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Reaction to the assassination of John F. Kennedy

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John F. Kennedy
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John F. Kennedy

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.

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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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.

In the United States

Presidents

In Congress

Governors

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.

At the United Nations

Europe

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

In the Soviet Union:

In the United Kingdom: In France: In Italy: In West Germany:

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.

Africa

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

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:

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.

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." [link]

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.

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, because a time for mourning a leader is a time to be together. 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:

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:

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

 

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