The Decades of Events that Led to the Assassination of John F Kennedy

Why have historians treated the assassination of JFK as if it occurred in a vacuum?

Within 26 months of John F. Kennedy’s murder, there were 15 attempted assassinations and government overthrows of leftist leaders and regimes throughout the world. All were perpetrated by right-wing anti-Communists.

A right-wing, anti-Communist movement emerged with the election of Franklin Roosevelt, and grew with each passing decade. It consisted of military, intelligence members, and business leaders who looked to change America's progressive direction. The military even resorted to treason, as many believed their duty was to obey the Constitution, not the president. They later turned their sights on JFK.

During the 1950s, the civil rights movement threatened an American way of life the right-wing wanted to preserve. It brought racist anti-Communist groups in Dallas and New Orleans together with ex-military generals, business leaders, and white nationalists with one goal in mind—overthrow the US government.

One of their members? A young Lee Harvey Oswald.

In It Did Not Start with JFK, author and researcher Walter Herbst examines the decades before Kennedy’s presidency, and how understanding the “why” behind this right-wing group’s interest in removing Kennedy from power is the key to unraveling the assassination riddle. And once "why" is understood, who was responsible becomes clear.