Close
Not finding the information you're looking for? Please contact the Archives research staff.
Oral history
John F. Kennedy Oral History Collection
JFKOH-LCH-02
In this interview Heinz discusses his primary contacts in other government agencies; the Vietnam task force; the different political trips and survey missions to Vietnam; the Maxwell D. Taylor-Walt W. Rostow mission to Vietnam and subsequent report; the Ngo Dinh Diem regime; the rise in interest in the concept of counterinsurgency; problems with working in Vietnam; changing the terrain in Vietnam with the use of defoliants; the Strategic Hamlet program; how to measure success in warfare; the International Control Commission; General Paul D. Harkins; the various agency reports coming out of Vietnam and interagency meetings; the Buddhist crisis in the summer of 1963; the appointment of Henry Cabot Lodge as Ambassador; and the military coup in Saigon and the rumors leading up to it, among other issues.
Oral history
John F. Kennedy Oral History Collection
JFKOH-WAH-03
In this interview, Harriman discusses American opinion on negotiations in Laos; U.S. negotiations and objectives in Indonesia; American relations with Achmed Sukarno; friction between the State Department and the Pentagon over who should control the situation in Vietnam, civilians or the military; Ngo Dinh Diem and the military coup that overthrew him; problems with and for newspapermen in Vietnam; and his opinion on where the United States went wrong in Vietnam, among other issues.
Oral history
John F. Kennedy Oral History Collection
JFKOH-CLC-03
Cooper discusses Vietnam policy during the Kennedy administration, Henry Cabot Lodge’s ambassadorship to Vietnam, and the November 1963 coup that overthrew Ngo Dinh Diem, among other issues.
Oral history
John F. Kennedy Oral History Collection
JFKOH-VHK-01
Krulak discusses his earliest contact with John F. Kennedy in the Solomons, the Special Group (CI) on counterinsurgency, Robert S. McNamara, Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr., and Krulak’s observations on Vietnam, among other issues.
Oral history
John F. Kennedy Oral History Collection
JFKOH-RFK-03
In this interview Robert F. Kennedy [RFK] discusses the 1962 steel crisis; some major issues and accomplishments of John F. Kennedy’s [JFK] presidency; choosing the U.S. Ambassador to Russia; foreign aid and treaties; the military coup in Peru; the space race during the Kennedy Administration; the 1962 congressional and gubernatorial campaigns; JFK’s dinner for the Nobel Prize winners; the Polaris submarines; problems with the New York Herald Tribune; New York politics; various pieces of federal legislation, 1961–1963; the Dominican Republic; Department of Justice investigations under RFK; the difficulties of being Attorney General; congressional issues in early 1963; the Vietnam War escalation in 1963; American support of the coup in Vietnam; Henry Cabot Lodge as the U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam; the prisoners from the Bay of Pigs invasion; American actions in Cuba; unemployment and civil rights; RFK’s meeting with James Baldwin; JFK’s trips to the South and speeches on civil rights; the nuclear test ban treaty; and JFK’s trip to Ireland and Rome, among other issues.
Oral history
John F. Kennedy Oral History Collection
JFKOH-TGW-01
In this interview Wicker discusses early impressions of John F. Kennedy [JFK], 1952–1961; Lyndon B. Johnson campaigning for JFK in the South, 1960; Richard M. Nixon and Henry Cabot Lodge’s 1960 presidential campaign; JFK and Johnson in the August 1960 special session of Congress; Wicker’s first interview with President JFK for the New York Times, 1961; building a rapport with JFK’s staff; various Times articles, by Wicker and others, about the Kennedy Administration and White House reactions to them; Wicker’s arguments with Pierre E.G. Salinger over certain articles; year-end briefings in Palm Beach; and President JFK’s press conferences, among other issues.
Oral history
Robert F. Kennedy Oral History Collection
RFKOH-MDT-03
This interview focuses on the reorganization of the U.S. military command in Vietnam, general concern regarding the influence of Nhu within the Vietnamese government, and the Kennedy administration’s disillusionment with Diem, among other issues.
Photograph folder
White House Photographs
JFKWHP-1963-08-15-B
AR39, KN38
Photograph
White House Photographs
JFKWHP-AR8072-A
President John F. Kennedy (in rocking chair) meets with newly-appointed U.S. Ambassador to South Vietnam, Henry Cabot Lodge. Oval Office, White House, Washington, D.C.
Sound recording
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-MTG-119-003
Sound recording of a meeting about Vietnam held on November 2, 1963, between President John F. Kennedy, Secretary of State Dean Rusk, Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs McGeorge Bundy, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) John McCone, Under Secretary of State W. Averell Harriman, and Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs Roger Hilsman. Assistant Secretary Hilsman provides a briefing on Vietnam covering whether or not United States Ambassador to South Vietnam Henry Cabot Lodge should return to the United States for a briefing, the restoration of constitutional government in Vietnam, and information on the deaths of President of South Vietnam Ngo Dinh Diem and Ngo Dinh Nhu. This sound recording has been excerpted from Tape 119/A55, which contains additional sound recording(s) preceding and following this one. See Related Records to access Tape 119/A55 in its entirety.
