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A Dreadful Dallas Day: John F. Kennedy’s Deadly Encounter with
Lee Harvey Oswald
Mollie Larson
Individual Paper
Junior Division
Total Project Word Count: 2,432
2
“The assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy on November 22, 1963, was a
cruel act of violence directed against a man, a family, a nation, and against all
mankind.” These are the opening words written in a government document, the 1
Warren Commission, about the dreadful day the 35th president of the United States was
assassinated. John F. Kennedy’s deadly encounter with Lee Harvey Oswald in Dallas,
Texas on November 22, 1963 was significant in world history because the United States
became more involved in the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights movement progressed
after Kennedy’s passing.
John F. Kennedy’s Life and Presidency
John F. Kennedy was born on May 29, 1917 in Brookline, Massachusetts.
John Kennedy married the love of his life, Jacqueline Bouvier on September 12, 1953.
He was 36 years old, and Jackie was 24. They later had a daughter named Caroline
born on November 27, 1957, and a son named John Fitzgerald Jr. born on November
25, 1960.
A World War II hero, John F. Kennedy was sworn into office on January 20, 1961
as the 35th President of the United States. His inaugural speech lasted approximately
16 minutes with 1,366 words. Within those 16 minutes, President Kennedy spoke of the 2
Cold War, a series of encounters with the Soviet Union. But perhaps the most
memorable part of the speech was his coming forward with the idea of American
1 Web version based on Report of the President's Commission on the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy, Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office, 1964. 1 volume, 888 pages, 1. 2 "John F. Kennedy Library and Museum." John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2016.
3
citizens having more involvement in their country: “And so my fellow Americans ask not
what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” This was part 3
of the conclusion to the speech. It was a powerful, profound statement Kennedy
exchanged with the people to captivate the American society.
John F. Kennedy’s presidency was during some major world events, including
the Cold War. The Cold War was a major conflict including Russia, Soviet Union at the
time, and the United States. The Cold War lasted about 45 years from after World War
II until the 1990’s. It was a war over the growth of communism in the world. The 4
interesting thing about this war was that there was never actually any direct fighting
between the two countries. It was just an intense hatred that included many close
encounters between the two countries. But each of the two sides were heavily armed
with nuclear devices, if either country were to pursue nuclear war. 5
The Vietnam War was also a major war amid Kennedy’s political reign. It was a
war started over the independence of the northern and southern halves of Vietnam. The
French had colonies in Vietnam, so they fought in Vietnam when the Viet Cong wanted
their independence. That led to French allies, including the United States, participating
in this brutal encounter.
As for America’s society, there was much progress on the “Civil Rights Act,”
including the integration of high schools such as Alabama. Although Kennedy might
have believed in integration, other people had different opinions including Governor
George Wallace from Alabama. George Wallace was a governor who stood in front of a
3 Matthews, Christopher. Jack Kennedy: Elusive Hero. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2011. Print. 4 "American Experience: TV's Mostwatched History Series." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2015. 5 "American Experience: TV's Mostwatched History Series." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2015.
4
college and wouldn’t let the black kids in. Robert Kennedy, a senator of New York and
John Kennedy’s brother, told John to send the U.S. army to the college to get Governor
Wallace out of the way, so the kids could receive the education they deserved. The
whole Kennedy family was antisegregation. John and Robert did everything they could
to help spread integration throughout all of our country.
