leader of the Free World, wanted the people of this city to know that America stood with them in the struggle against the communists.

West Berlin was completely surrounded by communist territory with a wall dividing the free western and communist eastern parts of the city.

President Kennedy said...

"All free men, wherever they may live, are citizens of Berlin, and, therefore, as a free man, I take pride in the words...Ich bin ein Berliner."

 

 

JFK Speaks in West Berlin

June 26 1963

Photo by Robert Knudsen

JFK Library Photo

"A WALL IS A HELL OF A LOT BETTER THAN A WAR"

CONSTRUCTION BEGINS ON BERLIN WALL

East Berlin (JFK+50) On August 13, 1961, the government of communist East Germany announced that a wall was being constructed in order to permanently divide the eastern and western parts of the city of Berlin.

East German guards were posted to stop anyone from crossing the border. While the wall was under construction, barbed wire was used to separate the two parts of the city.  The Newseum says...

 "The Berlin Wall was built to keep citizens in, rather than to keep an enemy out."

Along the border of East and West Berlin the wall ran 26.8 miles and 96 miles around West Berlin.  The concrete portion of the wall rose to 11.8 feet high and stretched 66 miles in length.

President John F. Kennedy publicly condemned the wall and predicted the future reunification of Germany.  Privately he reportedly said, "A wall is a hell of a lot better than a war."

*The Berlin Wall (1961-1989)  a guarded concrete barrier dividing the German city of Berlin.  While the wall was up, more than 100,000 East Berliners attempted escape with 5000 succeeding.  The wall was toppled on Nov 9 1989 as communist regimes fell in Eastern Europe.  It was completely demolished by 1992 & Germany reunified in Oct 1990.

 

Berlin Wall Display

The Newseum

Washington, D.C. (2017)

Photos by John White 

 

JFK at the Berlin Wall

June 26, 1963

Photo by Robert Knudsen

JFK Library Photo

"I APPRECIATE MY INTERPRETER TRANSLATING MY GERMAN"

JFK PROUDLY SAYS "I AM A BERLINER" 

West Berlin, Germany (JFK+50) On June 26, 1963, President John F. Kennedy spoke in Rudolph Wilde Plaza to a million people here in West Berlin.

The President said...

"Two thousand years ago the proudest boast was 'civis Romanus sum.'  Today, in the world of freedom, the proudest boast is 'Ich bin ein Berliner.'

All free men, wherever they may live, are citizens of Berlin, and therefore, as a free man, I take pride in the words 'Ich bin ein Berliner.'"

Next to his Inaugural Address call to "ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country," the words spoken in Berlin "ich bin ein Berliner" may well be the best known.

After each sentence President Kennedy spoke in English, his interpreter translated in German.  The interpreter also repeated JFK's German words again in German.  So at one point, the President said with a big grin...

"I appreciate my interpreter translating my German."

SOURCES

"Ich Bin ein Berliner" Speech, June 26, 1963, "The Miller Center, www.millercenter.org/

"The Real Meaning of Ich Bin ein Berliner," by Thomas Putnam, The Atlantic, www.theatlantic.com/

JFK Speaks To West Berliners

June 26, 1963

Photo by Robert Knudsen

JFK Library Photo

THE BERLIN WALL +55

JFK+50:  Volume 6, No. 2038

EAST GERMANS STARTED BUILDING WALL DIVIDING BERLIN 55 YEARS AGO

Berlin (JFK+50) Fifty-five years ago today, August 13, 1961, the East German government began construction of a wall designed to permanently divide the eastern and western parts of the city of Berlin.

East German guards were posted to stop anyone from crossing the border. While the wall was under construction, barbed wire was used to separate the two parts of the city.

The Berlin Wall had been under consideration throughout most of the 1950s as 3.5 million East Germans crossed over into West Berlin.  By 1960, East Germany had only 61% of its population at working age vs. 70.5% at the end of WWII.  Its losses as a result were estimated between $7 and $9 billion.

The Berlin Wall  stretched 96 miles with 69.5 miles along the border between East and West Berlin.  The height of the wall was 11.8 feet.  Between 1961 and 1989 there were 5000 attempts by East Berliners to cross over the border.

West Berlin became isolated from the Free World completely surrounded by Communist territory as the city was located within the boundaries of East Germany.  The wall was built at a time of increasing tensions of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union.

While President John F. Kennedy was not particularly pleased with the wall, he said to his aides privately, "a wall is a hell-of-a-lot better than a war."  During the Cuban Missile Crisis, there was concern that the Soviets would attempt to seize West Berlin.

With the fall of Communist regimes across Europe in the late 1980s, the Berlin Wall was toppled on November 9, 1989.

Today JFK+50 visited the Newseum in Washington, D.C.  It was an opportune time to learn more about the Berlin Wall and to take some appropriate photographs.

