Famously infamous

Lee Harvey Oswald

Lee Harvey Oswald is probably one of the most infamous figures in contemporary history. With his birth anniversary today, we've compiled a list of major political assassinations that have changed the course of history. Here are interesting videos, books and podcasts where you can learn more about these important figures and their assassinations in the larger context of the world.

1 Gavrilo Pricip: Arguably one of the most impactful assassins in history, 19-year-old Gavrilo Princep, was responsible for the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria. This incident was the spark that ignited the First World War. The book, The Trigger by Tim Butcher details the events leading up to the assassination and the life of young radical Gavrilo.
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G Princip. Pics/Wiki Commons

2 Yigal Amir: An Israeli radical right wing law student, Amir murdered the famous peacemaker Prime Minister of Israel Yitzhak Rabin. Rabin was actively trying to broker peace between Israel and Palestine but his dream was unfulfilled due to his untimely death. The conflict lingers on to this day. The book, Killing A King by Dan Ephron reveals the details of Rabin's assassination by Amir and the consequent impact on history of Israel.
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Benazir Bhutto

3 Bilal (alleged 15-year-old suicide bomber) and others: Former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's assassination is fresh in our minds as it is as recent as 2007. The involvement of terrorist organisations and even the upper echelons of power are mentioned in the book, Getting Away with Murder by Heraldo Munõz, making for an engrossing read.
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Watch
Irish Republican Army (IRA): The conflicts in Ireland are still considered one of the more violent civil wars in contemporary history. The BBC Two documentary, The Day Mountbatten Died, talks about the conception, impact and the long-lasting effects of key assassinations by the IRA on the history of Ireland, and also examines the brutality of the civil wars that followed.
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