Lee Harvey Oswald
Lee Harvey Oswald was born on October 18, 1939 in New Orleans, Louisiana to
the parents of Marguerite Frances Claverie and Robert Edward Lee Oswald, Sr. Oswald
had two brothers by the names of Robert Oswald and John Edward Oswald. Lee joined
the U.S. Marines on October 26, 1957 in San Diego, California. While in the Marines,
Oswald became interested in Russia and communism. His fellow platoon members
were not very fond of Oswald due to his political views. Some people believe the
behavior he was shown by his fellow Marines was a reason Lee thought negatively
about the U.S. government system and the military. In the small period of time Oswald 6
was in the Marines, he taught himself Russian and was known as “Oswaldkovich”
because of his sympathy toward the U.S.S.R. 7
After being discharged from the Marines in 1960, Oswald decided to stay in the
Soviet city of Minsk, where he had been stationed as a Marine. While in Minsk, he
encountered his first love, Ella German. On New Year’s Day Oswald proposed to Ella. 8
She however rejected his offer. On March 17, 1961 he met his second love, Marina
6 Jacobs, Michael. "Interview with Michael Jacobs." Email interview. 25 Oct. 2015. 7 Jacobs, Michael. "Interview with Michael Jacobs." Email interview. 25 Oct. 2015. 8 "Interactive Timeline of the Life of Lee Harvey Oswald." Interactive Timeline of the Life of Lee Harvey Oswald. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2015.
5
Prusakova, at a trade dance. When Lee had an ear infection and was in the hospital, he
proposed to Marina who later accepted. Oswald then traveled to Moscow, to exchange 9
words with the American Embassy about his return to the States with Marina. The
Oswalds arrived in the States on June 13, 1962. When they moved back to the States,
Oswald had a hard time keeping a job. Finally one of Marina’s friends helped him score
a job at the Texas School Book Depository. He lied about his background in the
interview to get the job and was accepted on October 15, 1963. 10
The Assassination
It started on Friday, November 22, 1963. When John Fitzgerald Kennedy and
Jacqueline Kennedy arrived at Love Field in Dallas, Texas, they quickly walked over to
the fence where a crowd of excited onlookers and the SS100X limousine awaited the
arrival of the president (See Appendix A). The president and his wife and Governor
John Connally of Texas and his wife started off for the Trade Mart. The Trade Mart was
where Kennedy was going to give his speech. They started their exploration of Dallas
with their motorcade route from Love Field to Trade Mart (See Appendix B). As they
were exchanging conversation, the motorcade was traveling around 1215 miles per
hour, for excited Texans ecstatic to have an encounter with the President of the United
States. As this was all happening, not too far away, Lee Harvey Oswald was stationed
on the 6th floor of the Texas School Book Depository, awaiting his chance to
9 "Interactive Timeline of the Life of Lee Harvey Oswald." Interactive Timeline of the Life of Lee Harvey Oswald. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2015. 10 "Interactive Timeline of the Life of Lee Harvey Oswald." Interactive Timeline of the Life of Lee Harvey Oswald. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2015.
6
assassinate the president. As the motorcade approached Dealey Plaza, a nearby
observer by the name of Abraham Zapruder began to film the iconic moment, not
knowing what he was about to encounter, that would rattle the world still today. 11
Oswald was in position as the convertible was rounding the corner of his place of work
at exactly 12:30pm. He knew his moment had come.
The spectators closest to the depository fell to the ground as three earringing
shots were fired by a M91/38 bolt action rifle (see Appendix C) in fear of also
encountering bullets. Nobody knew where the shots were coming from at the time, but
they were not aware who was shot either. As for Jackie Kennedy, she was quite aware
who had been shot. “Oh my God, they have shot my husband. I love you Jack.” 12
Mrs. Kennedy’s reaction was expected from bystanders who also witnessed the
beloved president dying. The three bullets that were fired were accurate and hit
President Kennedy, as well as Governor Connally. Two of the three bullets hit Kennedy.
The first bullet hit him in the upper back region, exiting his throat. The second bullet hit
him in the right, bottom region of his head, shattering part of his skull, killing him. When
the bullet hit, brain tissue splattered in the car. The bullet that went through Kennedy’s
neck was theorized to have also hit Governor Connally in his stomach.
Within minutes of the attack, Dallas police went crazy sending cars and search
parties everywhere, exploring Dallas to find this killer. One officer in particular, Marrison
Baker, knew the shots had come from the book depository, so he ran in the building and
11 Benoit, Peter. The Assassination of John F. Kennedy. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print. 12 "Table of Contents." National Archives and Records Administration. National Archives and Records Administration, n.d. Web. 03 Nov. 2015.
