The JFK Files: Oswald's Activities and the Cold War
New Kennedy Files Detail Oswald’s Pre-Assassination Trail
On March 18, 2025, the National Archives released 80,000 pages of previously classified documents related to John F. Kennedy’s 1963 assassination, per President Trump’s Executive Order 14176. While no major revelations upend the lone-gunman narrative, the files offer a detailed timeline of Lee Harvey Oswald’s movements, particularly his Mexico City trip, enriching Cold War-era context.
Oswald’s 1963 journey begins in April, when he allegedly shoots at General Edwin Walker in Dallas, fleeing undetected. By April 24, he relocates to New Orleans, distributing pro-Castro leaflets and catching FBI attention. On September 25, he buses to Mexico City, arriving by September 26. There, he visits the Soviet Embassy, phoning a consular official—later tied to the KGB—seeking a visa. He also approaches the Cuban Embassy for a transit visa to await Soviet approval. CIA memos from the release detail these efforts, including an intercepted September 28 call to a KGB officer. Unsuccessful, Oswald lingers until October 2, driving back to the U.S. via Laredo, Texas, on October 3.
Back in Dallas, he starts at the Texas School Book Depository on October 14. On November 22, he fires the fatal shots from its sixth floor, killing Kennedy at 12:30 PM CST, murders officer J.D. Tippit by 1:15 PM, and is arrested at 1:50 PM. Two days later, Jack Ruby kills him.
The files, including unredacted CIA cables, confirm Oswald’s embassy visits—previously known but now clearer—without evidencing a conspiracy. A memo notes Lyndon Johnson’s suspicion of CIA involvement, though unsupported. Posts on X show mixed reactions: some see negligence, others crave more. Historians like Kevin Boyle argue these details, while illuminating, reinforce the Warren Commission’s findings, leaving conspiracy theories unproven but persistent.
