What are the JFK assassination conspiracy theories and why did John F Kennedy’s death spark so much speculation?
Perhaps no major event in modern US history has spawned more widespread doubt than the assassination of President John F Kennedy
The existence of top secret government files linked to President John F Kennedy's assassination has helped fuel conspiracy theories for decades as to who was really behind the killing.
Following the partial release of these mysterious documents, we examine the top theories that have made the rounds.
What are the JFK assassination conspiracy theories?
Out of all the events in American history, the assassination of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy has probably spawned the most widely held conspiracy theories.
A leading one is that there was more than one shooter involved.
This stems from the official investigation into the assassination which claimed Lee Harvey Oswald managed to kill the President as well as wounding fellow passenger Governor John Connally with just three rounds.
It was asserted that one bullet had passed through Kennedy before hitting Connally.
But sceptics call this fanciful and have dubbed it “the magic bullet theory”.
Instead these group believe there was more than one shooter.
And many believe that three tramps arrested behind a grassy knoll could have been accomplices.
These men were all clean shaven and not dressed as if they were homeless, sparking speculation they may have actually been CIA assassins.
Some witnesses have also pointed to a mysterious man holding an umbrella and wearing a rain coast as JFK’s motorcade drives down Dealey Plaza.
But it was a dry and warm day in Dallas on November 22, 1963.
And he was standing just by where Kennedy was shot.
Other theories centre round who was behind Oswald - who paid him? Who directed him?
These include the Soviet Union, the Cubans and the Mafia - all of whom had faced a crackdown during the Kennedy administration.
The vice-president, Lyndon B Johnson, who was sworn in as President after Kennedy’s death, is also accused of being a culprit with some suggesting he wanted to cover up scandals or take control of the country in a coup.
More far-fetched theories suggest JFK was bumped off because he was interested, but banned from, viewing files on UFOs.
The supposed Illuminati have also been fingered because Kennedy wanted to end the escalating Vietnam War which was allegedly lucrative for them.
more conspiracy theories
Why did John F Kennedy's death spark such speculation?
The context of the assassination, the Cold War, is an important factor.
During this time there was the Cuban Missile Crisis, the building of the Berlin Wall and the early years of the Vietnam War.
The shooting dead of Lee Harvey Oswald before he could be questioned properly and put on trial is another reason why many people are sceptical.
But the main reason is the lack of transparency around the assassination.
The secrecy around US government documents fuels theories that a cover-up took place.