The assassination attempt on former US President and Republican presidential election hopeful Donald Trump during the election campaign on Saturday has evoked shock reactions from across the world. Questions are being raised over the security apparatus of the US, including the Secret Service that is responsible for the safety of Trump. But this story is not about the assassination attempt on Trump which left him injured and at least one attendee dead besides the shooter. This is the story of the assassination of John F Kennedy, a Democrat, in November 1963.
On November 22, 1963, the sun shone brightly over Dallas, Texas, as President Kennedy embarked on a campaign tour to bolster support ahead of the 1964 presidential election. The mood was buoyant as the presidential motorcade wound its way through the city’s streets. Crowds lined the route, eager to catch a glimpse of the charismatic leader and his wife, Jacqueline Kennedy. As the motorcade approached Dealey Plaza at around 12:30 pm (local time), the atmosphere was electric. Suddenly, the unthinkable happened. Shots rang out, shattering the jubilant scene.
President Kennedy, seated in an open-top limousine, was struck by two bullets: one in the upper back and the other in the head. Texas Governor John Connally, who was riding in the same car, was also seriously wounded by a bullet that struck his back, chest, wrist, and thigh. Pandemonium ensued as the motorcade accelerated towards Parkland Memorial Hospital, with Secret Service agents attempting to shield the President.
At the hospital, doctors and nurses fought desperately to save Kennedy’s life, but their efforts were in vain. At 1:00 pm (local time), Kennedy was pronounced dead, sending a shockwave of grief and disbelief across the nation and the world. Vice President Lyndon B Johnson, who was three cars behind in the motorcade, was whisked away by Secret Service agents to ensure his safety. He would later be sworn in as the 36th President of the United States aboard Air Force One, with Jacqueline Kennedy by his side, her clothing still stained with her husband’s blood.
In the chaotic aftermath of the assassination, attention quickly turned to identifying and apprehending the assailant. Within hours, law enforcement had a suspect: Lee Harvey Oswald, a 24-year-old former Marine who had recently been hired at the Texas School Book Depository. Witnesses reported seeing Oswald on the sixth floor of the building shortly before the shots were fired, and a rifle was found at the scene. Oswald was arrested by that afternoon from a movie theatre, where he had gone after allegedly killing a Dallas police officer, identified as JD Tippit. Oswald was charged with the murders of both President Kennedy and police officer Tippit. However, Oswald never stood trial. Two days later, as he was being transferred from the city jail to the county jail, he was fatally shot by Jack Ruby, a local nightclub owner, with television cameras catching the murder live.
Ruby stood trial and was sentenced to death after he was found guilty. On appeal, Ruby’s conviction and death sentence were overturned. He was granted a new trial, but he fell ill and died of cancer in January 1967. Oswald’s murder fuelled widespread speculation and numerous conspiracy theories about the assassination. Many found it difficult to believe that a lone gunman could have carried out such a heinous act without assistance. Theories abounded, suggesting involvement by the Mafia, the CIA, the Soviet Union, or Cuban exiles, among others.
To address these concerns and to investigate the assassination thoroughly, President Johnson established the Warren Commission, led by Chief Justice Earl Warren. The Commission’s report, released in September 1964, concluded that Oswald acted alone in assassinating President Kennedy and that there was no credible evidence of a conspiracy. Despite this conclusion, public scepticism persisted, and alternative theories continued to be debated. The Warren Commission also concluded that Ruby acted alone in shooting Oswald dead.
The assassination of President Kennedy plunged the United States into a period of deep mourning. Millions of Americans watched the television coverage of his funeral, held on November 25, 1963, which was marked by poignant moments such as the sight of four-year-old John F Kennedy Jr (who had turned four that day) saluting his father’s casket. World leaders and dignitaries from around the globe attended the funeral, paying their respects to a man whose vision and charisma had left an indelible mark on international affairs.
Kennedy’s handling of international crises, most notably the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, showcased his diplomatic skills and his ability to steer the world away from the brink of nuclear war. His call for peace and cooperation, encapsulated in his famous “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech, resonated with people around the world and solidified his legacy as a global statesman. The tragic circumstances of Kennedy’s assassination have left an enduring impact on American society and politics. The questions and theories surrounding his death continue to spark interest and debate, reflecting the complexity and intrigue of that fateful day. His legacy, however, extends beyond his untimely death. Kennedy is still remembered as a symbol of hope and progress, and as a leader whose advocacy for civil rights continues to influence and inspire American politics.
Kennedy was not the first president assassinated. Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President, was the first US president to be assassinated. He was shot by John Wilkes Booth in 1865, while attending a performance of the comedy, “Our American Cousin”, at Ford’s Theatre in Washington DC. James Garfield, the 20th President became the second president to be assassinated, just six months into his term in July 1881. He was shot while he was catching a train in Washington DC. Garfield succumbed to his injuries later that year. The shooter was identified as Charles Guiteau. William McKinley, the 25th President, was shot in September 1901 while shaking hands after delivering a speech in New York. He was shot twice in the chest at close range. He served just about six months as the US president.
The assassinations of Lincoln, Garfield, and McKinley led to the establishment of Secret Service protection for U.S. presidents. Some other US presidents who survived assassination attempts included Theodore Roosevelt, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and also George W Bush. Roosevelt, a two-time former president, survived an assassination attempt during his third campaign for the presidency in 1912. He was shot but continued to deliver his speech despite the injury. Ford, the 38th President, faced two assassination attempts within 18 days in 1975. Reagan, the 40th President, was seriously wounded by a gunman’s bullet early in his presidency in 1981. Bush, the 43rd President, survived an attempt in 2005 while attending a rally in Tbilisi, Georgia. A hand grenade was thrown towards Bush but landed about 100 feet away but did not explode.
