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Oral history
John F. Kennedy Oral History Collection
JFKOH-CK-01
Kaysen discusses his role as Deputy Special Assistant, strategic retaliatory forces and retaliatory missile defense, the Congo, Civil Defense, balance of payments, and the Basic National Security Policy [BNSP], among other issues.
Oral history
John F. Kennedy Oral History Collection
JFKOH-ACE-01
Enthoven discusses his impressions of Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara and his work applying systems analysis to Defense Department problems, among other issues.
Oral history
John F. Kennedy Oral History Collection
JFKOH-RSM-01
McNamara discusses the defense budget and military strategy during the Eisenhower and Kennedy administrations, the recruitment of Defense Department staff, his appointment as Secretary of Defense, the Bay of Pigs, and the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Oral history
John F. Kennedy Oral History Collection
JFKOH-EAM-03
This interview focuses on emergency preparedness planning during the Cuban Missile Crisis, McDermott’s personal recollections of John F. Kennedy [JFK], and JFK’s assassination.
Oral history
John F. Kennedy Oral History Collection
JFKOH-EAM-02
This interview focuses on the establishment of the Office of Emergency Planning, the investigation of the surplus in the National Stockpile, and the creation of the Federal Disaster Assistance Program, among other topics.
Oral history
John F. Kennedy Oral History Collection
JFKOH-CPR-01
This interview focuses on the 1960 Democratic primary in Wisconsin, the internal operations of the Defense Department under Robert S. McNamara, and the relations between the military and the Defense Department, among other topics.
Oral history
John F. Kennedy Oral History Collection
JFKOH-JKR-01
In this interview Ruina discusses the Nike-Zeus antiballistic-missile-missiles; briefing President John F. Kennedy [JFK] on the Nike-Zeus missiles; JFK’s comprehension of the briefing material and the type of questions he asked; Project Defender; the background and organization of the Advanced Research Projects Agency; the leadership and organization of the Department of Defense; interactions with Robert S. McNamara; competition between the military and the Defense Department on research and development and for resources and congressional funds; the period of new, advanced—but not always useful—technology; and Project AGILE and counterinsurgency efforts in Vietnam, among other issues.