The Jackal’s Independent Operation

This flow follows The Jackal’s transformation of a paid assignment into an elaborate operation designed to defeat identification and security.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

The Assignment Accepted

The Assignment Accepted Judging the target The Jackal explains that a professional can succeed only by planning for the security surrounding Charles de Gaulle. He insists that escape matters as much as the shot and that he will not act until the method is satisfactory. The bargain He accepts the contract for a substantial payment, while setting strict limits on contact with the OAS. From this meeting onward, the operation belongs to him rather than to its sponsors.

Choosing the Day

Choosing the Day Research as preparation The Jackal studies Charles de Gaulle’s character, public habits, and history. At the British Museum, he searches newspaper archives for a moment when the President will be predictably exposed. A date shaped by pride He concludes that Liberation Day will bring Charles de Gaulle into public view despite danger. The choice rests on a psychological judgment: the President’s sense of duty and ceremony may make him predictable where routine security is not.

Creating Alexander Duggan

Creating Alexander Duggan A stolen identity The Jackal steals passports from travelers whose builds resemble his own, then constructs a British identity from the records of a child who died decades earlier. The process relies on gaps between official records and casual verification. A usable disguise Clothing, hair tint, contact lenses, and altered documents allow him to move between identities. The false passport does more than cross borders: it gives investigators a misleading person to search for.

The Custom Rifle

The Custom Rifle A weapon for concealment In Brussels, The Jackal commissions M. Goossens to adapt a hunting rifle into a compact, silenced weapon with removable parts. The design is tailored to the limits of transport and to a single planned shot. Preparation through testing He practices in the Ardennes, adjusts the sight, and tests the ammunition. Every component is then disguised as ordinary equipment, making the weapon’s concealment part of the assassination plan itself.

The Final Disguise

The Final Disguise Building a veteran’s appearance In a borrowed Paris apartment, The Jackal lays out forged French papers, medals, a beret, and clothing for a wounded veteran disguise. He prepares a way to conceal the rifle inside an apparent crutch. Entry rather than escape The disguise is designed to exploit sympathy and routine rather than overpower the security perimeter. The plan depends on being admitted as harmless, then assembling the weapon inside the protected area.

June 15, 1963

Early July 1963

July 1963

July 21 to early August 1963

Evening of August 24, 1963