“Any system of government will work when everything is going well. It’s the system that functions in the pinches that survives.”
John F. Kennedy
Why England Slept (Primary source)
Why England Slept by John F. Kennedy is a concise yet incisive analysis of Britain’s military unpreparedness in the years leading up to World War II. Originally written as Kennedy’s senior thesis at Harvard University, the book examines the political, economic, and social factors that contributed to Britain’s failure to rearm and modernize its defenses during the 1930s, despite the growing threat of Nazi Germany.
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“We choose to go to the Moon. We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.”
— John F. Kennedy Primary source“Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.”
— John F. Kennedy Primary source“For, in a democracy, every citizen, regardless of his interest in politics, ‘holds office’ every one of us is in a position of responsibility; and, in the final analysis, the kind of government we get depends upon how we fulfill those responsibilities. We, the people, are the boss, and we will get the kind of political leadership, be it good or bad, that we demand and deserve.”
— John F. Kennedy Primary source“Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate.”
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“Well done is better than well said.”
— Benjamin Franklin Primary source“It’s just that I’d rather die of drink than of thirst.”
— Ian Fleming Primary source“The way to win is to work, work, work, work and hope to have a few insights. And you’re probably not going to be smart enough to find thousands in a lifetime. And when you get a few, you really load up. It’s just that simple.”
— Charlie Munger Primary source“One loses everything when one loses one’s sense of humor.”
— Ayn Rand Primary source