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John F. Kennedy was probably the most beloved and popular president to ever sit in the Oval Office. He was the icon of our country. His youth and charisma personified the American citizen. His beautiful wife and his two young children optimized the perfect family. His war hero and his highly educated manor earned the respect and reverence of American society. He was truly the "common man's" president. John Fitzgerald Kennedy was born on May 29, 1917 in Brookline, Massachusetts. The Kennedy name had already been known throughout the country and many of his relatives were involved in politics. He was destined to make political noise in our country. His family was also extremely wealthy. His father was a financier and a businessperson who was rumored to have made a great deal of money from bootlegging during the Prohibition era. John F. Kennedy lived lavishly throughout his life. He attended an expensive college prep school in Connecticut during his high school years. He then went on to study semesters at Princeton and Harvard. As he grew older and more involved in politics, his campaigns were known for his large staff and private jet trips. His wealth also helped fund a televised debate which helped him to secure the presidential campaign against Richard Nixon. John F. Kennedy definitely did not allow his wealth to turn him into a spoiled pretty boy. He participated in football, swimming, and sailing while attending Harvard. He also served in the Navy during World War II. As a matter of fact, JFK worked out for five months to strengthen his lower back, which was injured in a football game, just so he could be accepted into the service. While commanding the torpedo boat PT- 109, he was responsible for saving the lives of his crew members. This turned into one of the most famous war stories in history and was later turned into a movie. His bravery during this famous event won him the Navy and Marine Corps Medal. JFK took these great traits to the most powerful seat in our government in 1960. At age 43, he became this country's youngest, and our first Roman Catholic president in history. Because of these flaws, he only beat Nixon by less than one percent of the popular vote. He took the office with his new vice president Lyndon B. Johnson. This was a surprise at first, because he opposed Kennedy as the Democratic Party's candidate. Kennedy was able to persuade Johnson to run with him and they later proved to be a good team. Johnson was not the only Democrat opposed to Kennedy. Frankly, many people disliked the President because his views conflicted with the party's. He was characterized as a liberal by many, but the reality was the JFK did what he thought was right. For example, he went against the liberals and failed to take a strong stand against McCarthyism. He also took a strong stand for the civil rights of blacks in the South and unemployment. This caused much strife between Kennedy and the Democrats. John F. Kennedy was so popular probably because of the way he stood up for his beliefs. He was also loved because he was the major factor in the Space race. In this point and time we were battling the USSR for the lead. He guaranteed and came through with sending astronauts to the moon. This may be insignificant as far as politics go, but it gave American citizens a sense of pride and patriotism. John F. Kennedy was also a hero to our country because he got our country out of two serious conflicts. Almost immediately after taking office in '61, the Soviets decided to test the new president's courage. The USSR decided to make Berlin, Germany the center of the cold War. They began to intensify their pressures on West Berlin, which was under the protection of the US and was surrounded by Communist territory. Kennedy believed that the Allies had a right to the Western sector and when the Soviets built a wall splitting the city, we strengthened our military personnel. The threat subsided by 1962. Another threat was brewing closer to home though. In Cuba, nuclear weapons were spotted on aerial photographs. Soviet forces were again behind this as well. So, Kennedy insisted that they withdraw their weapons and issued a naval blockade to the island. The "Cuban Missile Crisis", as it is commonly referred, lasted for over a week and was among the scariest moments in our history. Finally, the crisis ended with the USSR removing the weapons and Kennedy was the hero in the United States. After all these triumphs so early on into his term it is no wonder why Kennedy was loved. He was at the prime of his campaign and the citizens were in awe of the way he handled the affairs of our country. Kennedy was well aware of his popularity and wanted to be close to the people that not only loved him, but the people whom he loved himself. He wanted to be so close that on a political tour of Dallas, Texas in late 1963 he opted to forgo a closed limousine and decided to ride in an open car. This proved to be the biggest mistake of his life. The motorcade was minutes away from its destination, as the convertable-like luxury car carrying John, his wife Jacqueline, and Texas Governor John B. Connally pulled slowly through Dealy Plaza. Hundreds of people lined the street, hoping to catch a glimpse of their president, on this sunny, beautiful day. All of downtown Dallas had a sense of happiness and joy. Then, it happened. Three shots burst through the air and struck panic and fear across the Grassy Knoll. People ran for cover and broke into tears as they saw what happened. The president had been killed. Brutally murder to be more precise, as millions watched the president's head become splattered by the assassins bullets. Mrs. Kennedy said, " I could see a piece of his skull coming completely off... His blood and brains were in my lap... I held the top of his head down, trying to keep the brains in..." (Johnson) Secret Service men surrounded and jumped on the car, as it accelerated off straight to the hospital. The president was pronounced dead on the scene. Vice President Johnson was sworn into office on a plane ride back to Washington, DC, as the nation was relayed the horrific events. The authorities began to piece the puzzle together rather quickly. Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested for the murder of the president. He was said to have fired three shots from a sixth story window in the Texas Book Depository across the Plaza. The Mannlicher - Carcano rifle left at the scene matched the bullets found and was traced back to Oswald. Two days after being arrested he was shot and killed by Jack Ruby while being transferred from jails. How could this have happened? This is the president of the United States of America. He has the tightest security on the planet. Logic would say that a simple gunman in a warehouse could never even get the opportunity. You would figure Secret Service would be in every building in Dallas. Well, the public thought this as well and a small number believed the government's story. Even after President Johnson put together the Warren Commission and they concluded that the facts were straight, you still get a sense of foul play. Many began to believe it was a conspiracy and the government was involved in a plot to kill the president. Well, when you look at the facts, things do appear a bit shady. First, take a closer look at Lee Harvey Oswald. He seemed like the kind of guy who would want the president dead. He almost seems too perfect for the job when you look more in depth. Oswald was known for his troubled childhood and military background. He spent a great deal of his life in the US military, thus perhaps giving him the expertise to make the deadly shot. When Kennedy was in the White House he left the country and moved to Russia. He even attempted to denounce his US citizenship. All of a sudden he wrote the US embassy and wished to come back to America. He was then said to have been linked to the KGB. While in New Orleans, he handed out "Fair Play for Cuba" pamphlets to anti- Castro activists. This ended in a brawl, which was described by a police officer who witnessed the event take place as "staged." To many it seemed that he was indeed to perfect of a suspect and that he was a fake. If you take a look a Jack Ruby, you even begin to wonder why he did what he did; moreover, how a fairly young man who was in good health, could die in prison shortly after being convicted. You can also take a look at the shot that Oswald would have had to make. The shot from the sixth story window was already viewed as very difficult. The FBI proceeded to run a test to see if it could be made. First, they investigated to see how long it took for the three shots to be fired. Eye- witness accounts, along with audio recordings, concluded that the shots were fired in either 5.6 seconds or 8.4 seconds. They also realized that Oswald's view would have been obstructed by a large tree for a portion of the time. So, the FBI gathered the top sharpshooters in our country for the test. They were all issued the same Mannlicher- Carcano rifle used by Oswald. They were told to fire three shots at targets 45 feet away (distance that is considerable shorter than the actual shot). They took the shots in three separate time intervals of 9, 8, and 6 seconds, just to cover all the possible factors. It concluded that none of the marksmen were able to get off three shots in 6 seconds. Also, none of these expert marksmen were able to hit the target consistently in any of these times. Now, what exactly happened to JFK's body after the shooting? Well, it was taken to Bethesda Naval Hospital for an autopsy. But, many experts wouldn't even call it that. Many say it was limited and incomplete. Shadowy military figures were rumored to have taken the body there and prevented the hospital from doing a proper autopsy. Also, probably one of the biggest pieces of evidence, JFK's brain was missing and never found. It was more than certain to be the biggest piece of incontrovertible evidence. Another odd twist to the story is how the bullets entered Kennedy's body. If you go by the government's Book Depository account, the bullet would have struck Kennedy from the back. Autopsy reports said that the bullet entered 5.5 inches below the collar and exited through the neck. Well, wouldn't that be an upward shot, instead of the downward trajectory from the sixth story window? But, the government stuck to this and even showed pictures of the entry wound in his back. But, in these photos, it is weird to see the back of JFK's head fully intact and his face is not shown. The whole country saw with their very own eyes that the President's head was practically blown off. It is also weird that in other photos showing the neck wound the common eye can tell it is an entry wound. After viewing these, expert doctors are positive the entry shot was through the throat. That only makes sense because due to beveling, a bullet goes in small and comes out violently pushing anything in its way out making a huge exit wound. You can clearly see the President clutch his throat as the bullet passes through his head. But, how could Oswald shoot the President from the front when he was stationed behind him? Also, this single shot that supposedly came out of Kennedy's throat passed through his body, through the seat, and into Connelly. This bullet passed through his right shoulder and then was lodged in his wrist. This, was impossible because the trajectory of the bullet was slightly up and Kennedy was sitting noticeably higher in his seat then the Governor. Also, this "magic bullet", as it is commonly referred, came from the right. Thus, if it was to hit anyone, it would have hit the driver, Secret Serviceman Will Greer. But, this magic bullet had to do two ninety degree zigzags to hit Connelly in his right shoulder and wrist. When John F. Kennedy's body was taken for the Autopsy it was reported that a perfect bullet fell out when he was unwrapped. How could this be? The laws of physics explain that the momentum the bullet once had must distort the shape of it. This is like saying a car hits a brick wall at top speed and neither is damaged at all. It would be impossible. The fact that a pristine bullet fell out of the wrappings makes you wonder if it was planted evidence. So weren't there any witnesses that day? So many people gathered to see the president. There had to be someone who saw something, or even someone with pictures. Well, the Grassy Knoll was full of people. Many people that were in Dealy Plaza that