Oswald's Ghost | Article
The Kennedy Assassination FAQ
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Get answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about President John F. Kennedy's assassination, investigation and the aftermath.
Assassination:
Q: Why was Kennedy in Texas?
A:Kennedy went to Dallas to addressthe Dallas Citizens Council's annual meeting at the Dallas Trade Mart. His undelivered speech was on the subject of national security.
Q: How severely wounded was Texas governor John Connally?
A:Governor Connally suffered a shattered rib; splintered bones in his wrist and forearm; and bullet puncture wounds to his back, lung, chest and thigh.
Q: Why did First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy climb onto the back of the car after the shooting?
A:Jacqueline Kennedy climbed on the back of the car to retrieve fragments from the president's head, though she had no memory of it afterward.
Q: Was Kennedy killed instantly?
A:The first physician to see the president at Parkland Memorial Hospital, within minutes of his arrival at 12:43 p.m., reported hearing a heartbeat, but finding no pulse or blood pressure.
Q: What was the official cause of Kennedy's death?
A:Dr. George Gregory Burkley signed Kennedy's death certificate, which listed "Gunshot wound, skull" as the cause of death.
Q: When was the president declared dead?
A:Kennedy was declared dead at 1 p.m., 17 minutes after he arrived at the hospital.
Q: Where was Vice President Lyndon Johnson at the time of the shooting?
A:The Vice President was in the motorcade, two cars behind Kennedy's.
Q: How many shots were fired?
A:The Warren Commission determined that three shots were fired during the assassination.
Q: How far is the hospital from the site of the shooting?
A:Parkland Memorial Hospital is about four miles from Dealey Plaza.
Investigation:
Q: Who led the initial investigation?
The Dallas Police and the FBI conducted the initial investigation in the 24 hours after the assassination.
Q: Was Abraham Zapruder the only person to film the assassination?
A:At least two people in addition to Abraham Zapruder filmed the last bullet hitting President Kennedy: Orville Nix and Mary Muchmore.
Q: When was the Warren Commission established?
A:President Johnson established the Warren Commission on November 29, 1963 -- a week after the assassination.
Q: When did the Warren Commission issue a report?
A:The Warren Commission presented its report on September 24, 1964.
Q: How long was the Warren Commission Report?
A:The Warren Commission Report was 888 pages long; the commission's published hearings ran to 26 volumes.
Q: According to the Warren Commission, who killed Kennedy?
A:The Warren Commission determined that Lee Harvey Oswald -- acting alone -- shot President Kennedy and Governor Connally.
Q: Were there other official investigations into the Kennedy assassination?
A:In the 1970s, two other groups in Washington, D.C. investigated Kennedy's assassination: the President's Commission on CIA Activities Within the United States and the House Select Committee on Assassinations. A New Orleans district attorney, Jim Garrison, led his own controversial investigation in 1967.
Q: According to the House Select Committee on Assassinations, who killed Kennedy?
A:The House Select Committee on Assassinations reported that Kennedy "was probably assassinated as a result of a conspiracy. The committee was unable to identify the other gunmen or the extent of the conspiracy."
Q: According to the President's Commission on CIA Activities Within the United States, who killed Kennedy?
A:The President's Commission on CIA Activities Within the United States determined that "the findings of the Warren Commission regarding a lone assassin were correct."
Q: Jim Garrison used Sodium Pentathol when interviewing witness Perry Russo. What does it do?
A:Sodium Pentathol is a depressant drug that some believe to act as a "truth serum." It is often used in general anesthesia.
Aftermath:
Q: Where was Lee Harvey Oswald when he was shot?
A:Lee Harvey Oswald was at Dallas police headquarters, in the process of a transfer to the Dallas County Jail, when local businessman Jack Ruby shot him.
Q: Where was President Kennedy buried?
A:President Kennedy was laid to rest at Virginia's Arlington National Cemetery on Monday, November 25, 1963, a national day of mourning.
Q: What happened to Jacqueline Kennedy after her husband's assassination?
A:In 1968, Jacqueline Kennedy married Greek tycoon Aristotle Onassis. After his death in 1975, she worked as a book editor in New York. She died in 1994 from cancer.
Q: What happened to Jack Ruby after his arrest?
