On November 22, 1963, a young man named Lee Harvey Oswald changed the course of history. At just 24 years old, Oswald, a former Marine sharpshooter, fired the shots that killed President John F. Kennedy in Dallas, Texas. This tragic event marked the first successful assassination of a U.S. president in over six decades. However, Oswald’s life was cut short just two days later when he was killed while in police custody. While many know this part of his story, Oswald’s life was much more complex and filled with twists and turns.
Lee Harvey Oswald was born on October 18, 1939, in New Orleans. His early life was marked by hardship, as his father died shortly before he was born, leaving his mother, Marguerite, to raise him and his brothers alone. These challenging circumstances led to a turbulent childhood for Oswald, who spent time in orphanages, with relatives, and in various temporary homes.
In 1952, Marguerite moved with Lee to New York City in search of a better life. However, life in the big city was tough. Marguerite worked long hours, leaving Lee to navigate his teenage years largely on his own. He spent much of his time at the Bronx Zoo or riding the subway, feeling lonely and without direction.
By 1953, after moving more than 20 times, Lee was picked up by a truant officer and sent to a psychiatric facility. There, it was determined that he suffered from neglect but had no mental illness. He was simply a young person with too much time and too little guidance.
In June 1953, the execution of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg for espionage sparked Oswald’s interest in socialism. He began reading extensively about socialist ideas, a passion that would stay with him throughout his life.
In 1954, the family returned to New Orleans, where Lee found himself in a rough environment. He attempted to join the Marines in 1955 by lying about his age but was initially rejected. A year later, at 17, he successfully enlisted.
Oswald’s time in the Marines was a mix of achievements and challenges. He became a certified sharpshooter but also faced disciplinary issues. Despite these setbacks, he continued to study Marxism and learned Russian.
In 1959, following the rise of Fidel Castro in Cuba, Oswald intensified his Russian studies and sought a way to escape his troubles. He received a hardship discharge from the Marines and traveled to Europe, eventually reaching the Soviet Union, where he declared his intention to defect.
Initially, the Soviet authorities rejected his request, but after a dramatic gesture, he was allowed to stay and moved to Minsk, Belarus. However, life in Minsk was not what he had envisioned.
In Minsk, Oswald found himself under constant surveillance by the KGB and living a monotonous life. Feeling trapped, he soon sought to return to the United States.
In June 1962, Oswald returned to the U.S. with his wife, Marina, and their daughter, settling in Fort Worth, Texas. Surprisingly, his return did not attract significant government attention, and he began looking for work.
During this time, Oswald’s interest in Cuba grew, especially after the failed Bay of Pigs invasion. He became increasingly disillusioned with the U.S. government and began expressing radical views.
In April 1963, he attempted to assassinate General Edwin Walker but missed. Shortly after, he moved to New Orleans, where he became involved in pro-Castro activities and even tried to connect with anti-Castro groups.
In September 1963, Oswald traveled to Mexico City, hoping to defect to Cuba. However, both the Cuban and Soviet embassies turned him away. Returning to Dallas, he found work at the Texas School Book Depository.
On November 22, 1963, Oswald’s life took a dramatic turn. As President Kennedy’s motorcade passed by, Oswald fired three shots, fatally wounding the president.
In the days following the assassination, Oswald was arrested and charged. However, before he could stand trial, he was shot and killed by Jack Ruby while in police custody.
Oswald’s life and actions have been the subject of endless speculation and conspiracy theories. He was buried on November 25, 1963, the same day as President Kennedy’s funeral. After years of searching for a place to belong, Oswald had finally found his final resting place.
Research the key events in Lee Harvey Oswald’s life, focusing on his early years, military service, and time in the Soviet Union. Create a multimedia presentation to share your findings with the class, highlighting how these experiences may have influenced his actions.
Participate in a class debate on whether Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in the assassination of President Kennedy. Prepare arguments for both sides, using historical evidence and conspiracy theories to support your position.
Write a fictional diary entry from the perspective of Lee Harvey Oswald during a significant moment in his life. Use historical context to imagine his thoughts and feelings, and share your entry with the class.
Watch a documentary about the Kennedy assassination and Oswald’s role in it. After viewing, discuss in small groups how the documentary’s portrayal of Oswald compares to the information in the article. Consider what new insights or questions the documentary raises.
Create a detailed timeline of Lee Harvey Oswald’s life, including major events and turning points. Use online tools or poster boards to visually represent his journey, and present your timeline to the class, explaining how each event contributed to his eventual actions.
**Lee Harvey Oswald – The Man Who Killed a President**
On November 22, 1963, 24-year-old Lee Harvey Oswald fired the shot that would change history. As crowds gathered in Dealey Plaza, the former Marine sharpshooter took the life of America’s young President. It was the first successful assassination of a U.S. president in 62 years. However, Oswald didn’t live long enough to celebrate his grim achievement; not two days later, he would be killed while in police custody. This is a story you’ve likely heard many times before, but it is only a fragment of Lee Harvey Oswald’s complex life.
**The Wanderer**
Born in 1939 to a New Orleans widow, Oswald was a man who sought adventure. He enlisted in the Marines, defected to the Soviet Union, and engaged with spies in Mexico City. Yet, it was a single shot fired in Dallas that would cement his place in history.
