On November 22nd, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. His death shocked the nation and raised many questions about who was responsible and why. Many believed it was the result of powerful forces who opposed JFK's presidency.
In his first years in office, Kennedy had made many enemies. He had relied on the help of organized crime to win the election but then declared war on them through his brother Robert's efforts as Attorney General. He also clashed with the CIA over failed attempts to remove Fidel Castro from power in Cuba.
Kennedy's policies put him at odds with big business as well. He passed reforms to help unions and the working class, and moves against tax loopholes upset oil barons. His stance against the growing "military-industrial complex" threatened massive defense contractors too.
By mid-1963, Kennedy seemed intent on pulling out of the Vietnam War against the advice of the Pentagon and CIA. He was reportedly planning to dump Vice President Lyndon Johnson from the ticket in 1964 as well. It appeared Kennedy would not be easily controlled in a second term.
The circumstances of Kennedy's assassination in Dallas also raise many unanswered questions. Proper security protocols were ignored, allowing an open line of sight. The official story of a lone gunman from the Texas School Book Depository has been debunked by evidence and analysis. Eyewitnesses reported shots from other locations too.
Within days, the supposed assassin Lee Harvey Oswald was himself murdered before he could stand trial. The official government investigation, the Warren Commission, hastily concluded Oswald acted alone but its findings are disputed by many experts.
Was Kennedy the victim of a wider conspiracy involving rogue parts of the government he had challenged? While the full truth may never be known, it's clear JFK had amassed an array of very powerful enemies in high places before that fateful day in November 1963