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After taking the oath of office after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Baines Johnson served as Commander in Chief for many months before being re-elected and formally delivering an inaugural address. In 1965, however, when he did deliver this speech, he focused on three key elements of American history and society: justice, liberty, and union. He was president of a nation facing a difficult time. The battle with Communism was raging, now reaching into the farthest atmospheres as a result of scientific development. In this time, Johnson felt it was necessary to return to our nation’s roots, understanding how and why we became such a model for freedom and democracy for countries throughout the world.
Johnson believed that it was only through the hard work and dedication– physical and emotional– of the American people that our nation’s greatness would be allowed to continue. He stated that, “if we succeed, it will not be because of what we have, but it will be because of what we are; not because of what we own, but, rather, because of what we believe.” This was the core of his inaugural speech. He encouraged Americans throughout the nation to move themselves away from material culture and return to the ideological roots of our nation. This, he felt, was the only way we could truly defeat Communism and remain the world’s role model. If each individual looked deep within their hearts, Johnson believed they would discover what it truly means to be an American. They would understand the need for self-sacrifice and the desire for greatness. With this sort of ideological support, Johnson knew America was bound for greatness, and he would be at the helm.