The Assassination of John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy, the thirty fifth president of the United States, was assassinated on November 22, 1963 in Dealey Plaza. At 12:30 p.m. Kennedy was shot once in the neck, and a second time, fatally, in the head. He was riding in a presidential motorcade with his wife Jacqueline and Texas governor John Connolly. To this day Kennedy’s assassination is regarded as one of the most tragic days in American history and one of the events that contributed to further United States' involvelment in the Vietnam War.
After a ten month official investigation by the House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA), it was concluded that a lone shooter by the name of Lee Harvey Oswald committed the crime. Oswald allegedly fired the fatal shot from a sixth story window in the Texas Book Depository building. He was located forty minutes after Kennedy’s assassination in a nearby movie theater; he resisted arrest and opened fire on the officers with a pistol. Oswald was charged later that night with the murder of one police officer and John F. Kennedy. He denied shooting anyone but never got the chance to plead his case in a trial. Two days later, while being escorted to car, Oswald was shot and killed by Dallas night club owner Jack Ruby.
There has been much speculation as to whether or not Lee Harvey Oswald was the actual assassin. Countless conspiracy theories have arisen over the years following Kennedy’s death. Some people testify they heard shots from a nearby grassy knoll and the underpass rather than the Texas Book Depository building.
Just before the assassination Kennedy announced to his military leaders that he was planning on removing 1,000 US troops from Vietnam by the end of 1963 and completely removing all US personal by the end of 1965. After the assassination these plans were renounced by the new president Lyndon B. Johnson. Some people have said that the Vietnam War was the reason for Kennedy’s murder thus allowing major armament corporations to continue gaining extensive sums of money.
After a ten month official investigation by the House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA), it was concluded that a lone shooter by the name of Lee Harvey Oswald committed the crime. Oswald allegedly fired the fatal shot from a sixth story window in the Texas Book Depository building. He was located forty minutes after Kennedy’s assassination in a nearby movie theater; he resisted arrest and opened fire on the officers with a pistol. Oswald was charged later that night with the murder of one police officer and John F. Kennedy. He denied shooting anyone but never got the chance to plead his case in a trial. Two days later, while being escorted to car, Oswald was shot and killed by Dallas night club owner Jack Ruby.
There has been much speculation as to whether or not Lee Harvey Oswald was the actual assassin. Countless conspiracy theories have arisen over the years following Kennedy’s death. Some people testify they heard shots from a nearby grassy knoll and the underpass rather than the Texas Book Depository building.
Just before the assassination Kennedy announced to his military leaders that he was planning on removing 1,000 US troops from Vietnam by the end of 1963 and completely removing all US personal by the end of 1965. After the assassination these plans were renounced by the new president Lyndon B. Johnson. Some people have said that the Vietnam War was the reason for Kennedy’s murder thus allowing major armament corporations to continue gaining extensive sums of money.
