Soviets Found Complicit in JFK Assassination?

Nothing nitty gritty here...

Just what do you think would've happened if the Warren investagnation found irrefutable proof that Moscow was directly involved in the assassination of JFK?

First Strike?
Retaliatory Assassination?
Nothing?
 
The findings get covered up under deep top secret classifications for a long time. In exchange, very covert negotiations happen with the SU holding this as blackmail.

For example, the Prague Spring doesn't get crushed and the SU is kindly told to &)@/ off in the Americas or the news comes out. Oh and stop helping the NVA and Viet Cong.
 
Keep in mind who is President, one of the canniest and most cold-blooded and intimidating political operators out there: LBJ.

Behind closed doors, he'll make the Soviets regret even thinking about an assassination, especially since the Soviets know they aren't equipped to win a nuclear war.
 
Nothing nitty gritty here...

Just what do you think would've happened if the Warren investagnation found irrefutable proof that Moscow was directly involved in the assassination of JFK?

"investagnation"? A typo, or an insinuation? A rather clever neologism, if intended.

The PoD is that the USSR would directly sponsor the assassination of a US President, which is highly unlikely, even for the adventurist Khrushchev. And there would be no particular reason to target Kennedy.

But suppose that Khrushchev did go that far off the reservation.

And the US finds out. Hmm. How is it that the Warren Commission finds out, not the CIA or the FBI? Well, let's ignore that.

There are two possibllties: the fact is kept secret, or it is publicized.

If the former - outrage among the US leadership, and a secret ultimatum from the US demanding that the persons involved be removed from power and/or punished. On the Soviet side, general consternation that Khrushchev would do anything like this. Immediate action by the Presidium to remove Khrushchev from power, and quietly liquidate him, with profuse apologies to the US.

If the latter - general outrage, and a public ultimatum from the US demanding the persons involved be surrendered to US justice. I'm not sure how the Soviets would react. There would be consternation, and immediate rejection of Khrushchev, but reluctance to do anything in public that would confirm the US charge or appear as submission to US demands.
 
I picture the response being similar to how Clinton dealt with the Saddam Hussein's attempt to kill Bush, air strikes on the intelligence apparatus of the Soviet Union. The USSR will respond defensively and a massive conventional war is fought in Europe. I don't see this war going nuclear and probably ending in a ceasefire.
 
I picture the response being similar to how Clinton dealt with the Saddam Hussein's attempt to kill Bush, air strikes on the intelligence apparatus of the Soviet Union. The USSR will respond defensively and a massive conventional war is fought in Europe. I don't see this war going nuclear and probably ending in a ceasefire.

No, WWIII wouldn't stay conventional for very long in 1963
 
Top