Reaction to the assassination of John F. Kennedy

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Around the world, there was a stunned reaction to the assassination of John F. Kennedy, the President of the United States, on November 22, 1963 in Dallas, Texas.

The first hour after the shooting, before his death was announced, was a time of great confusion. Taking place during the Cold War, it was at first unclear whether the shooting might be part of a larger attack upon the U.S., and whether Vice-President Lyndon B. Johnson, who had been riding two cars behind in the motorcade, was safe.

The news shocked the world. Men and women wept openly. People gathered in department stores to watch the television coverage, while others prayed. Traffic in some areas came to a halt as the news spread literally from car to car. Schools across the U.S. and Canada dismissed their students early. Anger against Texas and Texans was reported from some individuals. Various Cleveland Browns fans, for example, carried signs at the next Sunday's home game against the Dallas Cowboys decrying the city of Dallas has having "killed the President".

The event left a lasting impression on many Americans. As with the 7 December 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor before it and the September 11, 2001 attacks after it, asking "Where were you when you heard about Kennedy's assassination" would become a common topic of discussion.

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[edit] Reaction from world leaders

After the assassination, many world leaders expressed shock and sorrow, some going on television and radio to address their countrymen. In countries around the world, state premiers and governors and mayors also issued messages expressing shock over the assassination. Governments ordered flags to half-staff and days of mourning. Many of them wondered if the new president, Lyndon Johnson, would carry on Kennedy's policies or not.

This is just a partial list.

[edit] In the United States

[edit] Presidents

  • Lyndon B. Johnson, the new president: "This is a sad time for all people. We have suffered a loss that cannot be weighed..."
  • Former presidents:
    • Herbert Hoover: "I am shocked and grieved to learn of President Kennedy's assassination. He loved America and has given his life for his country."
    • Harry S. Truman: "I am shocked beyond words at the tragedy that has happened to our country and to President Kennedy's family today."
    • Dwight D. Eisenhower: "I share the sense of shock and dismay that the entire nation must feel at the despicable act that took the life of the nation's president." [1]

[edit] In Congress

  • House Speaker John W. McCormack, who was already occupying the position which LBJ held in relation to Kennedy when vice-president, next-in-line, in terms of succession: "My God, my God! What are we coming to?"
  • Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield: "I consider it a deep personal and tragic national loss of a man who has done so much and should have gotten so much more in return."
  • Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater: "The president's death is a profound loss to the nation and the free world."
  • Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy, the president's brother, was presiding over the Senate when word came to Washington. An aide informed him and he rushed from the Senate chamber.
  • Oregon Senator Wayne Morse: "If there was ever an hour when all Americans should pray, this is the hour."

[edit] Governors

  • Alabama Governor George Wallace said that whoever fired the shots "must be filled with universal malice toward all...It is hard to believe that anyone would shoot at the president of the United States."
  • New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller, the only Republican to have announced his intention to run for president in 1964: "This is a shocking and terrible tragedy for the nation and the world." [2]

[edit] Around the world

In many countries radio and television networks, after breaking the news, either went off the air except for funeral music or broke schedules to carry uninterrupted news of the assassination, and if Kennedy had made a visit to that country, recalled that visit in detail. In monarchical countries, the monarch ordered the royal family into days of mourning.

At U.S. embassies and consulates around the world, switchboards lit up and were flooded with phone calls. At many of them, shocked personnel often let telephones go unanswered. They also opened up books of condolences for people to sign.

[edit] At the United Nations

  • Secretary General U Thant: "As secretary general of the United Nations, I would like to express profound sorrow at this tragic event and to be associated in the condolences to Mrs. Kennedy, to the members of the bereaved family, and to the government and people of the United States." [3]
  • Ambassador Adlai Stevenson: "The tragedy of this day is beyond any instant comprehension. All of us who knew him will bear the grief of his death until the day of ours, and all men everywhere who love freedom and peace will bow their heads."

