In 1963, America lost one of its best leaders, but what happened and who is it? On November 22, 1963, John F. Kennedy was assassinated while riding through Dallas in a presidential convoy. Many theories could be made about his death. Still, some of the people suspected to be responsible include Lee Harvey Oswald, the FBI, as well as some anonymous people who were seen on the street, possibly giving signals for when to shoot. Let’s dive into the sudden and impactful death of Kennedy and the possibility that Lee Harvey Oswald is responsible.
John F. Kennedy was a charismatic individual, swooning his way through political debates, eventually becoming the second youngest person to be an American president. According to John F. Kennedy: Impact and Legacy “Despite facing significant obstacles, such as his youth, Catholic faith, and alleged inexperience, Kennedy managed to win the election against Republican Richard Nixon” (John F. Kennedy: Impact and Legacy | Miller Center. 4 Oct. 2016, 1). However, before Kennedy rose to presidency, he used his All-American nature to win in the House of Representatives; Kennedy charmed the House of Reps and kept his position until he ran for Senate in 1952, where his candid can-do attitude helped him win. Although this is one way we can see his charisma, another way we can see his charisma is during his time in school post-high-school. In an article,
After attending Choate, a prestigious boarding school in Connecticut, he studied briefly at the London School of Economics. His time in England was cut short due to illness, and he returned to the United States to enroll at Princeton.
However, he was forced to withdraw due to continued health problems.
Undeterred, JFK eventually graduated from Harvard University in 1940. While
studying at Harvard, Kennedy authored his senior thesis on British foreign policy,
which would become the best-selling book, “Why England Slept”. (John F. Kennedy: Impact and Legacy | Miller Center. 4 Oct. 2016, 1)
This shows his charisma because he was able to influence the American people to vote for him under his less-than-ideal circumstances.
John F. Kennedy was very determined in his actions. In March 1962, Kennedy had a
problem with the steel industry: “Kennedy had advocated an ‘early labor settlement consistent with price stability in steel,’ as a means to avoid inflation and help the economy to grow” according to an e-book (Bostdorf & O’Rourke 343). A month later, U.S. Steel announced that it would raise its steel price by $6.00 per ton. According to a web document, “In the days that followed, Kennedy used the bully pulpit of the presidency to escalate a steel price increase into a crisis that threatened the freedom and security of Americans” (343). Pressure from the public forced the steel company and its fellow sister corps to drop their prices.
Another way we can see that Kennedy was determined was his drive to become president. He worked his way up the political ladder, being elected in 1934 as the Securities and Exchange Commission chairman. Three years later, he was appointed the U.S. ambassador to Great Britain. According to an article, “…in 1946, the twenty-nine-year-old Kennedy won election to the US Congress representing a working-class Boston district” (John F. Kennedy: Life Before the Presidency 1). Kennedy smashed the Congress electoral race by a 3-to-1 vote against his opponent. At the ripe young age of 27, Kennedy was now a member of Congress. According to an article by History, “Kennedy won reelection to the House of Representatives in 1948 and 1950, and in 1952 ran successfully for the Senate, defeating the popular Republican incumbent Henry Cabot Lodge Jr” (“John F. Kennedy - Facts, Presidency & Assassination.” 1). In 1956, Kennedy ran for vice president, although he came up short. This didn’t stop him because, during the next presidential election, he ran for president and won! He was determined and used his charisma to become the second youngest president in American history!
Who was the real cause of JFK's demise? Lee Harvey Oswald is most certainly responsible, but the FBI and LBJ are also strong contenders.
Let’s inquire about Lee Harvey Oswald and his connections to the JFK murder trial. To start, Lee was born in New Orleans and joined the U.S. Marines after school (Lee Harvey Oswald: Suspected Assassin of John F. Kennedy 1). After his time with the Marines, he joined the Soviet Union. According to an article:
Dissatisfied with the quality of life in the Soviet Union, Oswald returned to the United States in June 1962, bringing his wife (Marina) and their newborn daughter with him…The family set up residence in Dallas… In early 1963, he ordered a .38 handgun via the mail and later acquired a rifle. He had Marina take a picture of him with the weapons—a document that would later be used as criminal evidence, as Oswald’s rifle was eventually identified as the firearm used to murder President John F. Kennedy (1).
This all ties in because Lee was seen on the sixth floor of his work building, holding a rifle. According to witnesses, three shots were fired and the second and third shots hit JFK (1). Lee was spotted fleeing the scene and was confronted by an officer: Lee allegedly shot this officer and was later apprehended at the Texas Theater by additional cops. Lee was thrown in county jail, where a mob boss shot him out of ‘retaliation’ for JFK (1). Another point that suggests Lee is the suspect is the fact that on April 10, 1963, Lee tried to murder a former Army general, meaning he had an aggressive background (1).