In the panel titled "A Caged City," the Newseum tells us...

"In the early morning hours of August 13, 1961, the Berlin Wall appeared without warning.  Communist-controlled East Germany strung barbed wire (and) guards were ordered to shoot anyone trying to enter West Berlin."

SOURCE

Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. www.newseum.org/

Original Fragment of the Berlin Wall

Newseum Collection

Washington, D.C.

August 13, 2016

Photos by John White

ICH BIN EIN BERLINER

JFK+50:  Volume 6, No. 1992

JFK PROCLAIMED "I AM A BERLINER" 53 YEARS AGO TODAY

West Berlin, Germany (JFK+50) Fifty-three years ago today, June 26, 1963, President John F. Kennedy spoke in Rudolph Wilde Plaza to a million West German citizens.

The President said...

"Two thousand years ago the proudest boast was 'civis Romanus sum.'  Today, in the world of freedom, the proudest boast is 'Ich bin ein Berliner.'

All free men, wherever they may live, are citizens of Berlin, and therefore, as a free man, I take pride in the words 'Ich bin ein Berliner.'"

The Atlantic magazine argues, and JFK+50 agrees, that these last four words are, next to "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country," the most famous President Kennedy every spoke.

After each sentence JFK spoke in English, his interpreter translated it into German.  Noticing the interpreter also repeated his German words again in German, the President said...

"I appreciate my interpreter translating my German."

JFK, the leader of the free world in the Cold War against the spread of communism, wanted the people of West Berlin to know that America stood with them in the struggle.

West Berlin was completely surrounded by communist territory by virtue of the agreement signed by the Allies at the end of World War II.

President Kennedy preceded his "Ich bin ein Berliner" line with these prophetic words... 

"Freedom is indivisible and when one man is enslaved, all are not free.  When all are free, then we can look forward to that day when this city will be joined as one and this country and this great continent of Europe in a peaceful and hopeful globe."

The crowd waved American flags and chanted in unison...

"Ken-e-dee, Ken-e-dee!"

Thomas Putnam points out a fact which will probably come as a surprise to most readers, President Kennedy literally wrote his own Berlin speech.  He was not pleased with the text that his speechwriters had given him and even added phonetically "Ish bin ein Bearleener" to the speech "moments before taking the stage."

Mr. Putnam also tells us that those who say JFK was incorrect in putting the article "ein" in his phrase are themselves in error.  He argues that the article was properly inserted to imply the President, while not a Berliner by birth, was so in spirit.

SOURCES

"Ich Bin ein Berliner" Speech, June 26, 1963," The Miller Center, www.millercenter.org/

"The Real Meaning of Ich Bin ein Berliner," by Thomas Putnam, The Atlantic, www.theatlantic.com/

JFK Speaks To West Berliners

June 26, 1963

Photo by Robert Knudsen

JFK Library Photo

                    

           

SOVIETS GIVE UP WEST BERLIN

SOVIETS GAVE UP CONTROL OF WEST BERLIN 70 YEARS AGO

Moscow, USSR (JFK+50) Seventy years ago today, July 11, 1945, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, abiding by agreements worked out during World War II conferences, relinquished both military and civilian control of West Berlin.

By the agreements, the American and British governments would share control of West Berlin, although later both agreed to give up part of their territory to France.

The former Nazi capital had been under Soviet control from the time of Berlin's fall.

 

 Germany Divided After WWII

Map by Broadbeer

JFK HONORS SENATOR GEORGE W. NORRIS

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) Fifty-four years ago today, July 11, 1961, President John F. Kennedy took part in a ceremony honoring the 100th birthday of the late Nebraska senator, George W. Norris.

Norris was instrumental in the development of the Tennessee Valley Authority during the 1930s.

JFK joined in honoring Norris with TVA's Board of Directors and  congressmen from districts in the Tennessee Valley area.*

Congressman Rankin & Senator Norris

FDR Signs Rural Electrification Act

May 11, 1935

*Norris Dam, located on the Clinch River in Anderson & Campbell Counties in East Tennessee & opened in 1936, was named for Senator George W. Norris.

Norris Dam

Norris, Tennessee

US-VIETNAM OPENED FULL DIPLOMATIC RELATIONSHIP 20 YEARS AGO

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) President William Jefferson Clinton established a full diplomatic relationship with Vietnam 20 years ago today, July 11, 1995.

It had been 20 years since the Vietnam War ended with the country unified under a Communist government.  In 1994, President Clinton lifted the 19 year trade embargo with Vietnam.

Mr. Clinton was supported in his decision to establish the diplomatic relationship with Vietnam by Arizona Republican Senator John McCain, a five year POW in Hanoi during the war.*

In November 2000, President Clinton became the 1st President to visit Vietnam since President Nixon's 1969 visit.

President Bill Clinton

Hanoi National University

www.usvtc.org

JFK'S "ICH BIN EIN BERLINER" SPEECH 50TH ANNIVERSARY

June 26, 2013

JFK'S "ICH BIN EIN BERLINER" SPEECH GIVEN 50 YEARS AGO TODAY

Berlin, Germany (JFK+50) President John F. Kennedy was in West Berlin 50 years ago today, June 26, 1963 where he spoke to a million people crowded in Rudolph Wilde Platz*.

*Rudolph Wilde Platz, located in front of Berlin's City Hall, was renamed John F. Kennedy Platz on November 30, 1963.  A large plaque is mounted on one of the columns of the building in honor of JFK. (see pic below)

President Kennedy's address, given at the Schoneberger Rathaus, began at 12:50 p.m. local time.  JFK first paid tribute to Willy Brandt, Mayor of West Berlin and Chancellor Konrad Adenauer.

JFK, as the leader of the free world in the Cold War against the spread of communism, wanted the people of West Berlin* to know that his country not only recognized the strategic importance of their city but also was with them in the struggle.

*Germany was divided after WWII into 4 zones of occupation with Berlin, located within the Soviet zone, also divided into 4 zones.  Thus, the western zones of the city were completely surrounded by communist territory.

President John F. Kennedy said:

"All free men, wherever they may live, are citizens of Berlin, and therefore, as a free man, I take pride in the words Ich bin ein Berliner."

            JFK Speaks To West Berliners
                       June 26, 1963
             Photo by Robert Knudsen
                   JFK Library Photo
                    

Earlier in his speech, President Kennedy said...

"There are many people in the world who really don't understand...what is the great issue between the free world and the communist world.  Let them come to Berlin."

JFK continued...

"There are...a few who say that it is true that communism is an evil system, but it permits us to make economic progress, Lass sie nach Berlin kommen. Let them come to Berlin."

And in the shadow of the Berlin Wall dividing the city, he said:

"Freedom has many difficulties and democracy is not perfect, but we have never had to put a wall up to keep our people in.

While the wall is the most obvious and vivid demonstration of the failures of the Communist system..it is...an offense not only against history but an offense against humanity, separating families, dividing husbands and wives and brothers and sisters, and dividing a people who wished to be joined together."

The President, prior to his "Ich bin ein Berliner" line, concluded his remarks with these words...

"When all are free, then we can look forward to that day when this city will be joined as one and this country and this great Continent of Europe in a peaceful and hopeful globe.

When that day finally comes, as it will, the people of West Berlin can take sober satisfaction in the fact that they were in the front lines for almost two decades."

West Berliners waved American flags and chanted in unison "Ken-e-dee, Ken-e-dee!"**

**JFK's speech was broken up into short statements so that his translator could repeat his words in German.  After his 1st use of German words and following the translator's words, President Kennedy said: "I appreciate my interpreter translating my German."

           
                            Marker at JFK Platz
                             Berlin, Germany
             Photo by Axel Mauruszat (2008)

JOHNNY, I HARDLY KNEW YE VI

July 19, 2012

"JOHNNY, I HARDLY KNEW YE" VI

Knoxville, Tennessee (JFK+50) Today we continue our report of Chapter 12 of the book by Kenneth P. O'Donnell & David F. Powers with Joe McCarthy.  It is published by Little, Brown & Company.

The title of Chapter 12 is "Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye"


Kenneth O'Donnell tells that in WEST BERLIN on June 26, 1963, JFK was "thrilled by the sight of the biggest crowds he had ever seen anywhere."


More than 1 million West Berliners were lined up 4 deep along JFK's motorcade route & were "crowding every window & rooftop."


As to JFK's speech, Kenny writes:


"The crowd was swept by a surge of pride & warmth, & deeply stirred as few such massive audiences in history have ever been moved, by Kennedy's opening & closing words:

'Today, in the world of freedom, the proudest boast is 'Ich bin ein Berliner'....All free men, wherever they may live, are citizens of Berlin, & therefore as a free man, I take pride in the words, 'Ich bin ein Berliner.'"


JFK himself was so pleased he would say later:


"We'll never have another day like this one."


Even so, Kenny admits that most of the speech in Berlin was "spontaneous & unprepared."


For those who believe that JFK made an error in the phrase 'Ich bin ein Berliner', Kenny writes, without mentioning the criticisms, that it was actually National Security adviser McGeorge Bundy who gave JFK the line in German.


Also for those who felt JFK risked compromising the proposed Nuclear Test Ban Treaty with his speech in West Berlin, Kenny tells us that Khrushchev ignored the Berlin speech & accepted the earlier address at American University.