Dallas '63: The First Deep State Revolt Against the White House

by Peter Dale Scott

“Our most provocative scholar of American power” reveals the forces behind the assassination of JFK—and their continuing influence over our world (David Talbot, Salon).   On November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was gunned down in Dallas by Lee Harvey Oswald. Shortly after, Oswald himself was killed. These events led many to believe there was a far greater plan at work, with a secret cabal of powerful men manipulating the public and shaping US policies both at home and abroad for their own interests.   But no one could imagine how right they were.   Beneath the orderly façade of the American government, there lies a complex network, only partly structural, linking Wall Street influence, corrupt bureaucracy, and the military-industrial complex. Here lies the true power of the American empire. This behind-the-scenes web is unelected, unaccountable, and immune to popular resistance. Peter Dale Scott calls this entity the deep state, and he has made it his life’s work to write the history of those who manipulate our government from the shadows. Since the aftermath of World War II, the deep state’s power has grown unchecked, and nowhere has it been more apparent than that day at Dealey Plaza.   In this landmark volume, Scott traces how culpable elements in the CIA and FBI helped prepare for the assassination, and how the deep state continues to influence our politics today.   As timely and important as ever in the current chaotic political climate, Dallas ’63 is a reality-shattering, frightening exposé not of those who govern us—but of those who govern those who govern us.  

Genres: History, Politics, Nonfiction, Conspiracy Theories, American, American History, Audiobook

435 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 29, 2015

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an alarming dissection of the Deep State in the U.S., and how it began with the assassination of JFK and continued with the effects on several succeeding presidencies. The Deep State is an extreme right-wing parallel shadow government that has always urged the U.S. toward global hegemony, war, and an intention for the U.S. to have global dominance. The author traces footprints of this shadow government from Dealey Plaza to the October Surprise and even up to 9-11.

Every time a president has pushed for peace, detente, or harmony toward other nations, he has been killed (JFK), disgraced and forced to resign (Nixon), or defeated after one term (Carter) for not presenting a bellicose world attitude. According to this book, this Deep State has planned for a continuation of government that might ultimately suspend the Constitution and democracy as we have known it. The ultimate test of whether the current Constitutionally based federal government could withstand this hard charge from the extreme right was after 9-11, when the greatest threat to U.S. safety and autonomy was challenged, and the shadow government was prepared to take over the government of the U.S.

This is a very scary and deeply researched book. It asserts that Lee Harvey Oswald was set up to be a patsy for an eventual presidential assassination and became one on Nov. 22, 1963. Oswald's records as a marine, defector to the Soviet Union, and designated patsy of the JFK assassination were
continually obfuscated over the years of his life by a number of government agencies to fit the pattern of what the Deep State had chosen for him to do. At JFK's death, the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Vietnam was countermanded by LBJ, and the Deep State got its way of keeping the country immersed in wars and continuing to strive for world dominance.

The book is footnoted to the nth degree, and while it's impossible to identify specific persons who have secretly fomented the political direction of the U.S., the book gives a broad outline of what occurred beginning with the Kennedy assassination and the Deep State's plans into the 21st century. It is a sobering investigation into the unnamed forces that have operated below the radar in the federal government up through Reagan's presidency. It is a chilling book.

[Pete daPixie · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Dallas '63:The First Deep State Revolt Against the White House' (2015) is the reading equivalent of stepping into a cold shower. A not too pleasant experience that takes your breath away, but once endured leaves one feeling wide awake and refreshed.
Peter Dale Scott has written many books on what he terms the 'deep state' and on the subject of the JFK assassination in particular. I have previously read his 'Deep Politics & the death of JFK' (1993) and 'Deep Politics II' aka 'Oswald, Mexico and Deep Politics' (2003). Readers of 'Deep Politics II' will find a similar thread to the first few chapters of this publication. The cold shower analogy is quite apt here, as Scott presents a wealth of insights into the tangled government and intelligence agency files created around the 'legend' of Lee Harvey Oswald between 1959 and 1963.
Once passed these early chapters the book opens up. It becomes more readable and very startling.
The deep state COG (Continuity of Government) or what in the Pentagon was referred to as the Doomesday Project- secret planning for the suspension of the constitution is as disturbing as Dr. Strangelove...but not so funny.
I have recently become very interested in the actions of military intelligence personnel in Dallas, and Scott presents some very insightful links to M.I. in the Secret Service detail, D.P.D. officers and Texan political groups. Without mention of the fake military autopsy or burial in a military cemetery.
What gives this book it's breadth of scrutiny into deep state actions are not just the JFK case, but the continuing events of Watergate, Iran-Contra and 9/11.
To affix the label 'conspiracy theory' is both naïve and ridiculous. Scott is presenting known factual historical records. Exposing lies, obfuscations and treasons from the unelected, unconstitutional and undemocratic, deep state, right wing conglomerate.

[Josh · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first half is so thick with granular detail and acronyms that it’s almost unreadable, even for someone like myself who has a good grasp on the JFK “expanded universe”, so to speak.
The more big picture stuff in the second half however was fascinating, with Scott tying together various “deep events” of American 20th cent history (JFK, watergate, Iran contra), and pulling back the curtain as to what was really going on behind the scenes with regards to the interests of the American deep state.
This was my first entry into Peter Dale Scott, and while I want to go further into his work, this book is definitely not the one to start with.

