Camelot's Court: Inside the Kennedy White House (63 page)

Laos, 23, 67, 159, 171, 232, 233

JFK’s opposition to U.S. forces in, 233, 235

neutrality agreement sought, 280

Lapowski, Samuel, 117

Latin America, 23, 370

Alliance for Progress, 105, 128, 130–31, 133, 139, 167, 216, 253

communism in, 158, 159, 253, 362, 383

Cuba and, 366, 375, 383

Lawrence, Ernest, 209

Lechuga, Carlos, 385, 386, 389

Lederer, William J., 218

LeMay, Curtis, 72, 73–74, 75, 86, 315–16, 331, 382, 432

Lemnitzer, Lyman, 68–69, 75, 149, 158–59, 220, 226, 254, 277, 289

on JFK, 69–70

Vietnam and, 238, 242, 245, 261

Lewis, Anthony, 427

Life
magazine, 265, 422, 424

Lincoln, Abraham, ix, x, 1, 25, 108

Lippmann, Walter, 99–100, 202

Lodge, Henry Cabot, 5

Lodge, Henry Cabot, Jr., 42

as ambassador in Vietnam, 355, 391, 392, 394, 396

Bundy’s opinion of, 405

Diem and Nhu coups and, 398, 400, 401, 403–5, 408, 409, 414–17

McNamara-Taylor visit (1963) and, 410

New York Times
stories on, 413

press problems and, 394, 396, 409, 412

Lovett, Robert A., 84–85, 87, 116, 315

MacArthur, Douglas, 68, 75

Macmillan, Harold, 195, 198, 202, 200, 213, 255, 324, 357, 358

Manning, Robert, 393

Mansfield, Mike, 238–39, 381

meetings with JFK, 351, 395

memo to JFK, 337–39

report on Vietnam, 341, 343

Marshall, Burke, 122–23, 174, 427

Marshall, George C., 84, 98

Marshall, Thurgood, 251

Marshall Plan, 91

Martin, Edward, 302–3

Martin, John Bartlow, 427

McCarthy, Joseph, 14–15, 20, 98, 133, 138, 248, 312

JFK and, 14–15

RFK and, 44–46

McCloy, John, 225

McCone, John, 209, 223

background, 288

Castro ousting and, 254, 287

as CIA head, 217, 287

Cuba and, 360, 367, 368, 371, 375–77

Cuban missile crisis and, 295, 307, 314, 318, 321, 327

Cuba reconciliation opposed, 388

as hawk, 287

JFK’s dislike of, 293, 295

press leaks and, 369

resignation from LBJ’s White House, 431

RFK’s advocacy of, 288

Soviet military build-up in Cuba and, 288–89, 292–93, 295, 361–62

suggestions for resolution of Cuban problem, 374

Vietnam and, 341, 407, 416

McGarr, Lionel, 261

McGhee, George C., 248

McKinley, William, 47

McNamara, Robert, 85–87, 116, 430

Bay of Pigs and, 146, 147, 148, 149

Berlin strategy and, 185, 222

Burke and, 71–72

Castro ousting and, 215, 216

character and personality, 88–89

confrontation with Admiral Anderson, 322

Cuban missile crisis and, 294, 296, 298–99, 302, 303–4, 307–8, 310–11, 314, 318, 328, 331, 332, 333, 430

Cuba policy and, 156, 287, 360, 375, 384, 386

death of, 431

as Defense Secretary, 71–72, 84, 86–88, 89, 102, 126

Diem and, 267–68, 407, 409

at Ford, 85, 86

Galbraith’s memo and, 272

identified with JFK’s wishes, 369

JFKs opinion of, 87, 149, 279

as LBJ adviser, 429

Norstad and, 73

nuclear war and, 304

space race and, 179

test ban treaty and, 381, 430

Vietnam and, 162, 240, 241, 242, 245–47, 260, 267–68, 274, 280–81, 341, 349, 399, 403, 411–12

