5 Shocking Revelations From JFK's Diary About Adolf Hitler And WWII

The legacy of John F. Kennedy (JFK), the 35th President of the United States, is typically defined by Cold War crises, the space race, and the tragedy of his assassination. However, a lesser-known and highly controversial piece of his personal history—a diary kept during his travels in post-war Europe—offers a startling and complex view of one of history’s most reviled figures: Adolf Hitler. This document, which has resurfaced in recent years, reveals a young man grappling with the magnitude of the Nazi dictator’s impact, leading to a shocking assessment that continues to fuel debate among historians and the public today.

Written in the summer of 1945, just months after the fall of the Third Reich, Kennedy’s private journal contains reflections that challenge the conventional narrative of his staunch anti-fascist stance. The most explosive entries detail his visit to the ruins of Hitler’s mountain retreat and include a prediction about the Nazi leader's future historical standing. As of December 2025, these statements remain a critical, albeit uncomfortable, window into the formative political mind of a future American president.

John F. Kennedy: A Young War Correspondent’s Profile (1945)

In 1945, before his political career began, John F. Kennedy was a decorated naval veteran transitioning into a career as a journalist. His journey through post-war Europe provided the raw material for the controversial diary entries.

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• Full Name: John Fitzgerald Kennedy
• Date of Birth: May 29, 1917
• Age in 1945: 28 years old
• Education: Harvard University (graduated 1940)
• Wartime Service: Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy during World War II; commanded PT-109 in the South Pacific; received the Navy and Marine Corps Medal.
• Role in 1945: Special correspondent for the Hearst newspapers, covering the post-war situation in Europe, including the United Nations conference in San Francisco and the devastation in Germany.
• Political Status: Not yet an elected official; his first run for Congress would be in 1946.
• Key Travel Destinations (1945): Berlin, London, Paris, and Hitler’s Bavarian mountain retreat.

The Core Controversy: JFK’s Shocking Quotes on Hitler’s Legacy

The most debated passages in Kennedy’s 1945 diary stem from his visit to Berchtesgaden, the Bavarian town that was home to the Obersalzberg, Adolf Hitler’s famed mountain retreat and the site of the Eagle’s Nest (Kehlsteinhaus). The area had been heavily bombed by the Allies in April 1945 and was occupied by U.S. troops when Kennedy arrived in August. Witnessing the physical destruction of the Nazi regime’s heartland prompted the young correspondent to record his startling observations.

1. Hitler as 'The Stuff of Which Legends Are Made'

In his diary, Kennedy wrote: “He had in him the stuff of which legends are made.” This phrase is the most frequently cited and sensational of his comments. The use of the word "legend" is what immediately raises alarms, suggesting a degree of awe or fascination with the dictator's persona, separate from the atrocities he committed. However, many historians argue that this was less an expression of admiration and more a detached, analytical observation of how Hitler’s dramatic rise and fall—and the mystery surrounding his death—would be mythologized over time, regardless of his evil.

2. The Prediction of 'One of the Most Significant Figures Who Ever Lived'

The second, equally provocative quote offers a direct prediction about Hitler’s place in history. Kennedy wrote: “After visiting these two places [Berchtesgaden and the Eagle’s Lair] you can easily see how that within a few years Hitler will emerge from the hatred that surrounds him now as one of the most significant figures who ever lived.” This comment is often interpreted as a focus on historical significance rather than moral approval. Kennedy, a student of history and global politics, was recognizing that a figure responsible for a world war and the Holocaust, for better or worse, could not simply be erased from the historical record. He was predicting a lasting, monumental impact.

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3. The Fascination with Hitler's Charisma and Mystery

The context of the diary suggests a profound, albeit detached, fascination with the enigma of the Nazi leader. He noted that the ruins of Hitler's home, the Berghof, were "the place where the great dictator lived." This focus on the physical remnants of Hitler’s power structure, and the contemplation of how one man could wield such influence, points to a young, ambitious mind attempting to dissect the mechanics of absolute power. Experts who have studied the full diary suggest Kennedy was trying to understand the source of Hitler’s power and the fervent loyalty he commanded, rather than endorsing his ideology.

4. The Belief That Hitler Might Be Alive

Perhaps the most bizarre entry is Kennedy’s speculation that Hitler may not have died in the Berlin bunker. At the time, the official confirmation of Hitler's death was still murky, and rumors of his escape were rampant. Kennedy wrote: "There is still a great mystery about the way he died, or was he really dead." This uncertainty highlights the fog of war and the intense focus on Hitler's fate, demonstrating that the future president was engaging with the most current, sensational rumors of the day as a journalist.

Contextualizing the Controversial Entries: Family, Fascism, and Early Views

To understand the complexity of JFK’s 1945 journal, it is essential to place his comments within the context of his family and the political climate of his youth. The Kennedy family environment was uniquely positioned to shape a nuanced, and at times misguided, view of European fascism.

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The Shadow of Joseph P. Kennedy Sr.

John F. Kennedy’s father, Joseph P. Kennedy Sr., served as the U.S. Ambassador to Great Britain from 1938 to 1940. During this critical period, the elder Kennedy was a staunch proponent of the appeasement of Adolf Hitler, believing that Britain should avoid war at all costs. His views were openly isolationist and controversial, and he was ultimately discredited and forced to resign due to his perceived sympathy toward the Nazi regime and anti-Semitic remarks.

While John F. Kennedy later fought in the war and became a Cold War liberal—a stark contrast to his father’s appeasement—his early political development occurred under the influence of his father’s controversial views. Historians suggest that JFK’s diary entries are not a direct echo of his father’s sympathy for fascism, but rather a reflection of a young man trying to reconcile the political philosophy of his upbringing with the devastating reality he witnessed in Europe. His analysis of Hitler’s "legendary" status can be seen as an attempt to understand the phenomenon that his father failed to contain.

The Difference Between Analysis and Admiration

The core of the historical interpretation lies in distinguishing between a detached analysis of a historical figure’s power and genuine admiration for their ideology. The full diary, which was published and later auctioned, shows that Kennedy was a keen political observer, not a fascist sympathizer. He was analyzing the enduring power of a charismatic leader to shape history, even in defeat, a critical skill for any aspiring statesman. His later career, marked by his staunch opposition to communism and his famous "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech delivered in West Berlin in 1963, firmly established his commitment to democratic values and opposition to totalitarian regimes. The 1945 diary, therefore, serves as a record of a young man processing the world’s greatest evil, not embracing it.

The diary entries, while shocking on the surface, ultimately underscore the complexity of John F. Kennedy’s intellectual journey. They confirm that even a future American icon grappled with the dark allure and historical weight of the Nazi regime, using his journal as a private space to record raw, unvarnished thoughts on the most significant, and terrifying, figure of the 20th century. The legend he predicted for Hitler was, ironically, the one he spent his political life fighting to contain.