Sound recording
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-MTG-118-004
Sound recording of a meeting about Vietnam held on October 30, 1963, between President John F. Kennedy, Secretary of State Dean Rusk, Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs McGeorge Bundy, Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) John McCone, and Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs W. Averell Harriman. They discuss the drafting of a message to United States Ambassador to South Vietnam Henry Cabot Lodge, communications, the chain of command, an assessment of the present situation, and United States staffing in Vietnam. Four segments of the recording totaling 12 seconds have been removed in accordance with Section 3.4 (b) (1), (3) of Executive Order 13526. This sound recording has been excerpted from Tape 118/A54, which contains additional sound recording(s) preceding and following this one. See Related Records to access Tape 118/A54 in its entirety.
Sound recording
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-MTG-118-003
Sound recording of a meeting about Vietnam held on October 29, 1963, between President John F. Kennedy, Chief of the Central Intelligence Agency's (CIA) Far East Division William Colby, Secretary of State Dean Rusk, Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs McGeorge Bundy, Military Advisor to the President General Maxwell Taylor, Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara; Director of the CIA John McCone, and Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. They discuss an intelligence report on Vietnam, the orientation of various Vietnamese forces, a 1960 coup attempt, messages to United States staff in Vietnam, whether or not United States Ambassador to South Vietnam Henry Cabot Lodge should return to the United States, the chain of command, and convoy procedures for Berlin, Germany. Seven segments of the recording totaling 27 seconds have been removed in accordance with Section 3.4 (b) (1), (3) of Executive Order 13526. This sound recording has been excerpted from Tape 118/A54, which contains additional sound recording(s) preceding and following this one. See Related Records to access Tape 118/A54 in its entirety.
Sound recording
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-MTG-117-004
Sound recording of a meeting about Vietnam held on October 25, 1963, between President John F. Kennedy, Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs McGeorge Bundy, Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) John McCone, and Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. Topics include an intelligence report on Vietnam, United States Embassy staffing in South Vietnam, planning, and instructions for United States Ambassador to South Vietnam Henry Cabot Lodge. Seven segments of the recording totaling 1 minute and 35 seconds have been removed in accordance with Section 3.4 (b) (1), (3) of Executive Order 13526. This sound recording has been excerpted from Tape 117/A53, which contains additional sound recording(s) preceding this one. See Related Records to access Tape 117/A53 in its entirety.
Sound recording
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-MTG-114-A49c
Sound recording of two meetings held on October 2, 1963. First is a brief discussion on Malaysia between President John F. Kennedy, Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs McGeorge Bundy, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs W. Averell Harriman, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) General Maxwell Taylor. Topics of discussion include the U.S./ANZUS (The Australia, New Zealand, United States Security Treaty) trade obligations and also Australian actions and interpretation of the ANZUS Treaty.Second is a meeting on Vietnam held in the morning between President John F. Kennedy, Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs McGeorge Bundy, Under Secretary of State George Ball, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs W. Averell Harriman, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) General Maxwell Taylor, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) John McCone, Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson, Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) David Bell, and CIA Deputy Director for Intelligence Ray S. Cline. Discussion topics include news coverage of Viet Cong and American casualties, possible troop reduction, North Vietnamese supply difficulties, Madame Nhu (Tran Le Xuan), and news coverage of a dispute between United States Ambassador to South Vietnam Henry Cabot Lodge and the CIA. In addition there are further discussions on the relationship between Ambassador Lodge and CIA station chief in Saigon John H. Richardson, reporting on Richardson, Ambassador Lodge's position regarding South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem, and Congressional briefings. During the meeting, President Kennedy has telephone conversations about labor contract talks, a "Time" magazine article, and an upcoming trip. Four segments of the recording totaling 39 seconds have been removed in accordance with Section 3.4 (b) (1), (3) of Executive Order 13526. Three segments of the recording totaling 2 minutes and 57 seconds has been removed in accordance with the donor's deed of gift.
This sound recording has been excerpted from Tape 114/A49, which contains additional sound recording(s) preceding and following this one. See Related Records to access Tape 114/A49 in its entirety.
Sound recording
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-MTG-111-003
Sound recording of a meeting about Vietnam held on September 17, 1963, between President John F. Kennedy, Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) General Maxwell Taylor, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) John McCone, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs W. Averell Harriman, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs McGeorge Bundy, and Secretary of State Dean Rusk. The discussion centers around a proposed trip of General Taylor and Secretary McNamara to Vietnam. President Kennedy requested this trip as a way to get additional viewpoints on the current situation, both political and military, in Vietnam. Much of the discussion centers around how United States Ambassador to South Vietnam Henry Cabot Lodge might react to the proposed trip and how to phrase a letter to Ambassador Lodge. There is also further discussion on South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem and Ngo Dinh Nhu and what course of action the United States should take to put pressure on them, particularly on President Diem. Eight segments of the recording totaling 6 minutes and 51 seconds have been removed in accordance with Section 3.4 (b) (1), (3) of Executive Order 13526. This sound recording has been excerpted from Tape 111, which contains additional sound recording(s) preceding and following this one. See Related Records to access Tape 111 in its entirety.
Photograph
White House Photographs
JFKWHP-KN-C29679
President John F. Kennedy (in rocking chair) meets with newly-appointed U.S. Ambassador to South Vietnam, Henry Cabot Lodge. Oval Office, White House, Washington, D.C.