November 22, 1963 (60th Anniversary)
Amazing how six decades have passed since JFK's murder. That's well over half a century.
Those who weren't around during the days of JFK as President can't begin to understand the excitement and optimism of the New Frontier years. So brief, 1961-1963, rwo months short of three years. People believed thay could solve problems, maybe finally defeat poverty, make equality more than a pipe dream.
It didn't mean that life was perfect. People worried about nuclear war, and their fears almost came true in October 1962, but the world survived and JFK, having stared down into the nuclear abyss, started to think about thawing the Cold War. He did have plans to pull us out of Vietnam, bringing the advisors sent to teach the South Vietnamese home. For years people had said, "We don't know what he was thinking about Vietnam" but NSM-263, a National Security memo, clearly stated withdrawal of 1,000 troops by the end of 1963, complete withdrawal by 1965. That order was quietly reversed after his death. Instead American forces were built up to half a million in '65 by LBJ. Instead American forces were built up in '65 by LBJ.
Was Oswald the lone gunman? Did he have help? Did he shoot at all from the Texas School Depository? I speculated on this here. Too many weird occurences.
Another interesting tidbit: two women watching the motorcade from an upper-floor window in the Depository went downstairs immediately after the shooting. They neither saw nor heard Oswald running down from the sixth floor in order to get to the lunchroom where his supervisor and a Dallas motorcycle cop would find him seconds later. Oswald would have had to pass the women to get there in time as no elevators were not working that day.
Ruth and Michael Paine, who had taken in Marina Oswald and her kids after her separation from Lee, were CIA. Ruth had gotten LHO the job at the Texas School Book Depository. Michael worked at Bell Helicopter, the company that would make millions during the Vietnam War.
The Secret Service detail in Texas went out drinking the night before, consuming white lightning at a Fort Worth club called The Cellar. Needless to say, their reflexes were terrible the next day. Not that they would have risked their lives for JFK at any rate. They hated him because he was a 'n'-lover', according to them (overheard by the first African-American agent, Abraham Bolden, assigned to the White House detail, handpicked by JFK).
On Friday, November 22, 1963, people were looking forward to the weekend, and Thanksgiving the following week. It was a good Friday with lots of promise until the news came from Dallas. And then on Sunday, November 24, 1963, the world got to watch TV's first live murder as Jack Ruby shot Lee Harvey Oswald in the basement of the Dallas Police Department, surrounded by hundreds of Dallas cops. Madness!
Who Benefited From JFK's Death?
So while you're in the midst of Thanksgiving preparations this Wednesday, take a moment to ponder what might have been.
This entry has been cross-posted from Dreamwidth. Comment on either entry as you wish. :)
Those who weren't around during the days of JFK as President can't begin to understand the excitement and optimism of the New Frontier years. So brief, 1961-1963, rwo months short of three years. People believed thay could solve problems, maybe finally defeat poverty, make equality more than a pipe dream.
It didn't mean that life was perfect. People worried about nuclear war, and their fears almost came true in October 1962, but the world survived and JFK, having stared down into the nuclear abyss, started to think about thawing the Cold War. He did have plans to pull us out of Vietnam, bringing the advisors sent to teach the South Vietnamese home. For years people had said, "We don't know what he was thinking about Vietnam" but NSM-263, a National Security memo, clearly stated withdrawal of 1,000 troops by the end of 1963, complete withdrawal by 1965. That order was quietly reversed after his death. Instead American forces were built up to half a million in '65 by LBJ. Instead American forces were built up in '65 by LBJ.
Was Oswald the lone gunman? Did he have help? Did he shoot at all from the Texas School Depository? I speculated on this here. Too many weird occurences.
Another interesting tidbit: two women watching the motorcade from an upper-floor window in the Depository went downstairs immediately after the shooting. They neither saw nor heard Oswald running down from the sixth floor in order to get to the lunchroom where his supervisor and a Dallas motorcycle cop would find him seconds later. Oswald would have had to pass the women to get there in time as no elevators were not working that day.
Ruth and Michael Paine, who had taken in Marina Oswald and her kids after her separation from Lee, were CIA. Ruth had gotten LHO the job at the Texas School Book Depository. Michael worked at Bell Helicopter, the company that would make millions during the Vietnam War.
The Secret Service detail in Texas went out drinking the night before, consuming white lightning at a Fort Worth club called The Cellar. Needless to say, their reflexes were terrible the next day. Not that they would have risked their lives for JFK at any rate. They hated him because he was a 'n'-lover', according to them (overheard by the first African-American agent, Abraham Bolden, assigned to the White House detail, handpicked by JFK).
On Friday, November 22, 1963, people were looking forward to the weekend, and Thanksgiving the following week. It was a good Friday with lots of promise until the news came from Dallas. And then on Sunday, November 24, 1963, the world got to watch TV's first live murder as Jack Ruby shot Lee Harvey Oswald in the basement of the Dallas Police Department, surrounded by hundreds of Dallas cops. Madness!
Who Benefited From JFK's Death?
So while you're in the midst of Thanksgiving preparations this Wednesday, take a moment to ponder what might have been.
This entry has been cross-posted from Dreamwidth. Comment on either entry as you wish. :)