Killing Kennedy

On November 22, 1963, president John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas Texas. Kennedy took office on January 20th, 1961 and was the youngest president to be elected and sadly the youngest president to die (“John F. Kennedy”). Just two years into his first presidential term Kennedy was killed by Lee Harvey Oswald; but why? Did Lee Harvey Oswald act entirely on his own? Was the CIA and vice president LBJ involved? Was this retaliation from the mafia? Was this an act of a higher power? Let's take a look at President Kennedy's assassination and explore the explanation behind his mysterious death, the most probable being there were multiple 

John F. Kennedy was a determined man. In Kennedy's own words "We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard," (John F. Kennedy). Kennedy was determined to win the race to space and he believed we would reach the moon before the end of the decade, and on July 20th, 1969, we did just that. 

Even during his naval career, Kennedy gave his all to accomplish his goals. One night while standing watch on his Patrol Torpedo boat Kennedy and his men were attacked by an enemy Japanese destroyer. During the impact, Kennedy was thrown around in the boat while most of his men landed in the water. The remaining crew swam ashore however one of the crew, Patrick McMahon, was badly burned by fuel during the collision and was unable to make the journey on his own. Kennedy located McMahon and attached a life-vest strap to him allowing him to be towed through the water by Kennedy. Kennedy towed McMahon three miles by his teeth. According to one article “towing McMahon by a belt clamped in his teeth, he was undaunted by the distance” (John F. Kennedy and PT-109).

Kennedy did not allow his age to hold him back either. At only thirty years old he began his political career. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and served for six years.  After the House of Representatives, he became a senator for Massachusetts for seven years. He then went on to become the youngest elected president in U.S. history in 1960 at the age of forty-three and remained in office until his assassination in 1963.

John F. Kennedy is also known for his powerful speeches. In Kennedy's inaugural address, he gave one of his most famous quotes “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country” (John F. Kennedy). These words still have an impact to this day and it proves Kennedy’s powerful speeches and charismatic skills. It was not just Kennedy's words that made him such a powerful speaker, but it was also his body language and attention to detail. A prime example of this was shown on September 26th, 1960, during the very first televised presidential debate. It was a chance for Kennedy to show the entire nation what kind of man he was. Kennedy wore makeup, which helped him appeal to the people, unlike Nixon. “Nixon also refused to wear stage makeup, when Hewitt offered it. Kennedy had turned down the makeup offer first: He had spent weeks tanning on the campaign trail, but he had his own team do his makeup just before the cameras went live. The result was that Kennedy looked and sounded good on television, while Nixon looked pale and tired, with a five o’clock shadow beard” (National Constitution Center). Kennedy did everything he could to present himself as the superior candidate and it paid off. Kennedy also intentionally spoke to the camera, making a connection with all those watching. 

Kennedy believed in the power of words and often looked to books as a source of knowledge. According to his wife Jackie Kennedy "He read in the strangest way . . . He'd read walking, he'd read at the table, at meals, he'd read after dinner, he'd read in the bathtub . . . He really read all the times you don't think you have time to read. . . . He was always reading—practically while driving a car " (Jacqueline Kennedy). Jackie Kennedy believed "All the changes in the world, for good or evil, were first brought about by words" (Jacqueline Kennedy).

John F. Kennedy was a determined man and well-known for his powerful speeches. He set goals for himself and the nation and did everything he could to achieve them. He gave powerful speeches and his words are still important today. Both of these traits can be summed up in Kennedy's own words "Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction" (John F. Kennedy). Kennedy was willing to work for his dreams and he encouraged others to do the same in the powerful speeches he gave.

In the assassination of John F. Kennedy, there are three conspiracy theories that stand out from the rest. One theory includes the CIA and Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson being responsible for the assassination; but another theory points to the mafia. The third theory has several connections with former president Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy, which implies that some form of a higher power was involved.

The first conspiracy theory points to the CIA and Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson being responsible. During Kennedy's presidency, he handled two major conflicts: the Bay of Pigs invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis. The CIA was not pleased with Kennedy during the Bay of Pigs invasion due to Kennedy firing CIA director Allen Dulles (1). This gives motive for the assassination. According to Robert F. Kennedy, Jr; Kennedy’s nephew;

“When my uncle was president, he was surrounded by a military-industrial complex and intelligence apparatus that was constantly trying to get him to go to war in Laos, Vietnam, etc. He refused” (1). Kennedy disagreed with the CIA on several occasions causing a rocky relationship with the former president and the CIA. It is possible that the CIA wanted Kennedy gone and saw Lyndon B. Johnson as a more cooperative replacement.         

