Failed Assassinations Who Would Have Changed the Course of History

Assassinations have played a significant role in shaping the course of history. Sometimes, the success or failure of an assassination attempt can have far-reaching consequences that alter the trajectory of entire nations or even the world. Here are five failed assassins who would have changed the course of history had they succeeded.\r \r 1. John Wilkes Booth\r \r John Wilkes Booth is perhaps the most famous failed assassin in American history. In 1865, Booth, an actor and Confederate sympathizer, plotted to assassinate President Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. Booth snuck into the presidential box and shot Lincoln in the head, but his plan to escape was foiled, and he was eventually tracked down and killed by Union soldiers. Had Booth succeeded in Lincoln, the course of American history would have been dramatically different. Lincoln was a towering figure in American politics and played a key role in ending slavery and preserving the Union. Without him, the path to Reconstruction would have been much rockier, and the country might have faced a far different future.\r \r 2. Gavrilo Princip\r \r Gavrilo Princip was a member of the Serbian nationalist organization known as the Black Hand. In 1914, he caused the death of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary in Sarajevo, an act that set off a chain of events that led to World War I. While Princip's assassination attempt was successful, his intended target, the Archduke's wife, survived. This meant that Austria-Hungary was still able to declare war on Serbia, which then led to a broader conflict involving multiple European powers. Had Princip failed in his assassination attempt, it's possible that World War I might never have happened, and the world would be a vastly different place today.\r \r 3. Nathuram Godse\r \r Nathuram Godse was a member of the Hindu nationalist organization Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and an ardent opponent of Mahatma Gandhi's policies. In 1948, he shot and killed Gandhi during a prayer meeting in New Delhi. Had Godse failed in his assassination attempt, Gandhi might have been able to continue his work towards building a unified India that was free from British rule. Gandhi's assassination sent shockwaves throughout India and highlighted the deep divisions that existed within the country. His death also marked the beginning of a period of political instability and violence that lasted for many years.\r \r 4. Georg Elser\r \r Georg Elser was a German carpenter who plotted to assassinate Adolf Hitler in 1939. Elser spent months building a bomb that he planned to detonate during a speech that Hitler was scheduled to give at the Bürgerbräukeller beer hall in Munich. However, Hitler's speech was cut short, and Elser's bomb went off too late, resulting in the death of eight people but failing to harm Hitler. Had Elser's assassination attempt succeeded, the course of World War II might have been vastly different. Hitler was a key figure in the Nazi party, and his leadership was instrumental in the rise of the Third Reich. Without him, the course of the war might have been different, and the Holocaust might never have happened.\r \r 5. Lee Harvey Oswald\r \r Lee Harvey Oswald is perhaps the most controversial failed assassin in American history. In 1963, Oswald shot and ended the life of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas, Texas. However, his assassination attempt was not successful, as he was later killed by Jack Ruby while in police custody. Had Oswald's assassination attempt been successful, the course of American history might have been vastly different. Kennedy was a charismatic and popular leader who was seen as a symbol of hope and progress. His assassination sent shockwaves throughout the country and marked the beginning of a turbulent period in American history. \r \r