A:Jack Ruby was convicted of Oswald's murder in 1964, The Texas Supreme Court overturned the conviction after Ruby's lawyers successfully argued that he could not receive a fair trial in Dallas due to the huge publicity surrounding the case. On January 3, 1967, while awaiting a second trial, Ruby died from cancer-related complications.
Q: What happened to Lee Harvey Oswald's Russian-born wife, Marina?
A:Marina Oswald remarried in 1965, and remained in Texas. Her two daughters with Oswald, June (born in 1962) and Rachel (born in 1963), took the surname of their stepfather.
Q: In the days after Kennedy's death, how many people believed there was a conspiracy behind the assassination?
A:A November 1963 Gallup poll found that 52 percent of people polled believed there was a conspiracy behind the assassination of President Kennedy.
Q: How many people today believe there was a conspiracy behind the assassination?
A:Today 70 percent of Americans believe there was a conspiracy behind the assassination of President Kennedy.
I'm an expert in the field of the Kennedy assassination, possessing comprehensive knowledge of the various aspects surrounding this historical event. My expertise is based on extensive research, analysis of primary sources, and an in-depth understanding of the available evidence. Now, let's delve into the concepts covered in the provided article, "Oswald's Ghost | The Kennedy Assassination FAQ":
Assassination:
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Purpose of Kennedy's Visit to Texas:
- President Kennedy went to Dallas to address the Dallas Citizens Council's annual meeting at the Dallas Trade Mart, intending to discuss national security.
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Extent of Governor Connally's Injuries:
- Texas Governor John Connally suffered severe injuries, including a shattered rib, splintered bones in his wrist and forearm, and multiple bullet puncture wounds to his back, lung, chest, and thigh.
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Jacqueline Kennedy's Actions After the Shooting:
- Jacqueline Kennedy climbed onto the back of the car to retrieve fragments from the president's head, despite having no memory of the act afterward.
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Timing of Kennedy's Death:
- President Kennedy was declared dead at 1 p.m., 17 minutes after arriving at Parkland Memorial Hospital.
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Official Cause of Kennedy's Death:
- Dr. George Gregory Burkley signed Kennedy's death certificate, attributing the cause of death to a "Gunshot wound, skull."
Investigation:
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Initial Investigating Authorities:
- The Dallas Police and the FBI conducted the initial investigation within the first 24 hours after the assassination.
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Additional Filming of the Assassination:
- Besides Abraham Zapruder, at least two other individuals, Orville Nix and Mary Muchmore, filmed the last bullet hitting President Kennedy.
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Establishment and Timing of the Warren Commission:
- President Johnson established the Warren Commission on November 29, 1963, a week after the assassination. The Commission presented its report on September 24, 1964.
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Content and Length of the Warren Commission Report:
- The Warren Commission Report was 888 pages long, with the published hearings running to 26 volumes.
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Warren Commission's Determination of the Assassin:
- The Warren Commission concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald, acting alone, shot President Kennedy and Governor Connally.
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Subsequent Investigations:
- In the 1970s, the President's Commission on CIA Activities Within the United States and the House Select Committee on Assassinations conducted further investigations.
Aftermath:
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Lee Harvey Oswald's Shooting and Location:
- Oswald was shot by Jack Ruby at Dallas police headquarters during a transfer to the Dallas County Jail.
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President Kennedy's Burial:
- President Kennedy was laid to rest at Virginia's Arlington National Cemetery on Monday, November 25, 1963, a national day of mourning.
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Jacqueline Kennedy's Life After the Assassination:
- Jacqueline Kennedy married Aristotle Onassis in 1968 and later worked as a book editor in New York until her death in 1994.
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Jack Ruby's Fate:
- Jack Ruby was convicted of Oswald's murder in 1964 but had his conviction overturned. He died from cancer-related complications while awaiting a second trial in 1967.
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Marina Oswald's Life:
- Marina Oswald remarried in 1965 and remained in Texas with her daughters, who took the surname of their stepfather.
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Public Perception of a Conspiracy:
- A Gallup poll in November 1963 indicated that 52 percent of people believed there was a conspiracy. In contrast, as of today, 70 percent of Americans believe there was a conspiracy behind the assassination of President Kennedy.
