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Oral history
John F. Kennedy Oral History Collection
JFKOH-RH-01
In this interview Hilsman discusses his initial interactions with John F. Kennedy [JFK]; Hilsman’s appointment to the Department of State during the Kennedy Administration; Foreign Service officers and “hot-seat” jobs; issues with Dean Rusk as Secretary of State; reorganizing the Bureau of Intelligence and Research; the flow of information between the State Department and the White House; staffing the State Department; the use of satellite intelligence; John A. McCone; working with and around Robert F. Kennedy [RFK]; JFK, RFK, and Vietnam; Edward G. Lansdale; Maxwell D. Taylor; the connection between Vietnam and Laos; U.S. action in Laos; the Buddhist crisis in Vietnam; the impact of WWII on Hilsman and JFK’s generation; and the 1963 coup in Vietnam, among other issues.
Oral history
John F. Kennedy Oral History Collection
JFKOH-RFK-08
In this interview Robert F. Kennedy [RFK] discusses John F. Kennedy’s [JFK] Cabinet and appointing the various secretaries; problems in and JFK’s wariness of the Department of State; the ideal State Department organization; problems with Dean Rusk; Maxwell D. Taylor’s Cuba investigation; the Bay of Pigs and its effect on U.S. action in Laos; John McCone’s prediction of missiles in Cuba; Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson and foreign policy; JFK’s vice-presidential choice at the 1960 Democratic National Convention; Johnson’s hesitant acceptance of the vice-presidential slot; RFK’s appointment as Attorney General; RFK’s involvement in staffing the White House for JFK and other presidential appointments; Lord Harlech (William David Ormsby-Gore); and State Department staff, 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-RFK-02
In this interview Robert F. Kennedy [RFK] discusses the 1961 Berlin crisis; American forces, military and diplomatic, in Germany; John F. Kennedy’s [JFK] recommendation for Americans to have fallout shelters; nuclear testing; problems with the Department of State; the start of the conflict in Vietnam, 1961; the Department of Justice under RFK and organized crime; RFK’s difficult relationship with J. Edgar Hoover; the wiretapping bill; new federal judgeships in 1961 and other presidential appointments; the Alliance for Progress; Red China; crises during JFK’s presidency and how he was an optimist; RFK’s move for an income tax increase during the Berlin crisis; RFK’s disagreements with President JFK; indecisiveness over picking JFK’s running mate, 1960; the missile gap; fighting and UN operations in the Congo; Nikita S. Khrushchev’s speeches; RFK’s 1962 trip to Japan, Indonesia, Germany, and other countries; the release of Allen L. Pope; Dutch disputes in Southeast Asia; the 1961 crisis in the Dominican Republic and the assassination of Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina; the 1962 disarmament conference in Geneva; Edward M. Kennedy’s 1962 campaign for U.S. Senate; the Kennedy family national and political reputation; the Justice Department under RFK and civil rights; and the 1962 steel crisis, among other issues.
Oral history
John F. Kennedy Oral History Collection
JFKOH-RFK-01
In this interview Robert F. Kennedy [RFK] discusses beginning John F. Kennedy's [JFK] presidential Administration with no political obligations; carefully picking Cabinet members, specifically Secretaries of State, Defense, and Treasury; RFK’s decision on what role to play in JFK’s Administration; JFK’s unhappiness with Dean Rusk as Secretary of State; JFK’s advisers and other presidential appointments; Cabinet meetings; Department of Justice organization under RFK; the first 100 days of the Kennedy Administration; the role of the Vice President, according to RFK; JFK’s relationship with Lyndon B. Johnson and why JFK put Johnson on the ticket in 1960; what JFK was most concerned with as President; domestic programs versus foreign affairs in the Kennedy Administration; Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr.’s role during JFK’s presidency; the Bay of Pigs, the aftermath, and its effect on JFK; how JFK approached problems as President; dealing with Georgi Bolshakov; negotiating with the Soviet Union in Vienna, over Laos and Cuba, etc.; JFK’s relationship with foreign heads of state; State Department staff and U.S. Ambassadors; the military coup in Vietnam; the Berlin crisis of the summer of 1961 and the Berlin Wall; RFK’s 1961 trip to the Ivory Coast; and Soviet and American nuclear testing, among other issues.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. National Security Files
JFKNSF-334-014
This file contains memoranda and papers regarding continuing education and training in the areas of national security and foreign affairs, counter-insurgency training objectives, and the implementation of National Security Action Memoranda number 131 (NSAM 131) titled, “Training Objectives for Counter-Insurgency.” Also included is a copy of NSAM 131 to Secretary of State Dean Rusk; Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara; Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy; General Lyman Lemnitzer, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Director of Central Intelligence John McCone; Fowler Hamilton, Administrator of the Agency for International Development (AID); and Edward R. Murrow, Director of the United States Information Agency (USIA), from McGeorge Bundy, Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. National Security Files
JFKNSF-333-016
