A Lingering Conspiracy in American History Although taking place over a half-century ago, people consider the assassination of John F. Kennedy as one of the most prominent events of American history. With the National Archives releasing nearly 20,000 declassified CIA and FBI documents in 2017, new details and revelations give conspiracy theorists a new insight on what really occurred on November 22, 1963 in Dealey Plaza. The lead investigation team in 1963, the Warren Commission, concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald was the man who gunned down the 35th President of the United States using a Carcano 91/38 Infantry Rifle. Eyewitnesses supposedly located him on the sixth floor of the book depository building in Dallas, firing a total of three shots.
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in NewseumED). The report was meant to put the people to rest and conclude that Oswald had no ties to any domestic or international groups. Although this explanation and conclusion may seem logical in the 1960’s, new information obtained from the archived documents in 2017 reveals a likelihood scenario that Oswald had ties to Cuba, refuting the report made by the Warren Commission. A newly released CIA document reveals that Oswald was spotted in Mexico City only months prior to the assassination (qtd. in Baker, Shane, and Thrush). This may seem ordinary but during the 1960’s Mexico City was known for spies from abroad to meet to exchange information. Oswald was clearly doing this because the CIA also noted that there were multiple sightings of him with Cuban officials during his visit; reportedly even accepting a payment during one of them (qtd. in Baker, Shane, Thrush). Oswald was pro-communist and actively supported Fidel Castro, and the United States had current tensions with Cuba fueled from the Cold War. Another CIA document reveals that during a wiretap, a Cuban official praised Oswald’s shooting abilities following the assassination of President Kennedy” (qtd. in Pruitt). If one were to put this evidence together with Oswald supporting Castro, meeting …show more content…
Kennedy, the new documents reveal signs as to why it may have occurred. In a declassified document it is revealed that during Operation Mongoose the CIA had planned to detonate explosive devices in Miami, Florida; they would then blame it on the Cubans (Buchen). They planned to do this because it would garner support from the American people to retaliate by terminating top Cuban officials. Although it is wrong to plan such a vicious attack on their own citizens, the United States wanted to kill Fidel Castro and would go to extended lengths to do it. Towards the end of the Cold War another document states, “Still another meeting was allegedly held on March 15 by Cameron, Babun and his associates where the following prices were agreed on: $100,000 to kill Fidel Castro, $20,000 for Raul, and $20,000 for ‘Che’ Guevara” (Federal Bureau of Investigation). The government had planned to hire mob members to assassinate top Cuban officials. It was also speculated that later on Cuban spies found out about the entire undercover operation. With the United States planning to kill Castro, it would only make the Cubans outraged and cause them to retaliate. To completely prove that the Cubans were behind the assassination of President Kennedy, a manuscript of a wiretapped phone call from hours after the assassination states, “Plan of Castro carried forward; Bobby is next” (qtd. in Baker, Shane, and Thrust). Ironically the
in NewseumED). The report was meant to put the people to rest and conclude that Oswald had no ties to any domestic or international groups. Although this explanation and conclusion may seem logical in the 1960’s, new information obtained from the archived documents in 2017 reveals a likelihood scenario that Oswald had ties to Cuba, refuting the report made by the Warren Commission. A newly released CIA document reveals that Oswald was spotted in Mexico City only months prior to the assassination (qtd. in Baker, Shane, and Thrush). This may seem ordinary but during the 1960’s Mexico City was known for spies from abroad to meet to exchange information. Oswald was clearly doing this because the CIA also noted that there were multiple sightings of him with Cuban officials during his visit; reportedly even accepting a payment during one of them (qtd. in Baker, Shane, Thrush). Oswald was pro-communist and actively supported Fidel Castro, and the United States had current tensions with Cuba fueled from the Cold War. Another CIA document reveals that during a wiretap, a Cuban official praised Oswald’s shooting abilities following the assassination of President Kennedy” (qtd. in Pruitt). If one were to put this evidence together with Oswald supporting Castro, meeting …show more content…
Kennedy, the new documents reveal signs as to why it may have occurred. In a declassified document it is revealed that during Operation Mongoose the CIA had planned to detonate explosive devices in Miami, Florida; they would then blame it on the Cubans (Buchen). They planned to do this because it would garner support from the American people to retaliate by terminating top Cuban officials. Although it is wrong to plan such a vicious attack on their own citizens, the United States wanted to kill Fidel Castro and would go to extended lengths to do it. Towards the end of the Cold War another document states, “Still another meeting was allegedly held on March 15 by Cameron, Babun and his associates where the following prices were agreed on: $100,000 to kill Fidel Castro, $20,000 for Raul, and $20,000 for ‘Che’ Guevara” (Federal Bureau of Investigation). The government had planned to hire mob members to assassinate top Cuban officials. It was also speculated that later on Cuban spies found out about the entire undercover operation. With the United States planning to kill Castro, it would only make the Cubans outraged and cause them to retaliate. To completely prove that the Cubans were behind the assassination of President Kennedy, a manuscript of a wiretapped phone call from hours after the assassination states, “Plan of Castro carried forward; Bobby is next” (qtd. in Baker, Shane, and Thrust). Ironically the