The Kennedy assassination was a tragedy in and of itself, but also played a big role in shaping the tragic outcome of the next decade. It was certainly shocking for the nation to lose a beloved man and President so suddenly. But the murder of the President and of his suspected killer sparked a plethora of conspiracy theories, which blamed the Russians, the Cubans, the Mafia, and even the Vice President. These conspiracy theories led to much mistrust and violence in the coming decade. The next decade brought government lies about the Vietnam War and exposed the Watergate Scandal, which then caused the people to be deeply skeptical about the government. Todd Gitlin summed it up best when he said, "Something else was operating to discredit [the Warren Commission Report]: a huge cultural disbelief that an event so traumatic and vast in its consequence could be accounted for by a petty assassin."
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