Navigated the U.S. through very difficult times without regard to the political fallout of taking unpopular but appropriate stands.

John Adams inherited a major crisis from the Washington Administration: The French. During the Washington Administration, the French, angry at the Jay Treaty the United States had signed with its enemy, Great Britain, began harrassing American ships at sea. Adams at first tried diplomacy by sending three envoys to France, who were insulted and sent back to the United States. At home, Americans were red hot about the incident, and Adams was pressured to begin a major military buildup. The President engaged French privateers on the high seas. The President supported the creation of the Navy Department, the Marine Corps and the cancellation of all treaties with France. It seemed that the United States and France were headed down a road towards war. Then, President Adams sent another envoy to France to associate with Napoleon, the new French emperor, in which peace was achieved. The French and the United States agreed to cancel their 1778 mutual defense agreement, and war had been averted. Adams bold leadership helped achieve this. Napoleon was already entangled in a major war in Europe, and feared war with the United States. Realizing that the President was building up the navy and military and preparing for war, Napoleon backed down. Over a century and a half later, John F. Kennedy, in his inaugural address, declared: let us never negotiate our of fear, but let us never fear to negotiate. Adams did just that. While preparing for war, he simultaneously preserved peace. He did not negotiate out of fear, but, he did not fear to negotiate.