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Conspiracy: Who Killed JFK?
The bestselling author of Goddess: The Secret Lives of Marilyn Monroe creates the most revealing history ever about the JFK assassination. All aspects of the carefully-orchestrated conspiracy plot are explored, from the CIA and Mafia's involvement to new revelations about surgical alterations made to the President's corpse.
630 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1989
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May 15, 2024
WAS OSWALD AN AMERICAN INTELLIGENCE AGENT, & THE ‘DESIGNATED NUT’?
Author James R. Duffy wrote in the Preface to this 1992 book, “this is a book about Lee Harvey Oswald, his background and his ‘associates.’ … Oswald has, from the time of the assassination , been widely perceived as a somewhat one-dimensional, almost sub-human figure; non-conforming, anti-social, a malcontent, anti-American, an avowed Marxist and communist, isolated, profoundly alienated, frustrated, resentful, hostile, presumably possessed of less than resentful, hostile, presumably possessed of less than ordinary intelligence, and---perhaps most important of all---he has consistently been portrayed as a ‘loner.’ To be sure, there is evidence to suggest that he was all of these things. Yet, scattered through various official US Government documents, there are bits and pieces of information which, when brought together, constitute a substantial body of evidence which permits some rather strikingly different conclusions to be drawn about this notorious but ‘unknown’ man. This book… narrates all the relevant evidence about Lee Harvey Oswald, points out and discusses the areas of conflict, and leaves the conclusions to the reader.”
He asks, “Could it be that Lee Harvey Oswald was actually an agent of the United States, and that his defection to Russia was for some mission of the US?” (Pg. 29) He notes, “For many years Oswald’s
Historic Diary’ was the virtually unchallenged primary source of information on this period of his life, purporting, as it does, to be his contemporaneous documentation of events.” (Pg. 47) He asserts, “it appears to be rather clear that this document, upon which so much reliance has been placed in reconstructing the defection, is a phony. In other words, Lee Harvey Oswald’s ‘diary’ was not a diary at all.” (Pg. 50)
Of “a Russian named Yuri Nosenko [who] sought political asylum in the United States” (Pg. 52), he speculates, “if Nosenko was indeed on a disinformation mission, a mission to deflect attention away from an Oswald connection, and if it was not the KGB which sent him, then who sent him and why?” (Pg. 71) Later, he adds, “It would seem more accurate to say: If Nosenko was lying about Oswald, then, by implication, Oswald would be left as being the agent of whoever sent Nosenko.” (Pg. 81)
He asserts, “Is it believable that the CIA, which routinely attempts to solicit information from Americans traveling to Russia, would not even contact and attempt to debrief a returning defector who had been in Russia for some two and a half years?” (Pg. 82) He states, “There are certain things that must be analyzed which are relevant to the question of whether Oswald was a true defector or an American agent.” (Pg. 88)
After discussing possible assassination plots against Castro, he observes, “None of this proves that President Kennedy was assassinated by Castro in retaliation for US assassination plots against him. However, possible Cuban retaliation plots are not the only Cuban aspect to one story.” (Pg. 136) Later, he asserts, “Although Kennedy accepted ‘sole responsibility’ for the Bay of Pigs debacle, privately he blamed the CIA… He didn’t make much of a secret of his disdain for the CIA, which was such that… he vowed to ‘splinter the agency into a thousand pieces.’ The net result of all of this was that John Kennedy would up with two sets of enemies who shared mutual interests and the capacity for violence… Elements of the CIA, and anti-Castro Cubans, were not John Kennedy’s only bitter enemies.” (Pg. 151-152)
He observes, “For someone who, out of disillusionment with Soviet life, had picked up his family and left Russia, Lee Harvey Oswald continued to manifest most remarkable interests.” (Pg. 179) He points out, “After his arrest… Oswald’s address book contained the name, address, telephone number and automobile license plate number of FBI agent James P. Hosty… Oswald had delivered a note addressed to Hosty at the FBI office in Dallas. Hosty said the note was threatening or complaining in nature, ordering him to stop bothering Oswald’s wife. And well it might have… However, we will never know what was really in Oswald’s note, because following the assassination---under the order … of [the] head of the Dallas FBI office---Agent Hosty destroyed it.” (Pg. 190)
He notes, “Clearly, the FBI accounts of the various s contacts make it very clear that Oswald was un-cooperative and, indeed, antagonistic toward the Bureau. He wanted nothing to do with them.” (Pg. 191) Later, he adds, “Most surprising… is the fact that the ‘Soviet experts’ at FBI headquarters did not intensify their efforts in the Oswald case after being informed that Oswald had met with Vice Consul Kostikov at the Soviet Embassy in Mexico City.” (Pg. 211)