[edit] Europe

The assassination dissolved the Iron Curtain as people on both sides expressed shock and sorrow.

In the Soviet Union:

  • Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko phoned U.S. Ambassador Foy D. Kohler at midnight to "express his shock and greatest sympathy to the American people." He said that official condolences would be conveyed later at the "highest level," indicating that there be a message from Premier Nikita Khrushchev.
  • Khrushchev cut short a tour of Ukraine and returned to Moscow by train. He then went to Spasso House, the residence of the U.S. ambassador. There, he signed a book of condolences and met with Ambassador Kohler. He called the assassination "a heavy blow to all people who hold dear the cause of peace and Soviet-American cooperation." He then designated his first deputy, Anastas Mikoyan, to represent the Russians at the funeral.

In the United Kingdom:

  • Prime Minister Sir Alec Douglas-Home: "The prime minister had learned with the most profound shock and horror of the death by assassination of the president of the United States." In a nationally televised tribute, he said that Kennedy left "an indelible mark" on the entire world. "There are times in life when the mind and heart stand still and one such is now. He was young and brave and a great statesman. The loss is a deep and sad one because he was the most loyal and faithful of allies." [4]
  • Opposition Leader Harold Wilson on television: "I am sure that I'm speaking for everyone in this country when I express our deep horror at this evil act. I pay tribute to one who has been a good friend of this country, a great world statesman, and a great fighter for peace. His great struggle for racial equality in the United States is something that will in memory long outlive his life." [5]
  • From former prime ministers:
    • Harold Macmillan: "When the news came, the whole world was stunned. It seemed impossible, incredible. It is impossible to weigh the consequences. Jack Kennedy was a great president. But he was more than that; he was a great world inspiration. For him, the peace and progress of the world was not just a phrase but a living and burning faith."
    • Sir Winston Churchill: "This monstrous act has taken from us a great statesman and a wise and valiant man. The loss to the United States and world is incalculable. Those who come after Mr. Kennedy must strive the more to achieve the ideals of world peace and human happiness and dignity to which his presidency was dedicated."

In France:

  • President General Charles de Gaulle, who turned 73 the day of the assassination and had himself been a target of assassination attempts: "President Kennedy died like a soldier, under fire, for his duty, and in the service of his country. In the name of the French people, a friend always of the American people, I salute this great example and this great memory."
  • Prime Minister Georges Pompidou: "It is atrocious. It is frightful. I'm overwhelmed."

In Italy:

  • President Antonio Segni: "A very grave loss for all humanity." [6]
  • Prime Minister-Designate Aldo Moro: "The reason for which he was struck in a mad way raises President Kennedy even more on a moral plane as a great defender of men's dignity and equality."
  • In the Vatican City, Pope Paul VI prayed for the president's soul. He also said that he was "profoundly stricken" by the assassination, and expressed hope that the assassination "will not cause harm to the American people, but will strengthen its moral and civil sense and reinforce its sentiments of nobility and concord..." He also mentioned the fact that Kennedy was the only Catholic to be elected president of the United States. American bishops there for the Ecumenical Council expressed shock. [7]

In West Germany:

  • Chancellor Ludwig Erhard: "The news fills the German people with deep grief. We all have lost John F. Kennedy. In this hour, words cannot express the pain and sorrow we feel."
  • Former chancellor Konrad Adenauer: "President Kennedy's work will live in history. He has given his life for freedom and peace." [8]
  • West Berlin Mayor Willy Brandt: "With the death of the first citizen of the free world, Berlin has lost its best friend. A flame went out for all those who had hoped for a just peace and a better life." He also asked that the people in West Berlin put candles in their windows the following night in memory of the president. However, the first candles appeared in the windows after his remarks. Many more in West Germany would do the same afterward. [9]

[edit] Latin America

Cuban leader Fidel Castro accused President Kennedy for carrying the world "to the brink of nuclear war." He deplored Kennedy for his "hostile policies towards us," but said that the assassination was "...grave and bad. People feel repugnance to such a slaying because we should not consider this method a correct form of battle. We Cubans must react as conscientious revolutionaries and not confuse systems with the individual. We fight against systems not the man." Castro said that the administrations of both Kennedy and Eisenhower, "were characterized by hostile and implacable policies toward us. Cuba was a victim of attacks of all kinds that cost blood."