When Lee Harvey Oswald first opened his eyes on October 18, 1939, he had no idea he was born into a world marked by tragedy. Not long before, his father had passed away, leaving his pregnant mother, Marguerite, to care for their two sons. These challenging circumstances may explain the tumultuous early life that Oswald experienced.
In 1942, Marguerite sent Lee’s older brothers away to boarding schools and attempted to place Lee in a local orphanage, but he was deemed too young. Undeterred, she waited a year and had him admitted. Thus began the difficult childhood of Lee Harvey Oswald, who bounced between orphanages, relatives’ homes, and temporary apartments.
In 1952, when Lee was 12, Marguerite took him across the country to New York City, hoping for a better life. However, life in New York was hard. Marguerite worked long hours at a dress shop, leaving Lee to fend for himself. As a result, he entered his teenage years feeling lonely and directionless, spending his days at the Bronx Zoo or riding the subway.
By 1953, after moving over 20 times, Lee was picked up by a truant officer and sent to a psychiatric facility, where he was found to suffer from neglect but not from any mental illness. He was simply a directionless child with too much time on his hands.
On June 19, 1953, the execution of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg for espionage sparked Oswald’s interest in socialism. He began reading books on socialist thought, an obsession that would follow him throughout his life.
In 1954, Marguerite moved them back to New Orleans, where Lee found himself in a seedy environment. He applied to join the Marines in 1955, lying about his age, but was rejected. A year later, at 17, he successfully enlisted.
**Defection**
Oswald’s time in the Marines was marked by both achievements and troubles. He gained certification as a sharpshooter but also faced court martial for various infractions. Despite these challenges, he continued to study Marxism and learn Russian.
In 1959, after Castro’s rise in Cuba, Oswald intensified his Russian studies and sought a way to escape his problems. He received a hardship discharge from the Marines and soon boarded a boat to Europe, ultimately making his way to the Soviet Union, where he declared his intention to defect.
Initially rejected by the Kremlin, Oswald attempted to take drastic measures to gain their attention. Eventually, he was approved to defect and moved to Minsk, Belarus. However, life in Minsk was not what he had hoped for.
**A Lonely Exile**
Oswald’s life in Minsk was marked by a lack of excitement and constant surveillance by the KGB. He soon began to feel trapped in a foreign city with little to do. After about a year, he petitioned to return to the U.S.
In June 1962, Oswald, along with his wife Marina and their daughter, returned to the U.S., settling in Fort Worth, Texas. His return was not marked by significant government scrutiny, and he began searching for work.
Oswald’s obsession with Cuba grew during this time, particularly after the Bay of Pigs invasion. He became increasingly frustrated with the U.S. government and began to express radical views.
In April 1963, he attempted to assassinate General Edwin Walker, missing his target. Shortly after, he moved to New Orleans, where he became involved in pro-Castro activities, even attempting to connect with anti-Castro groups.
**City of Spies**
In September 1963, Oswald traveled to Mexico City, hoping to defect to Cuba. However, both the Cuban and Soviet embassies rejected him. After returning to Dallas, he took a job at the Texas School Book Depository.
On November 22, 1963, Oswald’s life took a fateful turn. He prepared for the arrival of President Kennedy, who was visiting Dallas. As the presidential motorcade passed by, Oswald fired three shots, fatally wounding the president.
**Aftermath**
In the days following the assassination, Oswald was arrested and charged. However, before he could stand trial, he was shot and killed by Jack Ruby while in police custody.
Oswald’s life and actions have been the subject of endless speculation and conspiracy theories. He was buried on November 25, 1963, the same day as President Kennedy’s interment. After years of searching for a place to belong, Oswald had finally found his final resting place.
Oswald – Lee Harvey Oswald was an American former Marine who was accused of assassinating President John F. Kennedy in 1963. – Oswald’s actions on November 22, 1963, have been the subject of numerous investigations and conspiracy theories.
Assassination – The deliberate killing of a prominent or important person, often for political reasons. – The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914 is widely regarded as the event that triggered World War I.
Socialism – An economic and political system in which the means of production are owned or regulated by the community as a whole. – The rise of socialism in the 19th century was a response to the inequalities brought about by the Industrial Revolution.
Marines – A branch of a nation’s armed forces trained for rapid deployment and amphibious warfare. – The United States Marines played a crucial role in the Pacific Theater during World War II.
Defection – The act of abandoning one’s country or cause in favor of an opposing one. – During the Cold War, defection from the Eastern Bloc to the West was a significant concern for communist governments.
Surveillance – Close observation, especially of a suspected spy or criminal. – The government’s surveillance of suspected radicals increased during the Red Scare in the United States.
Cuba – An island nation in the Caribbean, known for its pivotal role in Cold War geopolitics. – The Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 brought the world to the brink of nuclear war.
Conspiracy – A secret plan by a group to do something unlawful or harmful. – The Watergate scandal revealed a conspiracy that led to the resignation of President Nixon.
History – The study of past events, particularly in human affairs. – Understanding history is essential for learning from past mistakes and successes.
Childhood – The period of life from birth to adolescence, often considered a time of innocence and learning. – Many historians study childhood to understand how cultural values are passed down through generations.