day have different theories and sightings. In fact, in Joshia Thompson's Six Seconds in Dallas, he reports that close to 52 percent of the eyewitnesses say that the shots were fired from the Grassy Knoll itself. When you look at the famous video tape, you immediately notice a man with an umbrella. He is commonly referred to as the "Umbrella Man" and many theories involve him in the conspiracy. Many wonder why a man would have an umbrella on a clear day. It is also odd that he opens and closes his umbrella right before the shots were fired. It almost seems as if he was signaling the shots. Well, this mysterious man was identified as Louie Steven Witt. He was taken in by authorities and released when he said he was simply taunting the president because he was against JFK's position on civil rights. So, he flapped an umbrella at him? There were many other strange things going on in the Grassy Knoll. It was reported that many witnesses smelled gunpowder in the vicinity. There were reports of glass bottles being broken right before the shots, almost as if to cover up the sound. Many people saw smoke rise from behind a picket fence. Some pictures show clouds of smoke and a shadowy, sinister figure in that area. But, nothing really came of these accounts. Then there was James Tague. He was en route to go see his girlfriend when he hit the traffic from the motorcade. So, he parked his car under a bridge and got out hoping to see the president. Seconds after he left his car, he saw the event happen from afar. He saw a police officer jump off his motorcycle and apparently chase a suspect. He then felt his cheek and noticed he was bleeding. He looked down at the pavement to see that the curb had a piece missing from it and was obviously hit with a stray bullet. It is rumored that within an hour or so the curb where he had been standing, was already re- paved. Then, there was police officer Joe Marshall Smith. He arrived on the scene shortly after the shots rang out, and in the midst of the frenzied crowd. He reportedly ran into a secret service agent somewhere on the Grassy Knoll. The Secret Service then said that there had been no agents in the Plaza following the shooting. This makes you wonder if the agent was there to secure the getaway of an assailant. Also, the car carrying Kennedy ironically slowed down when the shots were fired. Secret Service agents are commonly taught to speed up in such a situation Maybe secret serviceman Will Greer slowed to make sure the target was in place. With all of these inconsistencies, it is no wonder why so many conspiracy theories have been formed. One of the most famous was spearheaded by a flamboyant district attorney named Jim Garrison. He brought his theory in front of the courts and puts a man named Clay Shaw on trial for the murder. Clay was acquitted almost immediately, and the trial was a joke. But Garrison raised a lot of questions and made a great argument. He said that Kennedy's assassination was a plot which linked the CIA, FBI, federal government, and virtually every other organization with any power in the US. Garrison basically pointed the finger at everyone in the US, except for an organization that could possibly have had the power to pull an assassination of this caliber off. He never once brought up the Mafia. This was probably because Garrison was known to be in good with the New Orleans organized crime ring. He was a personal friend of New Orleans mob boss Carlos Marcello. The mob hated JFK. For one, he was rumored to have an affair with Marilyn Monroe, the wife of baseball star Joe DiMaggio. DiMaggio was rumored to be very connected to the New York Mafia. Also, many hated him because his ancestors primarily made their money through organized crime and bootlegging. Whichever way you want to look at the death of John F. Kennedy, there are tons of inconsistencies. All of the supposed facts seem to go deeper and have an added twist to them. With all that has been uncovered it is virtually impossible to believe the government's story of the assassination. Lee Harvey Oswald definitely did not act alone. He may have been totally innocent or framed. But, this tragedy definitely is much deeper than one man firing from a book depository. In my opinion, there is a conspiracy responsible for the whole ordeal. Sure, the government's account could have very well happened but the chances are very slim. I think that evidence has been both planted and withheld from this event. There is no way all of the things that went on just happened by chance. This was a long and well thought out plan that ended with the demise of JFK. John F. Kennedy was probably the most popular president among the people in the history of the United States of America. If he wasn't already, there was no doubt that one he would be. The citizens loved him. I've heard that when he died it was unlike any other tragedy that our nation has faced. People were devastated and heart broken. So why did someone want him dead? In my opinion, John F. Kennedy was the "common man's" president. He was adored by the common man because he was a hero and he fought for what he believed in. But, the uncommon man; the politicians, the big businessmen, the criminals; they hated him. They did not respect the fact that he spoke his mind and fought for his beliefs. As stated above, he made a lot of enemies during his term and in the end I think they got their revenge. Kennedy's assassination was definitely a conspiracy. I believe it was one that involved many, many different people throughout the world. I also believe that the US government helped cover up what really happened and knows who is truly behind this sick plot. Maybe one day we'll find out who really is responsible for his death; maybe not. Until then, John F. Kennedy's body rests in Arlington National Cemetery alongside his loving wife. People go there to this day and break down in tears. It is truly a sad place to be. It is sad to see how much he meant to his people. It is sad to see that a man that was loved by so many, was also hated by some. 1.Johnson,Glen. "Camelot Revisited." Associated Press, 1995. 2. http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/home.htm Bibliography: Word Count: 3437
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