Venezuelan President Romulo Bentacourt was speechless when informed. He cabled condolences to Washington, then later tried to read the message to newsmen. He broke into tears, unable to speak.

[edit] Africa

Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser: "It is a painful tragedy."

[edit] Asia/Pacific

News of the assassination reached Asia during the early morning hours of November 23, 1963, because of the time difference, as people there were sleeping. People woke up that morning to shock over the assassination.

In Australia, which was into the final week of an election campaign, the first government reaction came from External Affairs Minister Sir Garfield Barwick, who said, "I am deeply shocked that this young and vigorous president should be assassinated." In his first comment on the assassination, Prime Minister Sir Robert Menzies said that "the loss of a man with such capacity will for a time, at least, increase the dangers of world tension."

In India:

  • President Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was "deeply shocked to hear of the brutal attack on President Kennedy, a man of great courage and conscience."
  • Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru "already had enough shocks for one day," referring to the helicopter crash the day before that killed five Indian general officers. Because of this, aides decided not to wake him up until 6:00 in the morning. He said that the assassination was "terrible, shocking, and stunning. This sudden end of a great man was not only painful personally, but of large consequence to international affairs."

In Japan, Prime Minister Hayato Ikeda and Emperor Hirohito sent condolences to the White House. There was also a similar message from Foreign Minister Masayoshi Ohira.

[edit] Unofficial mourning

Hastily organized memorial services for Kennedy were held throughout the world, allowing many to express their grief. Governments lowered flags to half-mast and declared days of mourning, and church bells tolled. A day of national mourning and sorrow was declared in the U.S. for Monday, November 25, the day of the state funeral. Many other countries did the same. Throughout the United States, many states declared the day of the funeral a legal holiday.

Not all recreational and sporting events scheduled for the day of the assassination and during the weekend after were cancelled. Those that went on made clear the reason NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle decided to play NFL games that weekend: "It has been traditional...to perform in times of great personal tragedy...He (Kennedy) thrived on competition." [10] It was widely reported later in Rozelle's life that he (in retrospect) considered the decision to play games that Sunday as his greatest mistake as commissioner.

[edit] Mourning during the funeral

Mourning for Kennedy encompassed the world on the day of his funeral, November 25, 1963. The assassination shocked the world and people around the world were attending memorial services.

[edit] United States

This was a day of national mourning in the United States. Events were called off because of the mourning. Men and women everywhere were united in paying tribute to their fallen leader. Streets the width and breadth of the land were deserted while the services were held. Everyone who could followed the proceedings on television. Others heeded the call for the day of national mourning by going to their place of worship for a memorial service.

Schools, offices, stores, and factories were closed. Those that were open scheduled a minute of silence. Others permitted employees time off to attend memorial services. During memorial services, church bells tolled. In some cities, police officers attached black bands to their badges.

In many states, governors declared the day of national mourning as a legal holiday in their state, allowing banks to close.

Traffic on major highways dwindled to almost nothing. Those leading to Washington were jammed over the weekend with people going to Washington to view the bier in the Capitol.

There was silence across the United States at 12:00 EST (17:00 UTC) for five minutes to mark the start of the funeral.

