Investigate the J.F.K Assassination

WHO SHOT JFK?

3. Cuba/ Soviet Union?

Examine each theory and answer the Edio question using the information you found.

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#5

#3

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5. Maybe the CIA was involved?

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1.The Warren Commison Report

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2. Second Shooter?

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#2

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4. Did the Mafia do it?

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USSR / Cuba?

The killing may have been orchestrated or supported by the Soviet Union or Cuba in retaliation for U.S. Cold War actions. Suspicion focused on Lee Harvey Oswald, who had previously defected to the Soviet Union in 1959, lived there for nearly three years, and later expressed pro-Castro sympathies. In the months before the assassination, Oswald also visited the Cuban and Soviet embassies in Mexico City, seeking visas. Some theorists argue that tensions following the Cuban Missile Crisis and U.S. efforts to undermine Fidel Castro created a motive for retaliation. However, the Warren Commission Report found no credible evidence that the Soviet or Cuban governments were involved. Subsequent investigations likewise uncovered no definitive proof of state-sponsored coordination, though speculation has persisted due to Cold War secrecy and Oswald’s foreign connections.

The Warren Commison Report

The Warren Commission Report was published in September 1964 by the Warren Commission, established by President Lyndon B. Johnson to investigate the assassination of John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas. The Commission conducted extensive hearings, reviewed testimony from hundreds of witnesses, and examined forensic, medical, and ballistic evidence. The report concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in firing three shots from the Texas School Book Depository, killing President Kennedy and wounding Texas Governor John Connally. It determined that one bullet—the so-called “single-bullet theory”—caused multiple wounds to both men. The Commission found no credible evidence that Oswald was part of any domestic or foreign conspiracy.

Second Shooter / Grassy Knoll

The second shooter conspiracy theory surrounding the assassination of John F. Kennedy argues that more than one gunman was involved in the events of November 22, 1963, in Dallas. While the Warren Commission Report concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone from the Texas School Book Depository, critics have pointed to evidence they believe suggests an additional shooter. A central element of this theory is the claim that at least one shot came from the “grassy knoll,” a small hill near Dealey Plaza. Some witnesses reported hearing shots from that direction, and certain interpretations of photographic and acoustic evidence have been cited to support the possibility. The 1979 findings of the United States House Select Committee on Assassinations stated that Kennedy was “probably assassinated as a result of a conspiracy,” based partly on disputed acoustic analysis.

Was the C.I.A. behind it?

Some conspiracy theories argue that elements within the Central Intelligence Agency may have been involved in the assassination of John F. Kennedy due to deep policy conflicts. Advocates of this view often point to tensions following the failed Bay of Pigs Invasion, after which Kennedy publicly accepted responsibility but privately blamed CIA leadership and forced the resignation of Director Allen Dulles. Some theorists claim this created resentment within the agency. Others cite Kennedy’s approach to Cold War policy, including back-channel communications with Nikita Khrushchev after the Cuban Missile Crisis and reported discussions about reducing U.S. involvement in Vietnam. These actions are portrayed by some as threatening entrenched intelligence and military interests.

Was organized crime behind the assassination?

The idea that the Mafia killed John F. Kennedy centers on motive, betrayal, and retaliation. Some researchers argue that organized crime figures helped Kennedy win the 1960 election, particularly through alleged influence in Illinois via connections between the Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. and mob-linked figures such as Sam Giancana. In return, the Mafia may have expected leniency. Instead, Kennedy’s administration aggressively pursued organized crime. His brother, Robert F. Kennedy, dramatically increased prosecutions against mob leaders. This crackdown angered powerful bosses like Carlos Marcello and Santo Trafficante Jr., both of whom had been targeted by federal investigations and deportation efforts.