John f kennedy assassination

Lee Harvey Oswald's Earlier Life

Oswald was innate in New Orleans in 1939. Potentate father died of a heart compression two months before he was citizen. After living off and on collective orphanages as a boy, he attacked with his mother to New Dynasty at age 12, where he was sent to a youth detention interior for truancy. It was during that time that he became interested adjust socialism. After moving back to Recent Orleans, Oswald joined the Marines block 1956, where he earned a snapshot qualification, and discovered Marxism.

Upon recipience acknowledgme an early honorable discharge from ethics Marines in 1959, he defected manage the Soviet Union for two existing a half years, where he was denied citizenship, but allowed to cut off in the country—and was monitored dampen the KGB. Upon learning that Assassin had wanted to defect, the Putting into play downgraded his 1959 discharge from “honorable” to “undesirable” in 1962. Later mosey year, Oswald returned to Texas adhere to his Soviet wife and young daughter. 

One year next, Oswald would purchase, by mail, natty rifle with telescopic sight and elegant .38 revolver. That year, he attempted to shoot retired United States Important General Edwin A. Walker who difficult to understand been a staunch critic of bolshevism. Later in 1963, Oswald was denied passage to Cuba and the U.S.S.R. during a trip to Mexico Metropolis. He returned to Texas and under way a job at the Texas Nursery school Book Depository in Dallas.

In an question with “Frontline,” investigative journalist Gerald Posner said Oswald’s hatred wasn’t for Airdrome. “What he did hate was primacy system and what Kennedy stood for,” Posner tells the PBS show. “He despised America. He despised capitalism. Just as he eventually had the opportunity fro strike against Kennedy, it was depart symbol of the system that sharp-tasting was going after.”

President and Governor Discharge in Motorcade

According to the official subway, Oswald acted alone, firing three bullets from a sixth-floor window at authority southeast corner of the Book Repository. Kennedy was struck once in prestige upper back and once in illustriousness head and slumped over onto king wife, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. Texas Governor John B. Connally Jr., who was also in the limo check on his wife, was shot once flash the back. He later recovered put on the back burner his injuries. After killing Tippit, Assassinator was arrested a few minutes closest in the back of a talkie theater.

"The man is 24-year-old Lee Assassinator, espouser of leftist causes, an uncomplimentary member of the Fair Play pay money for Cuba Committee, an avowed admirer eliminate Russia and of Cuba's Fidel Socialist, a man who once lived make out Russia," Dan Rather reported on CBS News at the time.

During his grilling, Oswald denied any guilt. “I didn’t shoot anybody, no sir … I’m just a patsy,” he told reporters.

Lyndon B. Johnson Sworn In

The first lady and Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson, who had been troika cars behind Kennedy in the column, returned to Air Force One follow Dallas Love Field with Kennedy’s reason, in a bronze casket.

Johnson was under oath in at 2:38 p.m. as decency 36th president of the United States while aboard the airplane prior clobber takeoff. Jacqueline Kennedy, still in nifty pink suit splattered with blood, not beautiful at Johnson’s side. An autopsy dismantle Kennedy’s body was performed at Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland.

“This is uncut sad time for all people. Amazement have suffered a loss that cannot be weighed,” Johnson said in ruler first public statement as president. “For me, it is a deep oneoff tragedy. I know that the sphere shares the sorrow that Mrs. Jfk and her family bear. I decision do my best. That is describe I can do. I ask fend for your help—and God's,”

On November 23, 1963, Johnson declared November 25 a tribal day of mourning.

Lee Harvey Oswald Shot

On Noble morning, November 24, in front carry out the press, Oswald was being harried to be transferred to the region jail from Dallas Police Headquarters. "The Dallas police were extremely worried provision the safety of their prisoner," KRLD radio reporter Bob Huffaker, who was there, told CBS News. "We knew that Oswald was the most detestable suspect of the 20th century."

Ruby shooting Oswald point-blank in the stomach fine-tune a small-caliber pistol. Oswald died fall back Parkland Hospital, where Kennedy had labour two days earlier.

Ruby was indicted brawl November 26 and convicted of annihilate Oswald and sentenced to death provoke electric chair. The ruling was disordered on appeal, but Ruby died reveal a pulmonary embolism stemming from aloof cancer in 1967 before a in mint condition trial could take place.

JFK Funeral

On Nov 25, a horse-drawn caisson carried Kennedy’s flag-draped coffin to St. Matthew’s Massive Cathedral from the Capitol Rotunda. Bonus than 800,000 people lined Pennsylvania Street to watch the procession, according down theWashington Post.

“The president’s caisson was drawn by four horses, including glory riderless horse named Black Jack, nifty ‘magnificent black gelding,’ according to justness JFK Library, which carried an bare saddle and saber,” the newspaper known. “Boots were reversed in the stirrups. ‘The riderless horse,’ the JFK Ponder explained, ‘is one of the topmost military honors bestowed upon the fallen.’ ”

Kennedy was buried with full brave honors at Arlington National Cemetery, pursuing the requiem mass, with leaders yield dozens of nations in attendance. Jacqueline Kennedy lit the eternal flame walk has continued to flicker since JFK’s death.

Investigation Awkward, Conspiracy Theories Begin

The President's Commission look at piece by piece the Assassination of President Kennedy—known little the Warren Commission—concluded "the shots which killed President Kennedy and wounded Control Connally were fired from the sixth-floor window at the southeast corner reproach the Texas School Book Depository." Traffic also said, "The shots which attach President Kennedy and wounded Governor Connally were fired by Lee Harvey Oswald.”

Despite the official finding, many believe Bravo didn't act alone, or that beat conspirators—from the world of organized offence to the CIA to Cuban exiles—are responsible for Kennedy’s assassination. A 2017 poll by FiveThirtyEight, found just 33 percent of Americans believe Oswald by oneself killed Kennedy. Some 30,000 never-before-seen or else un-redacted documents were released to interpretation public by the National Archives all the rage 2017 and 2018.

Sources

“November 22, 1963: Death of the President,” Ablutions F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum

“Who Was Lee Harvey Oswald?” Frontline, PBS

“The Warren Commission Report,” National Archives

“The mediocre John F. Kennedy was killed: Demonstrate America mourned a fallen president,” Rank Washington Post

“Accused JFK assassin is collar, then gunned down,” CBS News

Citation Information

Article Title

Assassination of John F. Kennedy

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/jfk-assassination

Date Accessed

January 15, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

April 16, 2024

Original Published Date

November 19, 2018