Here's how several cities observed the day of mourning:

  • In Dallas, Tex., where an assassin's bullets cut short Kennedy's life and where the assassin himself was slain, the atmosphere was one of reverence. Thousands visited the site where the president was shot. People milled around in small groups gazing at the myriad flower arrangements marking the spot. The flower arrangements carried various messages. One read "God forgive us all." Another, "God bless you, President Kennedy."
  • In Austin, where Kennedy was supposed to have gone to after his visit to Dallas, several hundred mourners gathered in front of the state Capitol an hour before the funeral services in Washington. "We hang our heads in shame because it happened in the Lone Star State," a judge said.
  • In Boston, troops and dignitaries attended a service led by the chaplain in the Massachusetts State Senate in front of the State House on Boston Common.
  • In New York, delegates to the United Nations knelt in final tribute at a requiem mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral while the buildings of the world organization stood dark and empty.

[edit] Around the world

Hundreds of millions in Europe, the Soviet Union, and Japan, watched the funeral procession as live telecasts were relayed by American communication satellites.

All religions and faiths held memorial services for Kennedy. Only the People's Republic of China and its ideological supporters were aloof from the mourning.

Most of the world's leaders expressed their grief and their tributes over the weekend. The day of the funeral was the day when people did the same for the assassinated president. In many countries, governments asked that their citizens recognize the day of mourning in the United States as if it was their own by attending a memorial service and ordered flags flown at half-staff (Some governments declared a day of mourning in their countries). Premiers, governors, and mayors also did the same thing. In other countries, national legislatures met, then adjourned out of respect. Many countries fell silent for several minutes at 17:00 GMT, to mark the start of the funeral. At U.S. embassies, people were still lining up to sign books of condolences.

Some examples of the mourning around the world:

  • In London, both houses of Parliament adjourned out of respect. In the House of Commons, former prime minister Harold Macmillan made his first appearance since his illness, which forced him to resign. Macmillan, looking extremely pale, said in a hushed voice that the assassination of Kennedy, his "friend and colleague,...seemed to be a sudden and cruel extinction of a shining light" and that everyone in Britain "and I think every country, felt stunned by the shock of what seemed to us--each one of us--a personal bereavement." The House of Lords also passed a resolution expressing sorrow, led by former prime ministers Clement Attlee and Sir Anthony Eden. The lights of Piccadilly Circus went dark, but came on after Parliament adjourned.
  • In West Berlin, half a million people came to city hall and watched as the square was named, "John F. Kennedy Plaza."
  • In Moscow, Nina Khrushchev, spouse of Premier Nikita Khrushchev, led the city's citizens in paying tribute. Like her husband did after the assassination, she called Spasso House, the residence of the ambassador, and met for 15 minutes with Foy D. Kohler, the American ambassador to Moscow, and signed the book of condolences. She came out with Kohler's wife and with tears in her eyes. While citizens in Moscow attended memorial services, North Vietnamese students there defaced a student eulogy on the wall of Moscow University by scribbling on it a picture of a man with a rifle.
  • In Vatican City, 10,000 people crowded the Basilica of St. John Lateran where Francis Cardinal Spellman of New York celebrated a Roman Catholic mass. Attending were most of the 2,200 cardinals, archbishops, and bishops attending the Ecumenical Council, President Antonio Segni, and other Italian government officials.
  • In India, both houses of Parliament convened to hear Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru say in a choked voice: "A great president and a great man is dead, struck down by one of his own countrymen. We sorrow for this and now we cherish the cause for which he labored in his life." Then, slowly, Nehru added, "Perhaps he has served the cause by his death even as he labored in his lifetime." After Nehru spoke, Defense Minister Y.B. Chavan spoke on the assassination, after which Parliament adjourned.
    • Nehru also attended a memorial service at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi along with President Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and other Indian government officials. Some 8,000 attended this service.

Even in the days, weeks, and months after the funeral, memorial services for the president continued around the world.

John F. Kennedy assassination

Timeline | Autopsy | Reaction | Funeral | Lee Harvey Oswald | Warren Commission | HSCA | Dictabelt evidence | Conspiracy theories | Zapruder film | Single bullet theory
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