John Fitzgerald Kennedy was very popular and much adored during his term of office. The world should not yet know about his real personality. In later years after his death, the truth came out. He was not the faithful husband nor was he in good health. Nevertheless, he is still one of the most popular US Presidents ever. He had not deserved to be assassinated. No one has. Inspired by Oliver Stone’s Hollywood movie ‘JFK’, I wanted to know more about the assassination. Who could be responsible for it? Which motivation could someone have to kill the president of the most powerful nation in the world? I do not intend to find the real murderer, I am not competent for that. Yet, I can try to get a picture of the most important theories and evaluate them. I am as well interested in the consequences of the assassination on the world. I think another interesting question is how the people reacted to the assassination. People who were there, and people who only heard it in the news. Both seem to be concerned.
The most exciting part about the assassination is the ignorance. Although over 40 years passed since then, the Kennedy case, as one of very few of the 20th Century, still remains unsolved.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Short Biography of JFK
3 The Assassination
3.1 Chronology of the Assassination
3.2 Eye witness accounts
3.3 Reactions to the Assassination in Switzerland
3.3.1 Statements in newspapers
3.3.2 Personal reactions
4 Theories
4.1 Warren Commission
4.1.1 Pro
4.1.2 Contra
4.2 Jim Garrison
4.2.1 Pro
4.2.2 Contra
4.3 Fidel Castro
4.3.1 Pro
4.3.2 Contra
4.4 Mafia
4.4.1 Pro
4.4.2 Contra
4.5 Recent findings
5 Consequences of the Assassination on the World
6 Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This work examines the assassination of John F. Kennedy, aiming to move beyond the official narrative by exploring various conspiracy theories and investigating their plausibility. The author seeks to evaluate the significance of the event on global history, the reaction of the public, and the potential motivations behind the act.
- Chronology and eyewitness perspectives of the assassination in Dallas.
- Critical evaluation of the Warren Commission’s findings versus alternative theories.
- Analysis of specific suspected groups including the CIA, the Mafia, and Fidel Castro.
- The impact of the assassination on global politics, specifically regarding the Vietnam War.
- The role of individual belief versus documented evidence in historical inquiry.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 Chronology of the Assassination
Friday, November 22, 1963
11.38h: The Air Force One lands in Dallas. The motorcade is being prepared.
11.50h: Kennedy takes seat in a black Lincoln Continental. He has ordered to use the car without the bullet-proof top; against the advice of his security agents. His wife is sitting together with Kennedy on the back seat of the car. She is on his left-hand side. The governor of Texas, John Connally, and his wife are sitting on the middle seat. On the front seat are the chauffeur and a Secret Service agent. Kennedy is going to have a speech on the Trade Mart. About 250’000 people are waiting for him.
11.55h: Reportedly, the route is shortly changed so that the motorcade passes the Elm Street instead of staying on the Main Street.
12.30h: The motorcade is passing the Dealey Plaza (in the middle of the picture) with approximately 11 km/h. About three shots are fired on the President within less than 10 seconds apparently from behind. He gets first hurt on his neck. Secret Service agent Clint Hill in the car behind is the only one who reacts brilliantly. He starts running to the Presidential car but another bullet hits Kennedy’s head just a touch before Hill reaches the car. Governor Connally is hurt as well. Both together have eight injuries which is a clue that there might have been more than three shots.
“James Tague, a spectator and witness to the assassination, also received a minor wound to his right cheek while standing 270 feet (82 meters) in front of where Kennedy was hit, presumably from debris that shot up when a bullet had hit the curb.”
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: Introduces the author's motivation for researching the JFK assassination and poses central questions about the event's lasting mystery.
2 Short Biography of JFK: Provides an overview of Kennedy’s life, presidency, and political challenges, setting the stage for the assassination.
3 The Assassination: Details the timeline of the events in Dallas, presents eyewitness accounts, and records reactions from the Swiss public.
4 Theories: Critically evaluates the official Warren Commission findings and explores alternative theories involving the CIA, Jim Garrison, Fidel Castro, and the Mafia.
5 Consequences of the Assassination on the World: Discusses the global impact of the assassination and how it altered political trajectories, particularly regarding the Vietnam War.
6 Conclusion: Reflects on the author’s personal learning process and the difficulty of discerning historical truth amidst conflicting theories.
Key Terms
John F. Kennedy, Lee Harvey Oswald, Assassination, Conspiracy theories, Warren Commission, Jim Garrison, CIA, Mafia, Fidel Castro, Dealey Plaza, Zapruder Film, Cold War, Vietnam War, Parkland Memorial Hospital, Dallas
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The work focuses on the assassination of John F. Kennedy, exploring the official narrative provided by the Warren Commission and juxtaposing it against various conspiracy theories.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The paper covers the timeline of the incident, public perception and reactions, critical analyses of major theories, and the subsequent geopolitical impact of the event.
What is the central research question?
The author seeks to understand who could be responsible for the assassination, what potential motivations existed, and how this event fundamentally changed the world.
Which scientific or investigative methods were applied?
The author utilizes historical documentation, comparative analysis of conspiracy literature, and personal interviews to assess the credibility of competing narratives.
What is the subject matter of the main chapters?
The chapters detail the biographical background, the sequence of events during the assassination, an in-depth critique of suspected actors, and the long-term historical implications.
Which keywords best characterize this research?
The research is best characterized by terms such as JFK, conspiracy theories, CIA, Cold War, Warren Commission, and historical investigation.
Why does the author give significance to the Jim Garrison investigation?
Garrison’s investigation is significant because it represents a serious, albeit controversial, legal attempt to link the assassination to a government-level conspiracy rather than a lone-gunman act.
What role does the Zapruder Film play in the analysis?
The Zapruder Film is central to the analysis as it provides key visual evidence used by both sides to argue for or against a conspiracy regarding shot trajectories and the number of gunmen.
- Quote paper
- Beat Andreas Schweizer (Author), 2006, The Assassination of John F. Kennedy, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/208313