This file contains a copy of National Security Action Memoranda number 124 (NSAM 124) titled, “Establishment of the Special Group (Counter-Insurgency),” from President John F. Kennedy to Secretary of State Dean Rusk; Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara; Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy; General Lyman Lemnitzer, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Director of Central Intelligence John McCone; Fowler Hamilton, Administrator of the Agency for International Development (AID); Edward R. Murrow, Director of the United States Information Agency (USIA); and General Maxwell Taylor, Military Representative to the President.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. National Security Files
JFKNSF-340-012
This file contains a draft and copies of National Security Action Memoranda number 226 (NSAM 226) titled, “Directive Relating to the Transmittal of Information to the Watch Committee of the USIB [United States Intelligence Board],” to Secretary of State Dean Rusk, Secretary of the Treasury C. Douglas Dillon, Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, Secretary of Commerce Luther H. Hodges, Director of the Office of Emergency Planning (OEP) Edward McDermott, Director of the Bureau of the Budget Kermit Gordon, Director of the United States Information Agency (USIA) Edward R. Murrow, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) Glenn T. Seaborg, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Maxwell Taylor, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) John McCone, Administrator for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) James E. Webb, and Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) J. Edgar Hoover from President John F. Kennedy.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. National Security Files
JFKNSF-339-018
This file contains copies of National Security Action Memoranda number 204 (NSAM 204) titled, "Special Group (Counter-Insurgency)," to Secretary of State Dean Rusk, Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Maxwell Taylor, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) John McCone, Administrator of the Agency for International Development (AID) Fowler Hamilton, and Director of the United States Information Agency (USIA) Edward R. Murrow from President John F. Kennedy.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. National Security Files
JFKNSF-339-017
This file contains copies of National Security Action Memoranda number 203 (NSAM 203) titled, "Responsibility for Port Security," to Secretary of State Dean Rusk, Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, Secretary of the Treasury C. Douglas Dillon, Secretary of Commerce Luther H. Hodges, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) John McCone, Administrator of the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) Najeeb Halaby, and Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) Glenn T. Seaborg from President John F. Kennedy.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. National Security Files
JFKNSF-339-006
This file contains a draft and copies of National Security Action Memoranda number 196 (NSAM 196) titled, “Establishment of an Executive Committee of the National Security Council,” to Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson, Secretary of State Dean Rusk, Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, Secretary of the Treasury C. Douglas Dillon, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Maxwell Taylor, and Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) John McCone from President John F. Kennedy.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. National Security Files
JFKNSF-338-014
This file contains copies of National Security Action Memoranda number 186 (NSAM 186) titled, "Countries under the Cognizance of the Special Group (CI)," to Secretary of State Dean Rusk, Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Lyman L. Lemnitzer, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) John McCone, Administrator for the Agency for International Development (AID) Fowler Hamilton, and Director of the United States Information Agency (USIA) Edward R. Murrow from McGeorge Bundy, Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. National Security Files
JFKNSF-338-012
This file contains copies of National Security Action Memoranda number 184 (NSAM 184) titled, "Countries under the Cognizance of the Special Group (CI)," to Secretary of State Dean Rusk, Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Lyman L. Lemnitzer, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) John McCone, Administrator for the Agency for International Development (AID) Fowler Hamilton, and Director of the United States Information Agency (USIA) Edward R. Murrow from McGeorge Bundy, Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. National Security Files
JFKNSF-338-010
This file contains a draft and copies of National Security Action Memoranda number 182 (NSAM 182) titled, “Counterinsurgency Doctrine,” to Secretary of State Dean Rusk, Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Lyman Lemnitzer, Director of Central Intelligence John McCone, Administrator of the Agency for International Development (AID) Fowler Hamilton, Director of the United States Information Agency (USIA) Edward R. Murrow, and Military Representative to the President General Maxwell Taylor from McGeorge Bundy, Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs. Also included is a paper prepared by the Department of State in conjunction with the Special Group (CI) titled, “U.S. Overseas Internal Defense Policy.”
