The Road to Dallas: The Assassination of John F. Kennedy

536 Pages·2008·2.26 MB·English

by  David Kaiser

TH E ROAD TO DALL AS

T H E R O A D TO D A L L A S
The Assassination of John F. Kennedy
David Kaiser
The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press
cambridge, massachusetts, and london, england 2008
Copyright©2008byDavidKaiser
Allrightsreserved
PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Kaiser,DavidE.,1947–
TheroadtoDallas:theassassinationofJohnF.Kennedy/DavidKaiser.
p. cm.
Includesindex.
ISBN-13:978-0-674-02766-4(alk.paper)
ISBN-10:0-674-02766-3(alk.paper)
1. Kennedy,JohnF.(JohnFitzgerald),1917–1963—Assassination. I.Title
E842.9.K25 2008
973.922092—dc22 2007027305
InmemoryofCharlesA.Beard,FawnBrodie,
ArchibaldCox,W.E.B.DuBois,SamErvin,
EdwardR.Murrow,DrewPearson,RandyShilts,
andalltheothergreatAmericanswhoknew
thatthetruthdoesnotkill

CONTENTS
Introduction 1
PART I: CRIMINALS, CUBANS, KENNEDYS, AND THE CIA
1. OrganizedCrimeinthe1950s 11
2. CastroTakesPower 27
3. TheCIAEnliststheMob 53
4. TheKennedysTakeOver 75
5. OperationMongoose 97
6. CrusadersandGangsters 123
7. TheMobEnliststheCIA 143
PART II: LEE HARVEY OSWALD
8. ADefectorReturns 169
9. TheBigEasy 190
10. OswaldExposed 210
11. TheOdioIncident 238
12. JourneytoMexico 261
PART III: CONVERGING PATHS
13. MakingEveryoneUnhappyaboutCuba 293
14. TurningUptheHeat 325
15. CountdowntoCatastrophe 342
16. ThreeDaysinNovember 362
17. KeepingSecrets 388
Conclusion 414
NoteonSources 422
Notes 425
Acknowledgments 494
Index 497

TheWhiteRabbitputonhisspectacles.“Where
shallIbegin,pleaseyourMajesty?”heasked.
“Beginatthebeginning,”theKingsaidgravely,
“andgoontillyoucometotheend:thenstop.”
—LewisCarroll,AliceinWonderland
“Murderwillout,’tissure,andneverfails.”
—Chaucer,CanterburyTales