7
sprinted up the stairs for clues. When he got to the second floor, he saw a man walking
past him. He was told by the superintendent his name was Lee Harvey Oswald. With
only little hesitation Officer Baker made his way to the roof. He could’ve caught Oswald
before he got away. While Oswald got away, the motorcade sped to the nearest
hospital, Parkland Memorial Hospital, but it was too late. The president was dead.
Jacqueline Kennedy sobbed uncontrollably on the way to the hospital. She was
plastered from the knees down in her husband’s blood. Mrs. Kennedy was so attached
to John, that the secret service practically had to pry her off of him to get him to the
hospital. When they finally arrived at the hospital, the Secret Service made a circle 13
formation around the hospital staff while they got Kennedy and Connally onto the
stretchers.
Most of what happened in the operation room is classified information. Of what
we do know, Dr. Charles Carrico was the first doctor to examine Kennedy’s body. They
knew before he even arrived at the hospital that the president was dead when the
second bullet hit him. Governor Connally was injured but not fatally. He would live for
another 30 years.
Kennedy wasn’t the only person who died that day. While the president was
being examined in the hospital, Lee Harvey Oswald rushed out of the depository to go
into hiding until the search parties died down a little. However policemen were following
his path. Many people called him a “hot suspect” in the murder of John Kennedy. To
escape the thrill of emotion, at 1:45pm, Oswald went to a nearby theater in the small
13 Benoit, Peter. The Assassination of John F. Kennedy. New York: Children's, 2014. Print.
8
Dallas suburb, Oak Cliff. Before he got there, he had an encounter with Officer J.D.
Tippit who came to ask him if he knew anything about the assassination. Oswald, being
nervous and antsy, shot Officer Tippit with his .38 caliber pistol. When in the theater,
other officers came in to investigate. Oswald jumped up from his seat and screamed,
“This is it!” and shot his gun. Only nothing came out. Fortunately, Oswald’s gun 14
misfired before he shot anyone in the theater. The police took him to the Dallas Police
Headquarters.
While the rest of the world mourned, the Dallas police continued the Oswald
investigation. Police officers who were raiding the depository found some striking
evidence: a brown paper bag that was believed to have carried a rifle. Different types of
tests were carried out to get more deep into the murder, such as a paraffin test that
showed if there was any gunpowder on Lee’s hands, and sure enough, there was.
Forensic testing proved that the rifle bore the fingerprints of Lee Harvey Oswald. Lee
was taken from his cell on the fourth floor at the Dallas Police Station, to the Homicide
Bureau on the third floor for interrogation. When the Dallas police interrogated Oswald,
he was silent, not admitting fault or responsibility for anything. After the police finally
finished exchanging questions for what seemed like hours, Oswald was allowed to
sleep. After all the other hours of interrogation, the police had their answer: Lee Harvey
Oswald was undoubtedly the assassin.
On November 24, 1963 after the murderer was named, Oswald had to be put in
jail until trial. The Dallas police were walking Oswald out to an armoured car, when all of
14 Four Days: The Historical Record of the Death of President Kennedy. New York: American Heritage, 1964. Print.
9
a sudden shots were fired. Oswald had been shot in his ribcage. He collapsed, dead
into the arms of the police. Jack Ruby, a nightclub operator from Dallas, Texas, stood
there standing with a gun in his hands. Ruby had murdered the assassin and became a
killer himself.
The Aftermath
The assassination of Kennedy led to Lyndon B. Johnson inheriting the “American
Throne.” LBJ’s first act of presidency was to have a day dedicated to the mourning of
JFK’s assassination. Johnson said he would follow in the footsteps of Kennedy’s 15
presidency. Much of American society, softened by the loss of Kennedy, supported
Johnson as he followed Kennedy’s plans for their future.
