Exploring the Possibility of a Government Cover-Up with the John F. Kennedy Assassination

Kennedy was assassinated, his successor Lyndon Johnson established a commission to investigate Kennedy’s death which came to be known as the Warren Commission. The Warren Commission conducted a thorough and professional investigation into the responsibility of Lee Harvey Oswald for the assassination, and after a nearly yearlong investigation, the commission concluded that alleged gunman Lee Harvey Oswald had acted alone in assassinating JFK, and that there was no conspiracy involved. Because the commission had excused the possibility of a conspiracy, the Select Committee on Assassinations felt they had failed to adequately investigate the possibility of a conspiracy. However, it is unfair to blame the commission in their decision to ignore the idea of a conspiracy seeing as they did not receive all relevant information that was in the possession of other agencies and departments of the Government. Despite the commission's evidence based conclusion, the report proved controversial and failed to silence conspiracy theories surrounding the

The assassination of John F. Kennedy is said to be, as from the Warren report, a murder. The Warren report states that a man, Lee Harvey Oswald, fired 3 shots from the 6th floor of the Texas Book State Depository building. One missed the President’s motorcade completely; another hit President Kennedy in the neck, and the last hit him in the head, which was later said after an autopsy, to be the cause of death.

The 50th anniversary of the JFK assassination was commemorated on November 22, 2013. President Lyndon B. Johnson created the Warren Commission to investigate the assassination of John F. Kennedy. The final report presented by the commission claimed that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in killing the president. (Wikipedia, 2013). This report has proven to be highly controversial among citizens. There have been many theories as to who killed Kennedy, why they did it, and from what location. There are some theories that are more prominent than others such as: The CIA, The Mafia, The anti-Castro Cubans, a man from the Secret Service, and Lee Harvey Oswald. There are other theories believing that Lyndon B. Johnson and UFO specialists may have been involved. Each one of these theories will be explored throughout this paper.

On November 22nd, 1963, President Kennedy had traveled to Dallas, Texas to participate in a motorcade that was traveling to Dealy Plaza. He was sitting with his wife, Jacqueline on the back of a convertible followed by his Vice President, Lyndon Johnson behind him. While he passed the Texas School Book Depository, Lee Harvey Oswald set up a sniper post on the 6th story of the building. Oswald allegedly fired three shots at Kennedy, one missing him and two striking him in the neck and head. Sadly, President John Fitzgerald Kennedy passed away from his gunshot wounds and his Vice President, Lyndon Johnson was sworn into office right away.

A brief history of the investigations of the JFK murder is required to be able to understand the timeline of events. On November 22, 1963 John F Kennedy was assassinated. Seven days later, Lyndon B Johnson authorized the Warren Commision to perform an investigation of JFK’s murder. After about a year of investigation, the commission determined that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in killing the president; however, this lead to many conspiracy theories about JFK’s death. One popular theory,

For nearly five decades, historians have debated over whether or not the John F. Kennedy assassination was from a lone gunman or as part of a bigger conspiracy cover-up. On November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was shot as he paraded through Dallas, Texas. That same afternoon, Dallas police had arrested their suspect, Lee Harvey Oswald. Oswald, an itinerant ex-U.S. marine and self-described Marxist-Leninist, previously lived in the Soviet Union prior to his move back to the United States. However, within days of his arrest, Oswald was dead. Oswald was murdered by Jack Ruby on national television in the basement of a Dallas police station. Historians, through the years, have stated that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone and for himself, while others have maintained that Kennedy was killed as part of a wider cover-up. The Warren Commission Report was established by Lyndon Johnson, Kennedy’s successor, to further investigate Kennedy’s assassination. After nearly a yearlong investigation, the commission, led by Chief Justice Earl Warren concluded that alleged gunman Lee Harvey Oswald had acted alone in assassinating America’s 35th President, and that there was no conspiracy, either domestic or international, involved. Despite its seemingly firm conclusions, the report proved controversial and failed to silence conspiracy theories surrounding the event. Historians have held dramatically different views about the

On November 22, 1963, at 12:30 p.m., President Kennedy was shot as his motorcade drove

