25-09-2013, 01:02 AM
In the late 50s/early 60s, practically every month a new independent country was appearing in Africa. Kennedy was from a younger generation that could see how colonialism was not sustainable or defensible. As he tried to do in Latin America (sometimes successfully, sometimes not), he realized that the US could not be seen siding with the imperial powers while the Soviets and Chinese portrayed themselves as "liberators." The entire Third World would end up going Communist if given that choice. So Kennedy had to walk a fine line between "liberation theology" (so to speak) and neo-colonial exploitation. He was probably doomed from the start.
This speech probably helped get Robert Kennedy killed.
This speech probably helped get Robert Kennedy killed.