Civil Rights was a large issue for Congress to address after the assassination.
Many politicians such as Senator and later Governor of South Carolina James Strom
Thurmond was very opposed to equal rights. In fact he was so opposed to them, he
actually threw a shoe at a senator who supported them. Regardless of all the
opposition, Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act into effect on July 2, 1964 (See
Appendix D). Signing the act meant the illegalization of discrimination against a person
because of her or his race. Later in 1965, President Johnson presented to the people
The Voting Rights Act. This act ensured that all American citizens have the right to vote.
Voting tests of any sort were outlawed and state government had to request approval
for the voting policies before they put them in action. This enacted law actually took
jobs, such as the position of a tester, from state officials, most of whom were racists.
15 Kaminski, Theresa. "Interview with Theresa Kaminski." Email interview. 25 Oct. 2015.
10
In regards to the Cold War, after President Kennedy was assassinated, the
conflict in southern Vietnam worsened. Lyndon B. Johnson upped the involvement in
Vietnam by sending 16,000 U.S. military advisers overseas (See Appendix E). 16
Sending so many men overseas caused all sorts of trouble in Vietnam. One very
famous disaster is known as the My Lai Massacre. A band of soldiers brutally murdered
the majority of the population living in a small Southern Vietnamese town. The number
of people killed were never confirmed, but the estimate came to be about 500 women,
children, and men. This massacre gave a bad reputation to the American soldiers and
Army.
Americans were very uneasy during this war as well. The Vietnam War was
during the “Hippy Years” when many people desired peace. One result in the people’s
anger was the Kent State Shooting on May 4, 1970. College students were protesting
the bombing of Cambodia outside of Kent State University where they encountered
Ohio National Guardsmen who shot and killed 4 students. This caused an uproar in the
already torn U.S. society. After all this madness, sadly the Americans lost their only war
ever. Even more sadly the surviving soldiers were shunned and even spit on by the
American citizens.
The assassination of John F. Kennedy is significant in world history because it
raised the amount of action in the Vietnam War and progressed the Civil Rights
Movement. John F. Kennedy’s assassination radically changed the world as we know it
16 "Miller Center." John F. Kennedy: Impact and Legacy. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2015.
11
because he was a president who led “an unfinished life” because his presidency had
much promise for a new world of possibilities.
12
Appendix A
Image courtesy of History Channel
This image is showing President Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy in the limousine that
would take them to the Trade Mart. You can see how happy John was to be there and
had no idea anything bad was going to happen. You also see that the top was open,
meaning the president was an even easier target to hit.
13
Appendix B
Image courtesy of www.jfkonline.com
This image shows the motorcade route John F. Kennedy rode in Dallas, Texas. The
“Sniper’s Lair” is the Texas Book Depository where Oswald was stationed when he
assassinated the president. The “X” mark is showing where the president was hit by the
bullets.
14
Appendix C
Image courtesy of Public Broadcasting Services
This image shows Oswald with the rifle he purchased just before the assassination. He
is also holding up his records of purchasing the rifle, which is good evidence he was the
murderer. The rifle, after ballistic testing, also bore his fingerprints.
15
Appendix D
Image courtesy of The Atlantic
This is an image of Lyndon B. Johnson signing the Civil Rights Act, with Martin Luther
King Jr. in the background. The Civil Rights Act was a project Kennedy had been
working on himself. When Kennedy died, LBJ promised he would follow through with
what Kennedy had planned for the future.
16
Appendix E
This is an image showing the number of troops in Vietnam after the president was
assassinated. When John F. Kennedy was alive there were very few troops at all in
Vietnam. But when Lyndon B. Johnson took over, there were many more soldiers in
Vietnam.
17
Primary Sources Four Days: The Historical Record of the Death of President Kennedy. New York: American Heritage,
1964. Print.
I got about 60 facts from this book alone. It was so specific in the times and dates. This resource
was made in 1964, a year after the assassination.
