"Now we have a problem in making our power credible, and Vietnam is the place"

John F. Kennedy's quote speaks with the difficulty of preserving a trustworthy power in the face of international conflict. In the context of the Cold War, Kennedy was referring to the requirement to demonstrate the strength of the United States in the face of the Soviet Union. Vietnam was viewed as an essential battlefield in this dispute, and Kennedy was highlighting the value of the US having the ability to demonstrate its power in this region. This quote talks to the requirement for the United States to be able to forecast its power in order to preserve its credibility in the global arena. Kennedy was emphasizing the importance of the US having the ability to show its strength in Vietnam in order to maintain its reliability in the face of the Soviet Union. This quote talks to the requirement for the US to be able to forecast its power in order to maintain its reliability in the international arena.