At 10:30am: Kennedy remarks to Jackie "you know, last night would have been a hell of a night to assassinate a president…" that is a reference to their late night motorcade through For Worth in Texas. At 11:50am: Multiple co-workers see Oswald on the first floor of the book depository eating lunch. With the motorcade leaving Love Field to begin the motorcade through Dallas.12:05pm: President Kennedy makes his first of many stops at groups of people waiting to meet him and shake his hand, delaying the motorcade by five minutes. The president 's last minutes are crunching to the impact of the gun shot from Lee. At 12:29pm: The president 's limo turns onto Elm St. The first shot is fired missing the president. A fragment from the bullet or debris from the street hit James Tauge who is watching the motorcade in Dealey Plaza. A man is standing near the Stemmons Freeway sign with an opened umbrella. With the umbrella man it is also a conspiracy theory that deals with JFK. At 12:30pm: The second shot is fired, causing Kennedy to go into Thornburn 's position, He was shot in the throat. This is a common neurological response to spinal damage. The third shot is fired, hitting the president on the back, right side of his head, causing a portion of his head behind his right ear to blow out. Right after the third shot is fired. Oswald quickly gets a Coke from the soda machine in the

A brief history of the investigations of the JFK murder is required to be able to understand the timeline of events. On November 22, 1963 John F Kennedy was assassinated. Seven days later, Lyndon B Johnson authorized the Warren Commission to perform an investigation of JFK’s murder. After about a year of investigation, the commission determined that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in killing the president; however, this lead to many conspiracy theories about JFK’s death. One popular theory, or the magic

The Warren Commission was later set up to probe the assassination. In its findings, presented on September 24, 1964, the commission concluded that Oswald acted entirely alone, and was not an agent of any broader conspiracy to kill the president. While the Warren Commission's report was deemed credible at the time, and while its conclusions are still acknowledged as the official explanation, the report failed to answer some very perplexing questions about the tragic events of that November day (“Alternative”).

Another bullet struck Kennedy in the rear portion of his head, causing a massive and fatal wound, and landing him into Mrs. Kennedy’s lap (Nizer, pg.8). Secret Service Agencies began to act, shielding Kennedy and his wife as they sped to Parkland Memorial Hospital; 4 miles away. At the hospital, Kennedy was treated by a team of physicians who examined his body and fatal wounds. But sadly, Kennedy was pronounced dead at 1 p.m.

Many eye witnesses at the scene of the crime were ignored by the Warren Commission, unless the witnesses’ statements supported the Warren Commission’s theory. For example, fifty-eight out of ninety witnesses heard gun shots coming from the Grassy Knoll, however the Warren Commission chose to overlook this vital evidence because it didn’t sustain the theory that Oswald shot Kennedy from the Book Depository. Source G shows witnesses’ statements that were discounted by the Warren Commission. Firstly, Source G shows that a woman who said that she was “pretty used to guns” heard four to six

The motorcade followed its designated route, first passing through a residential area of Dallas, and then making its way through the middle of the downtown area. The parade traveled west on Main Street and then made a right on Houston. The motorcade went one block and then made a left-turn on Elm. On the corner of Elm and Houston was the large, ominous Texas School Book Depository, where the fatal shots were later accused of being fired from. When the President's car turned west on Elm and crossed the Depository, three shots were fired at the motorcade. The President was struck by a bullet that entered at the base of his neck, just right of his spine and exited under the lower left portion of the knot in the President's tie. A second bullet struck Kennedy in the rear base of his head, causing the fatal wound. Texas Governor Connelly, riding two cars behind the President, was also hit. The bullet hit the Governor on the extreme right side of his back, just below the armpit. The bullet exited below his left

“The minute the car stopped, the secret service rushed at Johnson and formed a cordon around him,” noted Yarborough. “I heard one of them say ‘Mr. President’ to Johnson and then I knew that Kennedy was dead.”(Netzley 31). On November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was killed by a man named Lee Harvey Oswald, or so they say. At this time the president was with his wife, Jacqueline Kennedy and Governor Connally. “President Kennedy was shot twice, once in the throat and once in the head” (Netzley 30). Governor Connally was shot once. The bullet traveled through the right side of his chest, then into his right hand, and through his left thigh. (Netzley 30). Three ways the assassination of John F. Kennedy impacted the 1960’s include; a large

So, in an attempt to help his campaign, Kennedy planned to visit the state. One of his aims for the trip was to bring Democrats together. He knew that a small yet vocal group of extremists were contributing to the political tensions in Texas and would likely make its presence felt—particularly in Dallas. Previous to the president's trip, US Ambassador to the United Nations Adlai Stevenson had been physically attacked a month prior after making a speech in the city (Stern). Nonetheless, Kennedy seemed to be satisfied the likelihood of leaving Washington, getting out among the people and into the political fray (Stern). On November 22nd, 1963 President Kennedy was traveling through the city of Dallas, Texas with an intent to make a speech. Just when the president’s car was merely five minutes away from their destination, gun shots fired out. It was at that time that Kennedy was shot. Immediately, the car sped off to the nearest hospital. Within a half an hour, the President of the United States was proclaimed dead