Next, let’s look at how the FBI was involved in JFK’s murder. During JFK’s time as president, he had two major crises to overcome, those being the “Bay of Pigs” invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis. The FBI and the government didn’t like how JFK handled these situations so they had a motive to take him out. In a video recording, the driver of JFK’s limo turned around and appeared to use a pistol to shoot JFK (Zapruder Film Restored HD). However, an expert in demolitions and physics says “The President’s reactions just after the projectile impact were physically consistent with a gunshot wound caused by a high-energy Carcano military rifle bullet… but the movements of Kennedy’s head are only consistent with a shot from the back” (What Physics Reveals About the JFK Assassination 1). However, it is possible that Jack Ruby was paid by the FBI to assassinate Lee Harvey Oswald to prevent a trial. To top this off, one article states:
The records were made public… which mandated that all material housed at the National Archives about the assassination be made public by October 26, 2017, which is the 25th anniversary of the act. Last-minute concerns by U.S. national security and intelligence agencies led then-President Donald Trump to block the release of thousands of the remaining files just hours before the deadline. (The Biggest Revelations in the Declassified JFK Assassination Files 1)
Finally, we will look into the connection that Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ), Kennedy’s Vice President (VP), had to Kennedy and his death. One thing to remember is that Kennedy’s wife didn’t even trust LBJ and thought he was responsible. From an article, “Kennedy-Onassis thought gunman Lee Harvey Oswald -- long believed to be a lone assassin -- was part of a larger conspiracy involving Johnson (“Jacqueline Kennedy Reportedly Believed Lyndon B. Johnson Behind JFK’s Assassination” 1). If she didn’t trust LBJ’s word, others probably wouldn’t either because one article states “hatred is the right word to describe Robert Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson…They hated each other from the first time they met” (LBJ Changed “in a Moment” after JFK Death 1). On top of this, LBJ was also treated poorly as a VP and was shadowed by JFK. Supposedly, LBJ had insecurity about being VP and also realized that JFK was a formidable opponent (1). According to witnesses, LBJ was much more relaxed and “in charge” after JFK’s death (1). All of this comes together to make LBJ a likely suspect in the murder of JFK!
To wrap things up, many conspiracies can be made about the JFK murder case, although a few of them can be highlighted. Of these, there is a possibility that Lee Harvey Oswald is the suspect, but it's likely he was used as a fall guy. Another one is the role the FBI played in the case and the likelihood that they conspired against JFK. Lastly, a finger is pointed at LBJ, VP to JFK. With everything being said, many people could be responsible for JFK’s death, although Lee Harvey Oswald is the most prominent suspect.
Works Cited
“The Biggest Revelations in the Declassified JFK Assassination Files.” HISTORY, 12 Oct. 2023, https://www.history.com/news/jfk-assassination-documents-declassified-release
Bostdorf & O’Rourke. “The Presidency and the Promotion of Domestic Crisis: John Kennedy's Management of the 1962 Steel Crisis”. Pg. 343 The Presidency and the Promotion of Domestic Crisis: John Kennedy's Management of the 1962 Steel Crisis on JSTOR
“Jacqueline Kennedy Reportedly Believed Lyndon B. Johnson Behind JFK’s Assassination.” Fox News, 26 Mar. 2015, https://www.foxnews.com/us/jacqueline-kennedy-reportedly-believed-lyndon-b-johnson-behind-jfks-assassination
“John F. Kennedy - Facts, Presidency & Assassination.” HISTORY, 13 Nov. 2023, https://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/john-f-kennedy.
John F. Kennedy: Impact and Legacy | Miller Center. 4 Oct. 2016, https://millercenter.org/president/kennedy/impact-and-legacy.
John F. Kennedy: Life Before the Presidency | Miller Center. 4 Oct. 2016, https://millercenter.org/president/kennedy/life-before-the-presidency
“Lee Harvey Oswald: Suspected Assassin of John F. Kennedy.” Biography, 22 Nov. 2023, https://www.biography.com/crime/lee-harvey-oswald
“What Physics Reveals About the JFK Assassination.” HISTORY, 12 Oct. 2023, https://www.history.com/news/jfk-assassination-grassy-knoll-theory-debunked
Writer: LBJ Changed “in a Moment” after JFK Death - CBS News. 1 May 2012, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/writer-lbj-changed-in-a-moment-after-jfk-death/
Zapruder Film Restored HD
Comments