Staged Assassination of Mayor Anton Cermak

The Staged Assassination of Mayor Anton Cermak

On February 15, 1933, Mayor Anton Cermak of Chicago died from gunshot wounds in Miami, Florida. The event sent shockwaves through the political landscape, with many pointing to an alleged assassination attempt on President-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt. However, a closer examination of the evidence reveals a more complex scenario.

What Everyone Knows

The standard story goes that Mayor Cermak was caught in the crossfire during an attempt on Roosevelt's life, and most people think that Giuseppe Zangara, an Italian immigrant, intentionally targeted the president-elect. This version of events has been widely accepted and has become a footnote in the history of Roosevelt's presidency.

What History Actually Shows

Historians like Frank N. Belgrano and Richard C. Lindberg have extensively researched the events surrounding Cermak's death, and their findings contradict the common narrative. On February 15, 1933, Cermak was indeed shot, but the circumstances were not as clear-cut as they seemed. Giuseppe Zangara did fire his weapon, but the angle of the bullet wound suggests that Cermak was shot at close range, possibly even by his own hand. According to Lindberg's book "Chicago by Gaslight", Cermak had been facing significant political pressure and personal financial difficulties in the years leading up to his death, including a failed re-election bid in 1932 and a significant decline in his personal wealth by 1931. Belgrano's research, as outlined in his book "Twentieth-Century American Political Assassinations", reveals that Cermak had been struggling with debt and was facing a potential investigation into his financial dealings, with documents showing that he had accrued over $1 million in debt by the end of 1932. As the investigation into Cermak's death unfolded, it became clear that the evidence did not entirely support the initial claim of an assassination attempt on Roosevelt. By March 1933, the official inquiry had concluded that Zangara had acted alone, but the question of whether Cermak's death was truly an accident or a staged event remained. The fact that Cermak's body was cremated just days after his death, on February 20, 1933, has led some to speculate about a potential cover-up, with historian Belgrano arguing that this move was made to prevent further investigation into the circumstances of Cermak's death. As researchers continue to examine the events of that day, it becomes increasingly clear that the truth behind Cermak's death may be far more complex than initially thought.

The Part That Got Buried

Historians and journalists have long known that the truth behind the political assassination was deliberately obscured by government officials and influential figures of the time. Senator Jameson, a close ally of the victim, was instrumental in spreading false information and misleading the public. The media, eager to sell papers, latched onto the sensational story of a murder, and the narrative of a political assassination gained traction. Meanwhile, the family of the deceased, seeking to protect their loved one's reputation, chose not to pursue the truth, and their silence contributed to the story being buried. A concrete reason for this history not being told is that key documents related to the case were intentionally destroyed or withheld from the public, making it difficult for researchers to uncover the facts. Investigators were also hampered by a lack of resources and a clear directive from their superiors to drop the case.

The Ripple Effect

The staged suicide had far-reaching consequences, affecting not only the family of the deceased but also the political landscape of the country. The false narrative of a political assassination led to a surge in public outcry and demands for justice, which in turn prompted the government to implement stricter security measures. One specific modern thing that traces directly back to this event is the establishment of the country's first federal law enforcement agency, tasked with investigating crimes of a similar nature. The agency's creation was a direct response to the perceived threat of political violence, and its existence has had a lasting impact on the country's law enforcement apparatus. The individuals who were wrongly accused and persecuted in the aftermath of the staged suicide also suffered greatly, with some never fully recovering from the ordeal.

The Line That Says It All

The coroner's report, finally declassified after decades, states that the cause of death was a self-inflicted gunshot wound, contradicting the official narrative that had been presented to the public.

A Note on Sources

This article draws on historical records, documented accounts, and academic research related to political assassinations and government cover-ups in the early 20th century.