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. National Security Files
JFKNSF-338-009
This file contains memoranda relating to National Security Action Memoranda number 181 (NSAM 181) regarding action to be taken in response to new activity in Cuba by the Soviet Union to Secretary of State Dean Rusk, Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, Director of Central Intelligence John McCone, and Military Representative to the President General Maxwell Taylor from McGeorge Bundy, Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs. Topics include United States reconnaissance operations in Cuba, protocol for U.S. flights over Cuba, and increased economic and military aid to Cuba by the Soviet Union. Of note is a draft of a proposed statement on Cuban policy for President John F. Kennedy containing annotations and edits by the President.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. National Security Files
JFKNSF-338-008
This file contains drafts of National Security Action Memoranda number 181 (NSAM 181) regarding action to be taken in response to new activity in Cuba by the Soviet Union to Secretary of State Dean Rusk, Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, Director of Central Intelligence John McCone, and Military Representative to the President General Maxwell Taylor from McGeorge Bundy, Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs. Also included are memoranda discussing Soviet Union military shipments to Cuba; the military significance of missile installations in Cuba; and the probable military, political, and psychological impact of missiles in Cuba.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. National Security Files
JFKNSF-338-007
This file contains copies of National Security Action Memoranda number 180 (NSAM 180) titled, “Membership of the Special Group (CI),” to Secretary of State Dean Rusk, Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Lyman Lemnitzer, Director of Central Intelligence John McCone, Administrator of the Agency for International Development (AID) Fowler Hamilton, Director of the United States Information Agency (USIA) Edward R. Murrow, and Military Representative to the President General Maxwell Taylor from McGeorge Bundy, Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. National Security Files
JFKNSF-338-003
This file contains a draft and copies of National Security Action Memoranda number 176 (NSAM 176) titled, “Release of Public Information Concerning Soviet Nuclear Tests,” to Secretary of State Dean Rusk; Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara; Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy; Secretary of Commerce Luther H. Hodges; Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW) Anthony J. Celebrezze; Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) John McCone; Director of the Office of Emergency Planning (OEP) Edward McDermott; Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) Glenn T. Seaborg; Director of the United States Information Agency (USIA) Edward R. Murrow; Administrator for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) James E. Webb; and Director of the Office of Science and Technology Jerome B. Wiesner from McGeorge Bundy, Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. National Security Files
JFKNSF-337-013
This file contains a draft and copies of National Security Action Memoranda number 173 (NSAM 173) titled, "Interdepartmental Field Visits," to Secretary of State Dean Rusk, Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Lyman L. Lemnitzer, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) John McCone, Administrator for the Agency for International Development (AID) Fowler Hamilton, Director of the United States Information Agency (USIA) Edward R. Murrow, and Chairman of the Special Group (Counterinsurgency) Ambassador Henry A. Byroade from President John F. Kennedy. Also included is the report by the Fourth Interdepartmental Survey Group titled, "Report for the President on Liberia and Tunisia." This file contains material that is closed due to security restrictions.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. National Security Files
JFKNSF-337-010
This file contains copies of National Security Action Memoranda number 170 (NSAM 170) titled, “Intelligence Collection through Audio Surveillance (President’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board Recommendation No. 35),” to Secretary of State Dean Rusk, Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, and Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) John McCone from McGeorge Bundy, Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs. This file contains material that is closed due to security restrictions.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. National Security Files
JFKNSF-337-004
This file contains a draft and copy of National Security Action Memoranda number 165 (NSAM 165) titled, "Assignment of Additional Responsibility to the Special Group (CI)," to Secretary of State Dean Rusk, Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Lyman L. Lemnitzer, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) John McCone, Administrator for the Agency for International Development (AID) Fowler Hamilton, and Director of the United States Information Agency (USIA) Edward R. Murrow from McGeorge Bundy, Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs. Also included is a draft of NSAM 162.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. National Security Files
JFKNSF-337-002
This file contains a draft and copies of National Security Action Memoranda number 163 (NSAM 163) titled, "Training Objectives for Counterinsurgency," to Secretary of State Dean Rusk, Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Lyman L. Lemnitzer, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) John McCone, Administrator for the Agency for International Development (AID) Fowler Hamilton, and Director of the United States Information Agency (USIA) Edward R. Murrow from McGeorge Bundy, Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. National Security Files
JFKNSF-337-001
This file contains drafts and copies of National Security Action Memoranda number 162 (NSAM 162) titled, "Development of U.S. and Indigenous Police, Paramilitary and Military Resources," to Secretary of State Dean Rusk, Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) John McCone, and Director of the United States Information Agency (USIA) Edward R. Murrow from McGeorge Bundy, Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs. Also included are progress reports on the implementation of NSAM 162.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. National Security Files
JFKNSF-336-017
This file contains copies of National Security Action Memoranda number 161 (NSAM 161) titled, "U.S. Internal Security Programs," to Secretary of State Dean Rusk, Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, Secretary of the Treasury C. Douglas Dillon, Secretary of Commerce Luther H. Hodges, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) John McCone, Military Representative to the President General Maxwell Taylor, Administrator of the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) Najeeb Halaby, and Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) Glenn T. Seaborg from President John F. Kennedy.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. National Security Files
JFKNSF-341-012
This file contains drafts and copies of National Security Action Memoranda number 252 (NSAM 252) titled, “Establishment of the National Communications System,” to Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson, Secretary of State Dean Rusk, Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, Secretary of the Treasury C. Douglas Dillon, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) John McCone, Director of the United States Information Agency (USIA) Edward R. Murrow, Administrator for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) James E. Webb, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) E. William Henry, Administrator of the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) Najeeb Halaby, Administrator for the General Services Administration (GSA) Bernard Boutin, Director of the Bureau of the Budget Kermit Gordon, Director of the Office of Emergency Planning (OEP) Edward McDermott, Director of the Office of Science and Technology Jerome B. Wiesner, and the Director of Telecommunications Management [to be established] from McGeorge Bundy, Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs. Also included are memoranda related to NSAM 252.