He suggests, “Perhaps [Jack] Ruby’s concern for Jackie was the reason he killed Oswald. However, there is evidence which points to the more troubling possibility that Ruby’s role was to shut Oswald’s mouth… It this … scenario is correct, two of the questions which immediately follow are: For whom was Ruby7 acting? and, Was Ruby the only one who had been given the task of getting rid of Oswald?” (Pg. 223) Later, he adds, “Ruby was possibly lying when he answered ‘No’ to the question, ‘Did you assist Oswald in the assassination?’” (Pg. 234)
He concludes, “President John F. Kennedy had at least two sets of bitter enemies within the US, each of which had the means, motive and opportunity to assassinate him; and each of which had an unbroken history demonstrating absolutely no reluctance to the use of force… important elements from each group were involved in very specific planning to murder the President. Importantly, those very same elements had a common bond, having been united… by the CIA, some of whose agents secretly continued to encourage their projects long after being ordered to stop them… Even if one rejects the implication pointed to in this book that Oswald was himself an American intelligence agent, it seems unarguable that he was not the loner he had been made out to be, and that he was associated with people who were, at the least. Involved on the periphery of American intelligence… [Oswald] was the designated nut,’ specifically chosen to be identified and then eliminate… if Ruby was acting for others, those others had to have a reason to want Oswald eliminated.” (Pg. 236-237)
This book is kind of long on speculation, and short of actual evidence.
Author James R. Duffy wrote in the Preface to this 1992 book, “this is a book about Lee Harvey Oswald, his background and his ‘associates.’ … Oswald has, from the time of the assassination , been widely perceived as a somewhat one-dimensional, almost sub-human figure; non-conforming, anti-social, a malcontent, anti-American, an avowed Marxist and communist, isolated, profoundly alienated, frustrated, resentful, hostile, presumably possessed of less than resentful, hostile, presumably possessed of less than ordinary intelligence, and---perhaps most important of all---he has consistently been portrayed as a ‘loner.’ To be sure, there is evidence to suggest that he was all of these things. Yet, scattered through various official US Government documents, there are bits and pieces of information which, when brought together, constitute a substantial body of evidence which permits some rather strikingly different conclusions to be drawn about this notorious but ‘unknown’ man. This book… narrates all the relevant evidence about Lee Harvey Oswald, points out and discusses the areas of conflict, and leaves the conclusions to the reader.”
He asks, “Could it be that Lee Harvey Oswald was actually an agent of the United States, and that his defection to Russia was for some mission of the US?” (Pg. 29) He notes, “For many years Oswald’s
Historic Diary’ was the virtually unchallenged primary source of information on this period of his life, purporting, as it does, to be his contemporaneous documentation of events.” (Pg. 47) He asserts, “it appears to be rather clear that this document, upon which so much reliance has been placed in reconstructing the defection, is a phony. In other words, Lee Harvey Oswald’s ‘diary’ was not a diary at all.” (Pg. 50)
Of “a Russian named Yuri Nosenko [who] sought political asylum in the United States” (Pg. 52), he speculates, “if Nosenko was indeed on a disinformation mission, a mission to deflect attention away from an Oswald connection, and if it was not the KGB which sent him, then who sent him and why?” (Pg. 71) Later, he adds, “It would seem more accurate to say: If Nosenko was lying about Oswald, then, by implication, Oswald would be left as being the agent of whoever sent Nosenko.” (Pg. 81)
He asserts, “Is it believable that the CIA, which routinely attempts to solicit information from Americans traveling to Russia, would not even contact and attempt to debrief a returning defector who had been in Russia for some two and a half years?” (Pg. 82) He states, “There are certain things that must be analyzed which are relevant to the question of whether Oswald was a true defector or an American agent.” (Pg. 88)
After discussing possible assassination plots against Castro, he observes, “None of this proves that President Kennedy was assassinated by Castro in retaliation for US assassination plots against him. However, possible Cuban retaliation plots are not the only Cuban aspect to one story.” (Pg. 136) Later, he asserts, “Although Kennedy accepted ‘sole responsibility’ for the Bay of Pigs debacle, privately he blamed the CIA… He didn’t make much of a secret of his disdain for the CIA, which was such that… he vowed to ‘splinter the agency into a thousand pieces.’ The net result of all of this was that John Kennedy would up with two sets of enemies who shared mutual interests and the capacity for violence… Elements of the CIA, and anti-Castro Cubans, were not John Kennedy’s only bitter enemies.” (Pg. 151-152)
