Throughout the course of history, several events have been highly criticized, debated and even denied. In fact, some of the biggest events in history are still debated to this day. The following seven events have shaped many people’s worldviews. However, the details surrounding these historical events are denied or disputed by many. Whether it is historians or common citizens, it is interesting to see how different people depict these events.
John F. Kennedy Assassination
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On November 22, 1963, American president John F. Kennedy was assassinated during a motorcade appearance in downtown Dallas. The United States government claims that Kennedy was shot by communist fanatic, Lee Harvey Oswald from the window of a nearby business window. After a brief manhunt, Oswald was arrested and taken into custody for the assassination of the president. However, shortly after his incarceration, Oswald was shot by Jack Ruby, a local nightclub owner. With Oswald’s death, the possibility of ever discovering what exactly happened that day disappeared.
The assassination continues to be a highly debated historical event. First of all, several people find it hard to believe that Oswald would have been able to shoot the president from the tall building window. An investigation into the bullet trajectory reveals that the deadly shot could have come from another direction. This point has spurred several other theories, such as the possibility of another shooter in a different location. Others have developed more theories regarding the intentions of Jack Ruby and conspiracies involving the government.
9/11
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The September 11 attack consisted of a series of coordinated terrorist attacks on the United States. Led by the terrorist group, al-Qaeda, the attacks destroyed the World Trade Center buildings in New York City, part of the Pentagon and killed thousands of innocent Americans. Terrorists hijacked four planes and used them to fly into these locations. The fourth plane never made it to its intended target, as courageous flight passengers overtook the terrorists.
Thousands of lives were impacted that day and the events began the United States’ war against terrorism. However, this historical event has led to many conspiracy theorists sharing ideas about the event. One of the most commonly heard theories about the attacks is that the United States government orchestrated the entire ordeal. Recently, a fake news story has become viral which states that a dying CIA agent confessed that the government purposely demolished the World Trade Center buildings with explosives. While there is no truth to these stories, the events of September 11, 2001 continue to be highly debated.
Nanjing Massacre
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The Nanjing Massacre took place at the end of the Second Sino-Japanese war. While it has been several years since its happening, the event continues to plague relations between China and Japan. In fact, the details of the massacre are still creating animosity and disagreements between the two Asian countries. China claims that the massacre began as the Old Japanese Army was celebrating a bloody victory in Shanghai. They decided to continue their rampage into the Chinese capital city of Nanjing. Chinese officials caught wind of the attack and, evacuated the city of all high-ranking leaders and experienced fighters. With the city defenseless, the Japanese army easily overtook citizens.
During the three-week period, around 300,000 Chinese citizens were raped and murdered by the attacking Japanese. While the details are horrific, several critics point out inconsistencies in China’s claims. First, the number of victims has continued to rise to this very day. Even stranger, the official list of names is much less than the claimed 300,000. No matter what side of the dispute, the Nanking Massacre has continued to affect Asian relations and stability in the region.
Holocaust
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The Holocaust is to blame for the deaths of around six million European Jews. Under the tyrannical leadership of Adolf Hitler, the Nazi regime committed several atrocities against humanity. While the majority of people understand the tragedy of this event, a minority of people denies that the Holocaust really happened.
As bizarre as this may sound, several Holocaust deniers use a number of reasons to dispute the event. Some claim that Jews were not killed, but simply deported. Then, there are others than completely deny the event. With some going as far as calling the Holocaust a hoax created by Jews to advance their common goals. Fortunately, in many countries denying the Holocaust is an illegal act.
The Life of Jesus of Nazareth
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Religious events are some of the most commonly disputed historical events. Whether the events were divine interventions or exaggerated historical events, it is easy for people to point out flaws. One of the most well known religious stories is the life of Jesus of Nazareth, a major character in many of the world’s religions. In Christianity, Jesus is considered the son of God. In other religions, he is considered a prophet or a wise man.
Apollo Moon Landing
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When the United States completed a successful mission to the moon in 1969, the country rejoiced. It was truly a milestone historic event. However, many conspiracy theorists claimed the entire thing was a hoax. In fact, some even claim that the moon landing was simply filmed on a movie set.
The American Revolution
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From 1765-1783, the original thirteen colonies began their fight for independence from the British. This time was filled with war and conflict, but resulted in the creation of the free world. This colonial revolt is made up of many highly debated details. One of the most highly debated details is the number of troops on each side. Hollywood has painted colonial troops as outnumbered and weak. However, historians explain that it was most likely the British troops that were sparse in numbers and weaponry.
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