Hill, Clint, and Lisa McCubbin. Mrs. Kennedy and Me. New York: Gallery, 2012. Print.
This is a primary source because Clint Hill was a witness to the assassination of John F. Kennedy.
This was a helpful source because I saw the assassination through the eyes of a secret service
agent.
"Warren Commission." National Archives and Records Administration. National Archives and Records
Administration, n.d. Web. 03 Nov. 2015.
This government document helped me with good quotes and to better understand the
heartache of America.
Secondary Sources
“JFK, General Article: Legacy.” PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2015.
This website helped me with the legacy paragraph in my paper.
Banting, Erinn. Civil Rights Movement. Mankato, Minnesota: AV2 by Weigl, 2014. Print.
This source helped me with the Civil Rights Movement after JFK was assassinated.
Benoit, Peter. The Assassination of John F. Kennedy. New York: Children's, 2014. Print.
This book helped me with the more political based information about the assassination.
Donnelly, Judy. Who Shot the President?: The Death of John F. Kennedy. New York: Random House,
1988. Print.
This book helped me with some facts about the aftermath of the assassination.
Gittinger, Ted, and Allen Fisher. "Summer 2004: Civil Rights Act." National Archives
18
and Records Administration. National Archives and Records Administration, 2004. Web.
16 Dec. 2015.
This site helped me with the legacy of JFK and how Civil Rights were directed after his
assassination.
"Interactive Timeline of the Life of Lee Harvey Oswald." Interactive Timeline of the Life
of Lee Harvey Oswald. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2015.
This timeline gave me more information about Lee Harvey Oswald's life.
Jacobs, Michael. "Interview with Michael Jacobs." Email interview. 25 Oct. 2015.
This interview helped me look deeper into the mind of Lee Harvey Oswald. Michael Jacobs is an
expert because he is a professor at the University of WisconsinBaraboo/Sauk County who studied
American History.
"JFK Assassination Timeline The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza." The Sixth Floor Museum at
Dealey Plaza. Web. 10 Feb. 2016.
I like this secondary source because it has an interactive timeline that is very descriptive.
"John F. Kennedy Library and Museum." John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum. N.p., n.d. Web.
21 Feb. 2016.
This source helped me with the life of John F. Kennedy.
"Johnson's Foreign Policy Short History Department History Office of the Historian." Johnson's Foreign
Policy Short History Department History Office of the Historian. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2015.
This source helped me with LBJ's effect on the Cold War after Kennedy was assassinated.
Kaminski, Theresa. "Interview with Theresa Kaminski." Email interview. 25 Oct. 2015.
This interview helped me learn about 10 facts I didn't know before. Theresa Kaminski is an expert
because she is a professor at the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point who has studied American
history.
Matthews, Christopher. Jack Kennedy: Elusive Hero. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2011. Print.
This book helped me with little fun facts about Kennedy.
19
"Miller Center." John F. Kennedy: Impact and Legacy. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2015.
This site helped me with the presidency of Kennedy and his legacy.
"My Lai Massacre." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 01 Jan. 2009. Web. 03 Apr. 2016.
This source helped me with the My Lai Massacre and what happened overseas in Vietnam.
Southwell, David, and Sean Twist. Mysterious Deaths and Disappearances. New York: Rosen Pub., 2008.
Print.
This book helped me with the mysterious reasons why Lee Harvey Oswald assassinated John F.
Kennedy. It also told me some interesting conspiracies about the assassination.
Sullivan, Robert, ed. The Most Notorious Crimes in American History. New York: Time Home
Entertainment, 2007. Print.
This editor gave me awesome facts that were very specific. This helped me learn more about the
motorcade route and the time they passed places.
"Why Did Lee Harvey Oswald Kill President Kennedy?" Why Did Lee Harvey Oswald Kill President
Kennedy? : The JFK Assassination. Web. 03 Apr. 2016.
This source helped me get deeper into the mindset of Lee Harvey Oswald and why he killed the
president.