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Sound recording
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-MTG-117-002
Sound recording of a meeting held on October 24, 1963, between President John F. Kennedy, Secretary of State Dean Rusk, Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs McGeorge Bundy, and Special Military Assistant to the President Maxwell Taylor. They discuss American forces in Europe, and topics include long range troop strength in Europe, Germany, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a draft of a speech, Soviet missiles, and the Multilateral Force (MLF). This sound recording has been excerpted from Tape 117/A53, which contains additional sound recording(s) preceding and following 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-111-001
Sound recording of part of a National Security Council (NSC) meeting held on September 12, 1963. The recording of this meeting begins on Tape 110. Participants include President John F. Kennedy, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission Glenn Seaborg, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) John McCone, Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) General Maxwell Taylor, Director of the Office of Emergency Preparedness Edward McDermott, Secretary of State Dean Rusk, Secretary of the Treasury C. Douglas Dillon, Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs McGeorge Bundy, Special Counsel to the President Theodore Sorensen, Military Aide to the President Major General Chester Clifton, and Executive Secretary of the National Security Council (NSC) Bromley Smith. They discuss the Armed Services Committee and the Joint Chiefs of Staff and their thoughts on nuclear superiority, including what nuclear superiority means with regard to weaponry and strategy. One segment of the recording totaling 1 minute and 14 seconds has 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 or the beginning of this recording on Tape 110.
Sound recording
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-MTG-110-004
Sound recording of part of a National Security Council meeting meeting held on September 12, 1963. Participants include President John F. Kennedy, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission Glenn Seaborg, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) John McCone, Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) General Maxwell Taylor, Director of the Office of Emergency Preparedness Edward McDermott, Secretary of State Dean Rusk, Secretary of the Treasury C. Douglas Dillon, Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs McGeorge Bundy, Special Counsel to the President Theodore Sorensen, Military Aide to the President Major General Chester Clifton, and Executive Secretary of the National Security Council (NSC) Bromley Smith. The first portion of this NSC meeting concerns a recent Air Force Association statement on nuclear superiority and what that means in regards to weaponry and strategy. Only about 7 and a half minutes of the meeting are recorded on this tape. The recording ends abruptly and continues on Tape 111. Four segments of the recording totaling 3 minutes and 46 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 110, which contains additional sound recording(s) preceding one. See Related Records to access Tape 110 in its entirety or the remainder of this recording on Tape 111.
Sound recording
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-MTG-100-002
Sound recording of a meeting held on July 23, 1963, between President John F. Kennedy, Secretary of State Dean Rusk, Under Secretary of State George Ball, Ambassador at Large Llewellyn Thompson, Director of the United States Arms Control and Disarmament Agency William Foster, John McCloy, Special Counsel to the President Theodore Sorensen, Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs McGeorge Bundy, and Executive Secretary of the National Security Council Bromley Smith. They discuss instructions for Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs W. Averell Harriman concerning the treaty banning atmospheric nuclear weapons tests, later known as the Partial Test Ban Treaty (PTBT) or the Limited Test Ban Treaty (LTBT). The staff group had reworked the instructions to Under Secretary Harriman and to Charles Bohlen in France. There is also a long discussion about Article 1 and how the nuclear test ban would not and could not limit a country from defending itself with nuclear weapons in a time of war. Also, there is discussion on the Congressional Delegation and the Test Ban Treaty. (Please note that President Kennedy leaves the meeting after 15 minutes and does not return for the remainder of the meeting. According to the White House Appointment Books, he left to attend the Congressional Social Hour.) After this meeting there is a short break in the tape, followed by a brief discussion between President Kennedy, Secretary Rusk, McGeorge Bundy, and others. They discuss issues concerning the proposed test ban treaty. Two segments of the recording totaling 51 seconds have been removed in accordance with Section 3.4 (b) (1), (3) of Executive Order 12958. This sound recording has been excerpted from Tape 100, which contains additional sound recording(s) preceding and following this one. See Related Records to access Tape 100 in its entirety.
Sound recording
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-MTG-089-004
Sound recording of a meeting held on May 28, 1963, between President John F. Kennedy, Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, Secretary of State Dean Rusk, Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs McGeorge Bundy, Director of the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency William Foster, and Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs William R. Tyler. The main subject of the meeting is Europe and specifically the current situation concerning the Multilateral Force (MLF). An interview that morning with German minister Kai-Uwe von Hassel has President Kennedy quite concerned over Germany and prospects for the MLF. The group also is working on gaining British support for the MLF; a draft letter to British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan is reviewed. Near the end of the meeting the treaty banning atmospheric nuclear weapons tests, later known as the Partial Test Ban Treaty (PTBT) or the Limited Test Ban Treaty (LTBT), and possible upcoming negotiations on the treaty are debated, with President Kennedy taking a pessimistic view of the prospects for success of the negotiations. Four segments of the recording totaling 57 seconds have been removed in accordance with Section 3.4 (b) (1), (3) of Executive Order 12958. This sound recording has been excerpted from Tape 89, which contains additional sound recording(s) preceding and following this one. See Related Records to access Tape 89 in its entirety.
Sound recording
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-MTG-089-001
Sound recording of a meeting held on May 24, 1963, between President John F. Kennedy, Secretary of State Dean Rusk, and Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs McGeorge Bundy. The first topic is an overview of the discussions that took place in Ottawa, Ontario, at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) North Atlantic Council Ministerial meeting. Specifically President Kennedy wants to know how much genuine interest there was in Europe for the Multilateral Force (MLF). President Kennedy next discusses the upcoming meeting with French Foreign Minister Maurice Couve de Murville. Congress and the United Arab Republic’s Abu Simbel temples are also briefly mentioned before the discussion turns to Israeli nuclear development. Seven segments of the recording totaling 6 minutes and 47 seconds have been removed in accordance with Section 3.4 (b) (1), (3) of Executive Order 12958. This sound recording has been excerpted from Tape 89, which contains additional sound recording(s) following this one. See Related Records to access Tape 89 in its entirety.