Assassinate

 ACTUAL HISTORY:
**Oswald’s** crazy instincts got the best of him. He shot President **Kennedy** from out of the window in his office. **Kennedy** was riding down the street in his motorcade when the shot hit him in the head, and was killed on the spot. 40 minutes after the shooting, **Oswald** was captured by the police and charged with the murder of **Kennedy** the next day. **Oswald** however, denied it and said he was only arrested as a scapegoat because he lived in the Soviet Union. His pleas didn’t matter because soon after, Jack Ruby killed **Oswald** therefore he was never heard from again. Meanwhile back at the White House **Kennedy’s** successor and Vice President, **Lyndon B Johnson** was taking office. National grief put a lot of pressure on **Johnson** to keep **Kennedy’s** programs in place, however Johnson had different ideas and beliefs then Kennedy. Johnson ran again in 1964 against **Berry Goldwater** and won by a landslide of 60%. He passed the //Civil Rights// Act of 1964, which outlawed most racial segregation. He also arrested many members of the Ku Klux Klan and passed the Voting Rights Act with gave many black men the right to vote. //The Apollo 8 was also successfully launched// during Johnson’s presidency.

**Johnson** was very “pro-war.” He started direct US involvement in the //war in Vietnam//. He turned around **Kennedy's** decision to withdraw troops in the //NSAM 263//. There was a lot of federal spending and taxation because of the war and this did not make many people happy. The Golf of Tonkin Resolution gave the president the right to use military force without consulting with anyone. There were many American casualties (about 1000 dead each month). Many men were also drafted and killed against their will. **Johnson’s** war efforts were splitting the Democratic party and lowering him in the polls. As casualties skyrocketed and victory grew further and further away, **Johnson** lost a lot of popularity. Many people (including college kids) burned draft cards and protested against Johnson and his war efforts. He could barely go anywhere without being swarmed with protests.

When the 1968 election rolled around **Johnson** was running against **Richard Nixon**. The Democratic Party was split into 4 groups and Johnson had lost control of the groups. It was impossible for **Johnson** to unite the 4 groups long enough to win re-election, so Nixon won by a landslide.

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