[Nathan Steinmetz]

I don't think anybody "gets it" quite like PDS

[Anthony Ambruso · Rating 5 out of 5]

Frightening but true

This book is a real eye-opener. I have slowly figured this stuff out over the years, but was horrified to see it in print. I didn't want it to be true. We have a deep state operating within our government. It's sad: I was attached to our constitutional system.

[Jeff Mohr · Rating 4 out of 5]

A detailed analysis of the "deep state" and the "deep politics" surrounding the assassination of President Kennedy. This book is for serious students of the Kennedy assassination only.

[Ronald Pierce · Rating 4 out of 5]

More references than book.
A re-read for sure

[Lynn Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great read for all JFK assassination "fans". It is very detailed. This book deals more with the who did it and why they did it than the "how" question. I've been studying the JFK assassination since 1975 and a lot of my studies have been on criticism of the Warren Commission and its findings, and alternate theories as to how it was done (i.e. triangulation of crossfire). Too many of us who have researched the assassination have focused on how the Warren Commission was wrong, and how many shots and where they were fired from and how many assassins were firing that day in Dealey Plaza. But the really important questions remain -- who wanted John F. Kennedy dead and why?

The author makes the argument for a coup d'etat was performed by the "deep state", taking out JFK as President and installing JFK. As is well documented, JFK had planned to withdraw from Vietnam and was planning on changing foreign policy. The military industrial complex (which Ike warned the American public about in his farewell address) wanted to invade Cuba. Many of the military generals wanted war with the Soviet Union.

The author also argues that other important events after the assassination (such as Watergate, the Iranian Hostage Crisis, Iran-Contra and 9/11) were all a part of a deep state/shadow government action(s) to continue to control the United States of America.

Some may find this idea laughable. Others of us are no longer surprised by the facts coming to light. The JFK assassination was a seminal event in American history and may have been the first deep state coup. I highly recommend this book, but it is not a quick or easy read as there is so much information to digest.

[Barry Bozeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another key addition to the ever growing 'must read' evidence of the Dulles CIA crime that ended our last chance at true democracy in the USA. Hegemony won - Detente lost and our financial imperialism run by the Military Industrial Complex and the Corporate Imperialism Agency CIA solidified the shadow government in the deep state that destroyed democracy

[Mike Boyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insightful

This work covered not only the machinations of the Kennedy coup’d ta, but how powerful cabals behind the scenes have controlled the destiny of the United States today. Learned a lot from this work. The narrative in this book can be extrapolated in geometric progression to what we see today in not only our country, but all over the globe. Very deep work.

[Jeremy Landau · Rating 1 out of 5]

Terrible! The concept of the Deep State is entirely real. The authors' journey to get there - even his premise for the assassination - is based on his own obsession, previous books, and a veiled tapestry of contrivances.

[Allen Bolinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting read with information I have not seen in other books about the assassination.

[Paulio Himmelmench · Rating 5 out of 5]

A valiant attempt to sketch out the overarching reasons why the United States is a conservative hell internally and a force of destruction and mayhem around the world.

[Michael H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Read

Peter Dale Scott is one of the best researchers in the business. He takes the minutia of this case and makes it interesting.

[David Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoughtful and informative.

Big money equates to big power. Big power means the ability to make more money. Fully sourced which means I've a lot more reading to do🙂

[Mary Vogelsong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exhaustively researched. Gives a glimpse into the darkness of the covert side of the CIA.

[Matthew J · Rating 5 out of 5]

His views closely align with mine which of course means that he is correct.

[Tomasz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Diving into so many rabbitholes can't be any other than chaotic, and chaotic is the adjective best describing this book. Which, yeah, problematic, but on the level of an overly energetic puppy. Unfortunately, many of those dives are a bit shallow, a few seem misaimed, but there are some salient points raised, some intriguing hypotheses essayed. Which, for what is essentially a meta-conspiracy theory tome, is above the average, I would say. The bits on US far-right movements in the 1950s and early 1960s, and their ties to law enforcement, intelligence apparatus, and the Mob, are certainly useful.

[Tedi · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fascinating and well researched analysis into the underbelly of the beast that is American politics, with its connections to intelligence agencies, mafia figures, corporate leaders, and much more. Scott draws from various sources to make the connections between people, places and events throughout history, in the process shining a light on the mechanisms that led to our current power structure. On more than one occasion, the "why" and the "how" are just as eye-opening (if not downright unsettling) as the "who."

I found it a bit repetitive in some parts, and there were a few grammatical errors, but as an eBook, the latter could easily be fixed in later updates.

[Harvey Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was of the sort of book that most people would equate with the phrase "conspiracy theory". That said, it was overly cluttered with too many finite details that made it hard to really keep track of the veracity of the claims made by the author. It fits the general deep state pattern that is popular, but other authors had done better justice to the concept.

[Duncan MacDonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peter Dale Scott's book is a must-read for anyone interested in the American Deep State. Great research and loaded with references and leads. You need to read this!