Report of the President's Commission on the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy

Oswald’s Reading and Intellectual Interests

Oswald’s Reading and Intellectual Interests reconstructs his self-education and the literature and political writings that shaped his worldview, citing Delgado, Donovan, Thornley, Botelho, Murray, Murphy, Osborne, and Call. References include the Communist Manifesto, works by Dostoevsky, and other philosophical and political texts, together with a notable pen pal correspondence and Oswald’s adoption of a “Harvey” nickname after the cartoon rabbit.

Travel to Europe and Arrival in Moscow

Travel to Europe and Arrival in Moscow follows Oswald’s leave from his Marine Corps post, his journey through England and Europe, and his arrival in Moscow in October 1959, documented through his diary (CE 24), State Department records, Marguerite Oswald’s testimony, and the Official Airline Guide. The account covers his application for a Soviet visa at the American embassy in Moscow and the timing of his defection announcement.

Attempt to Renounce U.S. Citizenship

Attempt to Renounce U.S. Citizenship details Oswald’s stated intention to renounce his American citizenship and his contacts with Soviet and American authorities, relying on his diary, consular correspondence, and the testimony of Richard Edward Snyder and John A. McVickar. The narrative describes the formal steps he took, the legal framework under 8 USC sec. 1481, and his treatment by Soviet officials during this period.

Soviet Defection Proceedings

Soviet Defection Proceedings traces the formal Soviet response to Oswald’s defection attempt, drawing on his diary entries from late October through November 1959, intelligence and consular records, and testimony of Snyder and McVickar. The section covers the questioning he underwent, the role of Soviet authorities, and the preliminary outcomes of the proceedings.