Background: 1. What – The Assassination of the 3. Where – Dallas, Texas President of the United...

Background: 1. What – The Assassination of the 3. Where – Dallas, Texas President of the United States 4. When – November, 1963. 2. Who – Victim: John F. Kennedy 5. Why – ? Since there isn’t Shooter: Depends on who you an exact answer, ask, leading to many this has led to many

• What does the term conspiracy mean? When two or more people plan or are involved in a crime

CONSPIRACY THEORIES

Mass Media, Influencing People, and the JFK Assassination

Mr. Reinbold Amer. Civ. 10

*Which other U.S. Presidents were assassinated?1. 1865 – Abe Lincoln by John Wilkes Booth, confederate Sympathizer2. 1881 – James Garfield by Charles Guiteau, unstable Gov’t Office-seeker3. 1901 – William McKinley by Leon Czolgosz, an anarchist

Many consider the Kennedy Assassination to be the most famous criminal act in American History.

The Debate/Issue: Many Americans do not completely believe the official Government explanation as to what happened. Many conspiracy theories have been put forth to explain the assassination.



What Conspiracy Theories do People Promote?



Soviet leader Khrushchev might have been seeking revenge after having to back down after the Cuban Missile Crisis?

Cuban leader Fidel Castro might have been seeking revenge after alleged American attempts to assassinate him?



What Conspiracy Theories do People Promote?

Angry Cuban exiles upset after what they saw as JFK’s lack of support for the Bay of Pigs Invasion?

Mobster Carlos Marcello upset at attempts to prosecute him? Or Mobster Sam Giancana upset after a rumored failed CIA-Mafia assassination attempt on Castro?

Independent or “rogue” CIA officers upset at JFK?


Over the years, as this Gallup Poll shows, more Americans believed JFK’s death was a conspiracy and not the work of a single shooter or “Lone Gunman.” What are the people basing the beliefs on?


What influences a person’s thinking/opinion about something?A) Family OpinionsB) FriendsC) Religion

D) Opinion of the General PublicE) Political PartiesF) And ………. Mass Media


What does Mass Media include? Magazines, Newspapers, Radio, Internet, TV, and Movies

• Do many people think everything they see on the Internet is true? – Yes• Do many people think everything they read in magazines is true? – Yes • Do many people think everything they see in the movies is real/true? – Yes


The “Lesson from this” ……….. Should you question what you see on the Internet, in magazines, in movies? Of course you should question it and not take it as automatically true just because you saw it in print or on the Computer/TV/Movie screen.



Why do people believe in Conspiracies? • Seeking attention by making outrageous statements • make judgments without knowing facts• following the beliefs of others too easily• trying to discredit something• paranoia

Hollywood Movies are often made by people concerned about making money and they will tell their stories to whoever they think they can get to buy a ticket. They will make outrageous statements, present fiction in a somewhat believable story, and not always be concerned about the impression they make an their audience.

A Conspiracy Theory launched by a movie – 1977’s Capricorn One pushed the theory of the Gov’t staging the 1969 Moon landing in a Movie studio



Oliver Stone’s 1991 film “JFK” – the director admitted he took “dramatic license” (altered the truth to fit a story) with the film but it was so well done and entertaining that people took everything they saw in it for fact. The Director enjoyed the controversy the film raised since it made the film a success and allowed him a way to express his views (despite his admission it wasn’t all based on facts).

Oswald Arrest – Movie scene on the left vs. real footage on the right

The Kennedy Assassination –What Happened

During a presidential trip to Dallas, this picture shows JFK riding with Texas Gov. John Connally near Dealey Plaza.


Moments before the first of three shots are fired from the 6th floor of the Texas School Book Depository, where Lee Harvey Oswald worked.



The Zapruder Film – Local Dallas resident Abraham Zapruder uses a video camera and happens to record the assassination on film. For some people – the film fuels conspiracy theories about the assassination – ranging from Cuban exiles to Castro to the Mafia to the Soviets to dozens of other groups……



Lee Harvey OswaldBackground:• Former Marine – expert shot with a rifle• Disillusioned with the US Government, defects to the USSR• Comes back to the US, now disappointed with Communism• Oswald becomes a lost soul with deep moments of depression,

has difficulty holding a job, maintaining relationships, etc.• Oswald then chooses to change history……JFK is assassinated in

Nov. 1963.


After the Assassination •Less than 1 hour later, Oswald shot and killed a Dallas police officer who tried to question him

•Oswald fled to Texas Theater where he was confronted by police and charged with murder of officer

•November 23: Oswald named as prime suspect in JFK’s assassination

•The next day, while being transferred from the police station to the county jail, Oswald was shot and killed by night club owner, Jack Ruby. He said he shot Oswald to save Jackie Kennedy the pain of seeing Oswald on trial.





Fact vs. FictionConspiracy theories rest on three major ideas:

A) Oswald wasn’t a good enough shot to act alone – Conspiracy theories say there had to be more than a “Lone Gunman.”

B) Oswald didn’t have enough time to fire all three shots – Conspiracy theories say therefore there were at least two shooters.

C) One of the bullets could not have caused as many entry and exit points as it did, this “Magic bullet” was responsible for too many wounds – Conspiracy theories say that it proof there were multiple shooters

The Warren Commission, led by Earl Warren, was put together to investigate the crime. The Findings/Conclusions:

Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren

1. “Lone Gunman” – Oswald shot the President – he was an expert marksman and one man could fire the shots in the correct amount of seconds2. Oswald’s rifle – ballistic match to bullets that killed the President3. Oswald worked in building where shots came from, only one to flee the scene, killed policeman later that day4. Multiple Wounds on JFK and Gov. Connally were caused by a single bullet (conspiracy theorist called this the “Magic Bullet”). Facts show that if the President and Governor are shown as they were seated – one bullet could have made the multiple wounds both men suffered

5. Autopsy photos confirm angle and direction of the final bullet wound



Lyndon B. Johnson (with Jackie Kennedy next to him) taking the oath of office on Air Force One following the assassination of John F. Kennedy.



Mass Media, Influencing People, and the JFK AssassinationReview Questions:

1. Which of the following Presidents was NOT assassinated?a) James Garfieldb) Abe Lincolnc) Teddy Rooseveltd) William McKinley

2. True or False: Despite evidence widely available, most Americans (more than 50%) think JFK’s death was the result of a conspiracy.

3. Who was also shot in the limo along with JFK?a) Jackie Kennedyb) Lyndon Johnsonc) Texas Governor John Connallyd) Harry Truman


Mass Media, Influencing People, and the JFK AssassinationReview Questions:4. Conspiracy theories label the bullet that caused multiple wounds as the

a) Invisible Bulletb) Magic Bulletc) Torpedo Bulletd) Super Bullet

5. True or False: Lee Harvey Oswald was a former U.S. marine who was considered an “expert shot” with a rifle.

6. Who shot Lee Harvey Oswald?a) Jack Rubyb) the Secret Servicec) Robert Kennedy (RFK)d) Not known – the shooter was never caught


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