John F Kennedy’s personal diary from the summer of 1945 will be offered in a dedicated sale at RR Auction.

The phenomenal lot spans 61 typed and handwritten pages and offers an unprecedented insight into JFK’s evolution as a statesman.

Kennedy spent most of the second world war as the commander of a patrol boat in the south Pacific, where he impressed with his conduct. He was injured in 1944 and returned home.

The diary is consigned by Deidre Henderson, a former aide to JFK

In April 1945, shortly before cessation of hostilities, his father arranged a job with Hearst Newspapers as a special correspondent.

JFK spent most of this time in Europe, covering major events like the Potsdam conference but also viewing the destruction wrought in France, Germany and England.

One passage is particularly illuminating, given his future position as the steady hand on the tiller during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. 

“I think that the clash with Russia, will be greatly postponed," Kennedy writes.

“The clash may be finally and indefinitely postponed by the eventual discovery of a weapon so horrible that it will truthfully mean the abolishment of all nations employing it.”

It wouldn’t take long. The US tested the first thermonuclear bomb seven years later, on November 1, 1952.

The explosion vanished the south pacific island of Elugaleb in the blink of an eye, leaving a six kilometre crater where it had once been.

Kennedy spent five months with Hearst (from April to August 1945) before manoeuvering himself to take up a congressional position in Boston.

This diary covers the time he spent as a correspondent but also includes several pages of handwritten notes from the 1945-1946 campaign trail.

There’s no valuation as yet, but given the diary’s content (it also includes Kennedy’s impression of Churchill and other European leaders) it could easily break $200,000.  

We have an amazing piece of Kennedy memorabilia available.

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