The second conspiracy theory points to the Mafia. This theory greatly involves Kennedy’s brother and “As attorney general, Robert Kennedy aggressively pursued the mob, and some theorists argue the mafia retaliated by targeting his brother” (1). It is possible that the mafia killed president John F. Kennedy to send a message to his brother Robert. 

During the assassination, a photo identified “Eugene Hale Brading, with a record dating back to 1934, was allegedly an associate of James (The Weasel) Fratianno, a well known Mafia figure linked to gangland killings”(Mafia and CIA Linked in JFK Murder | CIA FOIA (Foia.Cia.Gov)). Brading being at the scene of the crime does not mean that he was there to ensure the assassination was carried out properly. Brading could have simply been there to watch the parade; however his attendance does raise some suspicions of mafia involvement.

The last conspiracy theory points to several connections with former President Abraham Lincoln. There are many coincidences with Lincoln and Kennedy:

“Both Presidents were shot in the back of the head, on the Friday before a major holiday, while seated beside their wives, neither of whom were injured. While in the White House, each President had a family of three children, and both lost a child through death. Both Lincoln and Kennedy were second children. Both had been boat captains. Each had been elected to Congress in the year '47 and were vice-presidential runners-up in the year '56. Each was elected president in '60. President Kennedy had a secretary named Mrs. Lincoln and President Lincoln had a secretary named John Kennedy. The names Lincoln and Kennedy each contain seven letters. Both were succeeded by vice-presidents named Johnson: Andrew born in 1808 and Lyndon in 1908. Booth shot Lincoln in a theatre and fled to a warehouse. Oswald shot Kennedy from a warehouse and fled to a theatre.” 

There are many more connections, but these are the highlights.  All these connections between Lincoln and Kennedy could be the work of a higher power.  These coincidences do not mean that Kennedy and Lincoln's assassinations are connected; they could simply be coincidences. 

Kennedy was a determined man, and powerful speaker who in office battled his way to making his country a better place. Along the way, Kennedy made several enemies: the CIA, Mafia, and possibly something greater. We may never have a definite answer to who was behind the assassination, but the most probable is the CIA who had the motive, the resources, and the replacement for the president. 

On November 22, 1963, president John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas Texas. After exploring the assassination of John F. Kennedy three conspiracy theories still remain:

1. Was CIA and Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson behind the assassination?

2. Was this retaliation from the mafia?

3. Was this an act of a higher power?

Although there are countless conspiracy theories, the mystery still remains unsolved.

Works Cited

Amza, Azaera. “Four Conspiracy Theories over JFK’s Assassination That Still Endure Today.” TRT World, 24 Jan. 2025, www.trtworld.com/magazine/four-conspiracy-theories-over-jfks-assassination-that-still-endure-today-18257526.

“CIA-RDP88-01315R000300510116-8.” CIA, www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP88-01315R000300510116-8.pdf. Accessed 6 Apr. 2025.

“‘In Her Voice: Jacqueline Kennedy, the White House Years.’” John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, www.jfklibrary.org/visit-museum/exhibits/past-exhibits/in-her-voice-jacqueline-kennedy-the-white-house-years. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.

“‘John F. Kennedy and PT-109.’” John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, www.jfklibrary.org/learn/about-jfk/jfk-in-history/john-f-kennedy-and-pt-109. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.

“‘Life of John F. Kennedy.’” John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, www.jfklibrary.org/learn/about-jfk/life-of-john-f-kennedy. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.

Kennedy, John F. “John F. Kennedy Speech.” Rice University, www.rice.edu/jfk-speech. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.

Klein, Valerie. “The Odd Parallels between Kennedy and Lincoln.” History News Network, 18 Nov. 2002, www.historynewsnetwork.org/article/the-odd-parallels-between-kennedy-and-lincoln.

“‘How the Kennedy-Nixon Debate Changed the World of Politics.’” National Constitution Center, constitutioncenter.org/blog/the-debate-that-changed-the-world-of-politics. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.