The Assassination of John F. Kennedy: A Conspiracy

The assassination of President John F. Kennedy has invoked more intrigue than any other assassination of the twentieth century. It is one of the single most researched events in the history of mankind. More time has gone into investigating the two minutes surrounding the firing of the fatal shots than any other time period (Arnold 11). This tragedy was seen by hundreds of eyewitness spectators who all qualified as first-person witnesses. Fortunately, because of the advances in technology, the assassination of President Kennedy was recorded in film both with motion and still photography. These graphic souvenirs have been the subject of much research and inquiry. The debate that encompasses them often includes the dispute, "was President Kennedy the victim of an assassination conspiracy?" As one examines the facts, the conclusion must be reached; Lee Harvey Oswald was not solely responsible for the assassination of John F. Kennedy but acted simultaneously with other unknown conspirators.

John Fitzgerald Kennedy was born in 1917, in Brookline, Massachusetts. He was the second child born out of nine children. He was very fortunate to be born in an extremely wealthy family, which was filled with an interest in politics. Kennedy was an exceptionally intelligent young man and attended some very well known schools and universities including Harvard, Princeton, and Stanford. In his early years while attending educational institutions, Kennedy was in poor health and would develop illnesses and have to leave. After graduating from Harvard, Kennedy joined the U.S. Navy and served in the Second World War. In 1944, Kennedy's brother was killed in a bombing mission. His brother had visions of entering the field of politics, thus influencing John to enter politics. Kennedy always said, "Just as I went into politics because Joe died, if anything happens to me tomorrow, my brother Bobby would run for my seat in the Senate. And if Bobby died, Teddy would take over for him."(Encarta)

In 1953 Kennedy married Jacqueline Lee Bouvier. They had 4 children. In 1960 Kennedy won the presidential election for the Democrats. Although Kennedy was a Democrat he often sided with the Republicans when it came to certain issues in congress, this making him one of the most brilliant political minds ever. President Kennedy was also responsible for solving many crises throughout the world, increasing international peace.

On Nov. 22, 1963 President Kennedy and his wife were in Dallas, Texas trying to strengthen his political campaign for the upcoming election. While in his motorcade he was shot from a warehouse from a sixth floor window. He later died in Parkland Hospital. He was assassinated by a man named Lee Harvey Oswald.

Oswald had been very disgruntled with the government ever since he had been discharged from the United States Marine Corps. Following his discharge, he moved to the Soviet Union attempting to acquire citizenship there (Newman 53). After being denied citizenship, he returned to the United States. The year Oswald shot and killed President Kennedy, he moved to Dallas, Texas where he potted the assassination of the president with numerous co-conspirators.

It was the morning of November 22, 1963 in Dallas, Texas. At 12:30 p.m. a gun was fired from a sixth story window of the Texas School Book Depository in Dealy Plaza. According to a Secret Service man in the car the President said, "My God, I'm hit." Sitting directly in front of the president was Texas Governor Connally who was also struck. Then two more shots where fired one hitting President Kennedy. As the shots were being fired a Secret Service man jumped on the back of the car and dove on top of the president, shielding him. During the shooting, Governor Connally suffered injuries to his right side. Although the Governor was badly wounded, he survived. At 1:00 p.m. President Kennedy was pronounced dead at the Parkland Hospital. Later that afternoon aboard Air Force One, Vice President Lyndon Johnson was sworn in as President of the United States of America.

The first conspiracy theory surrounding the assassination of President Kennedy involves organized crime, the Mafia. The question must be asked why the Mafia would want to kill the President. The answer revolves around the relationship between these two entities, the Executive Branch and organized crime itself.

By 1963 the Kennedy administration had become much evolved and somewhat successful in its bid to prosecute the Mafia. This was evident though the Justice Department's triumph in sending several Mafia leaders to prison and dismantling its control over some parts of its realm including illegal gambling and loan sharking (Scheim 28). President Kennedy's brother Robert "Bobby" Kennedy was the Attorney General of the United States and largely responsible for these Federal indictments and prosecutions. Bobby Kennedy could have overlooked the destruction of organized crime but instead chose to target the Mafia from the highest levels of its organization (28).

Additionally, the Mafia had set a precedent of killing or removing from power those opposed to their agenda. Examples of this treachery include the assassination of Chicago Mayor Anton Cermak, United Auto Workers President Walter Reuther and UAW-AFL President John Kilpatrick (Scheim 34). Each of these men were murdered for opposing the Mafia's plans or speaking out against them. Thus the stage was set for the assassination of President Kennedy.

As President Kennedy's motorcade turned left onto Elm Street a series of gunshots rang out. Kennedy was struck twice and Governor Connally once. But where did the gunfire come from? According to the official report from the Warren Commission all three shots came from the sixth story of the Texas School Book Depository. Thus the Commission surmised that Oswald had been completely responsible. But the Commission ignored the opinions of experts as well as eyewitness accounts and the sounds coming from police radios.

The latter of these proofs were the recordings captured on the radio traffic of the Dallas Police Department. These radios were in the possession of police officers who were positioned close to the motorcade and adjacent to a railroad yard and a grassy knoll. The first two gunshots could be heard faintly in the distance while the third was noticeably louder and presumably fired closer to where the officers were stationed (Scheim 45). The recordings were analyzed by experts and a joint conclusion was made. In December of 1963, two of the expert investigators Mark Weiss and Ernest Aschkenasy testified before the House Assassination Committee. In their conclusion Professor Weiss stated that "with the probability of ninety-five percent or better" the third shot came from the grassy knoll (Arnold 189).

Furthermore,