Did a failed assassin change history, or was he just a pawn of the mob?
In short: On February 15, 1933, Giuseppe Zangara fired five shots at President-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt in Miami. He missed, killing Chicago Mayor Anton Cermak instead. While Zangara claimed he acted alone out of hatred for the wealthy, conspiracy theories persist that he was a hired hitman for the Chicago Outfit.
Giuseppe Zangara, an Italian-born bricklayer, lived a life marked by hardship and chronic, debilitating abdominal pain. Born in 1900, he suffered from an early age, later attributing his agony to grueling labor on his father's farm. By 1933, he was homeless in Miami, fueled by a deep-seated resentment toward the political and economic elite. On the night of February 15, he stood on a wobbly bench to fire a .32-caliber revolver at Roosevelt. His aim was disrupted by Lillian Cross, who grabbed his arm, causing him to hit five bystanders, including Mayor Anton Cermak, who died 19 days later.
The official narrative identifies Zangara as a lone actor, a man who pleaded guilty to his crimes and expressed no remorse, even demanding a harsher sentence. He was executed in Florida's electric chair on March 20, 1933, just over a month after the attempt. However, the event spawned enduring speculation. Some theorists argue that Cermak, not Roosevelt, was the intended target, citing the mayor's recent conflict with Chicago crime boss Frank Nitti. Proponents of this view suggest Zangara was a tool of the Chicago Outfit, though experts and investigators like Raymond Moley have largely dismissed these claims as unsubstantiated.
Zangara's failed assassination has become a staple of alternate history, serving as a pivotal 'what if' moment in literature and media. Works like Philip K. Dick's 'The Man in the High Castle' and various television portrayals imagine a world where Roosevelt was successfully eliminated, leading to vastly different historical trajectories. Whether viewed as a tragic, deranged individual or a potential cog in a larger criminal conspiracy, Zangara remains a haunting figure in American history, his actions forever linked to the volatile atmosphere of the Great Depression.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Giuseppe Zangara
- Also: FDR escapes assassination attempt in Miami | February 15, 1933 | HISTORY
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