He observes, “For someone who, out of disillusionment with Soviet life, had picked up his family and left Russia, Lee Harvey Oswald continued to manifest most remarkable interests.” (Pg. 179) He points out, “After his arrest… Oswald’s address book contained the name, address, telephone number and automobile license plate number of FBI agent James P. Hosty… Oswald had delivered a note addressed to Hosty at the FBI office in Dallas. Hosty said the note was threatening or complaining in nature, ordering him to stop bothering Oswald’s wife. And well it might have… However, we will never know what was really in Oswald’s note, because following the assassination---under the order … of [the] head of the Dallas FBI office---Agent Hosty destroyed it.” (Pg. 190)
He notes, “Clearly, the FBI accounts of the various s contacts make it very clear that Oswald was un-cooperative and, indeed, antagonistic toward the Bureau. He wanted nothing to do with them.” (Pg. 191) Later, he adds, “Most surprising… is the fact that the ‘Soviet experts’ at FBI headquarters did not intensify their efforts in the Oswald case after being informed that Oswald had met with Vice Consul Kostikov at the Soviet Embassy in Mexico City.” (Pg. 211)
He suggests, “Perhaps [Jack] Ruby’s concern for Jackie was the reason he killed Oswald. However, there is evidence which points to the more troubling possibility that Ruby’s role was to shut Oswald’s mouth… It this … scenario is correct, two of the questions which immediately follow are: For whom was Ruby7 acting? and, Was Ruby the only one who had been given the task of getting rid of Oswald?” (Pg. 223) Later, he adds, “Ruby was possibly lying when he answered ‘No’ to the question, ‘Did you assist Oswald in the assassination?’” (Pg. 234)
He concludes, “President John F. Kennedy had at least two sets of bitter enemies within the US, each of which had the means, motive and opportunity to assassinate him; and each of which had an unbroken history demonstrating absolutely no reluctance to the use of force… important elements from each group were involved in very specific planning to murder the President. Importantly, those very same elements had a common bond, having been united… by the CIA, some of whose agents secretly continued to encourage their projects long after being ordered to stop them… Even if one rejects the implication pointed to in this book that Oswald was himself an American intelligence agent, it seems unarguable that he was not the loner he had been made out to be, and that he was associated with people who were, at the least. Involved on the periphery of American intelligence… [Oswald] was the designated nut,’ specifically chosen to be identified and then eliminate… if Ruby was acting for others, those others had to have a reason to want Oswald eliminated.” (Pg. 236-237)
This book is kind of long on speculation, and short of actual evidence.
February 24, 2013
In my opinion this book is three different books basically covering one aspect of the Kennedy assassination, Oswald. The first is a background of Oswald himself and what he did before the actual shooting. The book then flowed over to "who" Oswald knew and how those individuals may be related to a conspiracy to kill Kennedy. Then the book delves into the Warren Commission and later Committee on all of the above and how or why they came to their conclusion.
The author James Duffy presents some interesting connections, and in my opinion, verifies my personal belief that not only were others involved in the assassination but had more than enough reasons to eliminate the President.
The book begins strong with one of the better timeline of Oswald and his connections and affiliations in the military, Soviet Union, Dallas and Louisiana. Duffy reinforces the Los Cos Nostra (mafia) connection with Oswald and the government, which is later presented in the Committee and commission reports at the end of the book.
Don't be mistaken Trafficante, Marcello, Jack Ruby, Jimmy Hoffa's associates, along with other Chicago mobsters, David Ferrie, Oswald, The anti-Castro exiles, CIA, FBI were not just passing ships in the night during Kennedy's administration and Oswald some cursed individual that just happened to have connections' with all of the above.
This is a good book to pull information from. Only three stars for organization.
The author James Duffy presents some interesting connections, and in my opinion, verifies my personal belief that not only were others involved in the assassination but had more than enough reasons to eliminate the President.
The book begins strong with one of the better timeline of Oswald and his connections and affiliations in the military, Soviet Union, Dallas and Louisiana. Duffy reinforces the Los Cos Nostra (mafia) connection with Oswald and the government, which is later presented in the Committee and commission reports at the end of the book.
Don't be mistaken Trafficante, Marcello, Jack Ruby, Jimmy Hoffa's associates, along with other Chicago mobsters, David Ferrie, Oswald, The anti-Castro exiles, CIA, FBI were not just passing ships in the night during Kennedy's administration and Oswald some cursed individual that just happened to have connections' with all of the above.
This is a good book to pull information from. Only three stars for organization.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews