If Kennedy Lived: The First and Second Terms of President John F. Kennedy: An Alternate History by Jeff Greenfield
Hardcover: 272 pages
Publisher: Putnam Adult (October 22, 2013)
This is the 2nd alternative history book written by Greenfield. Greenfield's book can only be described as provocative, fascinating and highly plausible. There's no way of knowing for sure whether any of it would have actually happened had Jack Kennedy not been shot down in Dallas.
If Kennedy Lived draws not only on Greenfield's extensive research and knowledge of American politics and history but also those of historians, biographers, journalists, and other JFK experts. He reveals why the scenarios put forward are highly likely to have happened if Kennedy had been merely wounded or not shot at all.
There are a gazillion questions to be asked about what could have been. Unfortunately, we will never quite know what REALLY could have been. We can only speculate on what might have happened in a second term for JFK.
It's possible that JFK would have dropped LBJ as his running mate in 1964. The threat from Barry Goldwater would have protected his re-election chances.
Kennedy might have made a visit to Russia and maybe even overtures to both Cuba and China, too.
The Vietnam War would have ended in his 2nd term, much sooner than it really did.
Kennedy would have signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 but would have gone about it in a way that was much different than LBJ.
In all likelihood, Ronald Reagan would have been the Republican nominee in 1968 and he would have faced off against Hubert Humphrey.
Just to think what could have really been.
Having not served as LBJ's Vice President, Humphrey would have entered the race with a totally different, maybe oposite image.
ReplyDeleteThe Democrats, may have been really painted with an image of being soft on Communism. Humphrey would not have played well with the more TV friendly Reagan. Perhaps New York Mayor John Lindsey at that time a Republican, would have jumped parties sooner After all, a long Kennedy administration would send the GOP to the right.