Joseph Pritchard - The JFK Assassination: Planned by LBJ?

John Fitzgerald Kennedy, or JFK, the 35th President of the United States of America, was assassinated at 12:30 pm at the Dealey Plaza, Dallas, Texas on Friday, November 22, 1963. At the time of his assassination JFK was considered to be among the most popular of all U.S. Presidents. Despite numerous reports and investigations, JFKs assassination has yet to be fully explained. Most of these investigations were done improperly, ignored (or were prevented from using) relevant evidence, and provided imprecise and implausible data. There are a variety of conspiracy theories that question the motives behind the assassination, the actual assassin, and even the overall mastermind behind the assassination plot.

JFK riding in the Dallas Motorcade. Image via The Kennedy Assassination .

John Fitzgerld Kennedy was born on May 29, 1917 in Brookline Massachusetts. He was the second of nine children born to Rose and Joseph Kennedy. Affectionately called Jack by his family, JFK was intimately linked with the life of his older brother Joe. Both attended Harvard and did fairly well in the studies and excelled in sports, like football. However, though both easily made friends, it was Joe who declared that he would be the first Catholic president. Joe was the more outgoing brother, while Jack was a little less ambitious .

Both brothers were in Harvard when Mr. Kennedy became the United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom. The Kennedy family moved to England, and often sent news about the situation in Europe. Due to his fathers job, JFK deeply delved into European history and politics. Jack took a trip to Europe and returned to Harvard with a new passion for government and politics. JFK astutely studied the situation just prior to World War II and even wrote his thesis on why England was woefully unprepared for a German attack.

When World War II broke out, both Joe and Jack joined the U.S Navy. Joe enlisted as a pilot and flew in many missions in Germany. Jack on the other hand earned the rank of Lieutenant and commanded a 12-man torpedo boat in the Pacific. Jack distinguished himself by rescuing and leading most of his crew to safety after a Japanese warship tore his patrol boat in half. Jack and most of his crew survived the ordeal due to a mixture of luck and JFKs leadership. However, Jacks brother Joe was not as lucky and was killed when his plane was shot down during a dangerous mission in Germany.

Upon his return to the United States, John was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for courage and leadership. World War II was swiftly coming to an end, and John had to choose his next career. Prior to the war, JFK was interested in becoming a teacher or a writer, but after his brothers death his focus had shifted. His father, after a long discussion, helped John decide to run for Congress for Massachusetts eleventh congressional district. In 1946, JFK won his seat in Congress and served six years (three terms) in the House of Representatives. In 1952, John was elected to the United States Senate.

JFK, a the age of 36, married Jacqueline Bouvier, a writer with the Washington Times Herald. Soon after their marriage, JFK suffered injured his back and had to have two operations. During his recovery, Kennedy wrote a book entitled Profiles in Courage, which was about a group of U.S senators who risked their careers to fight for their beliefs. For this inspirational book, John was awarded a Pulitzer Prize in 1957.

By this time JFK had become a popular politician. His military background, writing prowess, and actions as a Senator had caught the attention of his colleagues as well as the general public. Kennedy was portrayed as a youthful, intelligent, powerful man who had definite ideas to help the country. In July 1960, the Democratic party chose Kennedy as its candidate for President. JFK asked Lyndon B. Johnson to be his Vice President. On November 8, 1960, Kennedy defeated Richard M. Nixon in a very tight election. Kennedy, at the age of 43, became the youngest man to ever become president of the United States of America.

In his inaugural address, JFK, the 35th president, famously stated, Ask not what your country can do for you, but rather what you can do for your country. He wanted Americans to take a more active role in the development of the countrys future. Furthermore, he asked the nations of the world to unite against the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself. Both JFK and his wife brought this spirit of youth and vigor to the White House and to the Presidency. This endeared the couple and the children to the general population.

As President, Kennedy worked long hours and filled his day with the numerous duties of the Commander-in-Chief. Most of his most taxing decisions were directly related to the tensions that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union. JFK had to call the shots during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and was involved in the intricate details associated with the divided city of Berlin. JFK performed well in these high-pressure situations, which further boosted his popularity.

Kennedy was also key in how the United States vaulted forward in the space race as well as most other technological fields. He asked his citizens to be new pioneers in the New Frontier. The New Frontier wasnt a place, but rather a methodology that governed both thoughts and actions. Kennedy wanted America to move into the future with significant improvements in education, new creations in science, and better employment. Most importantly, he wanted democracy and freedom for the entire world.

One of Kennedys most lasting legacies is the Peace Corps. The Peace Corps, which still exists today, was one of JFKs first acts as President. The Corps allowed Americans to volunteer to provide assistance anywhere in the world. The Peace Corps provides education, farming, health care, and construction to areas where such services are inadequate. The volunteers of the Peace Corps won the respect of people all over the globe.

Of course, JFKs presidency was not perfect, but his support amongst the American population continued to grow throughout his term. Many of Kennedys official actions as president were geared towards improving the life and future of the common man. Just before his assassination, JFK was one of the most popular presidents in American history, and his death left a hole in the American psyche that was difficult to fill.

As with the assassination of any powerful political figure, JFKs murder shocked much of the modern world. Kennedy was assassinated at the height of the Cold War which, at the time, led many to believe that the assassination was the first step in a Russian invasion. Once the initial fear and shock wore off, the American public clamored for an explanation. The U.S. government formed the Warren Commission, which was tasked with reviewing all the evidence gathered from the assassination and producing a report that painted a clear picture of JFKs assassination.

However, even after the report was submitted, many people could not accept that one deranged man could assassinate the most powerful man in the world. Theories regarding the involvement of the U.S.S.R and Cuba circulated among the American populace. Some people believed that the CIA, FBI, or the Secret Service were linked to the assassination plot. In addition, the government fanned the conspiracy fires by keeping important documents hidden from public perusal. Many of these documents were not to be released until 2029. This reticence by the government provided a springboard for many conspiracy theories.