Vietnam and Joint Chiefs memo, 261

Vietnam as “McNamara’s war,” 267

Vietnam mistakes acknowledged, 404–5, 430–31

Vietnam visit (1962), 274–76

Vietnam visit (1963), 409–10

Vietnam War and reputation, 430–31

Mendenhall, Joe, 285, 406–7

Meredith, James, 282–83

Middle East, anti-colonialism and, 46, 102, 159

Milton Academy, 39

Mindszenty, Cardinal, 40

Minow, Newton, 180

Monroe, James, 31–32

Morgan, J. P., Jr., 118

Morse, Wayne, 266, 268

Naftali, Timothy, 320

NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Act)

LBJ and, 123–24, 180

moon landing and, 177–80

Shepard’s orbital flight, 179

National Aeronautics and Space Council, 123, 177, 180

National Security Council

Acheson’s Berlin report and, 204

Bundy sets up, 92

Castro and, 253, 370

Cuba and, 363–64, 367, 375, 383, 384

Cuban missile crisis and, 318–19

Forrestal as Vietnam expert, 281–82, 285–86, 337

JFK proposes ending to Cuba raids, 384

JFK’s proposal for Vietnam, 244–45

JFK wants troop withdrawal from Vietnam, 411–12

Komer on Southeast Asia, 231

Rostow in, 92

NATO, 23, 72–73, 326

Neustadt, Richard, 24, 25–26, 119

Newsweek

leaks to, 203, 221

Sully expelled by Diem, 286

New York Herald Tribune
, 286

New York Times

criticism of Vietnam war, 276–77

Eisenhower criticism of JFK story, 295, 296

Halberstam in Vietnam, 230, 285, 337, 395, 397–98, 412–13

Halberstam on Mansfield, 338

JFK request to remove Halberstam, 414

Krock column on CIA-Lodge disagreement, 413

Reston article on censorship of Saigon reporters, 408

secrecy about U. S. forces in Vietnam decried, 263

Vietnam coverage, 412–13

wider U.S. role in Vietnam reported, 268

Ngo Dinh Diem, 230–31, 235, 236, 240, 243, 336, 337

assassination attempt, 266

assassination of, 417

background, 163–64, 230

corruptness and unpopularity, 163, 164, 234, 285, 286, 341, 344

demands on U.S., 171–72

JFK’s pressure policy, 409–10

JFK’s shock at killing of, 417–18

journalists and, 344, 345, 392

Kennedy letter to, 245–46

LBJ and, 165, 168, 170

McNamara-Taylor visit and, 410

ouster considered, 349, 351, 352, 355, 392, 394, 397, 398–404, 407, 410, 414–16

political reforms and, 344, 349

reelection, 165

religious intolerance of, 349, 355, 391

removal of Nhus and, 397, 403, 405

resistance to American advice, 348

supporters of, 164, 230, 266, 267, 267–68, 281, 392, 397, 398, 399, 407

Taylor and, 231, 284

U.S. press and, 286

U. S. warnings to, 391, 394, 405

Ngo Dinh Nhu and Madame Nhu, 267, 283, 284, 336, 337, 344, 348, 349–50, 351, 408, 413

assassination of, 417

Buddhist crisis and, 391, 394, 396, 397

removal discussed, 396, 397, 398, 403, 405

U. S. warnings to, 394

Nguyen Khanh, 398–99

Nguyen Ngoc Tho, 400

Nietzsche, Friedrich, 138

Nixon, Richard, ix, x, xi, 20, 21–22, 120

break-ins of JFK’s doctors’ offices and, 2

criticism of JFK’s administration, 203, 207

debate with JFK, 20–21

JFK meeting with, 22

JFK’s negative campaigning against, 19–21

“kitchen debates,” 20, 197

Schlesinger book and, 81

supporters of, 20

as vice president, 26, 47

Nolting, Frederick E., Jr., 164, 238, 261, 262

as ambassador in Vietnam, 163, 243, 244, 265, 274, 275, 337, 340, 343, 348

cable from Harriman, 269, 272

complaints about media in Vietnam, 337

Diem and, 266, 267, 344–45, 355, 392, 398, 399, 401

JFK request for data, 281–82

JFK’s meeting of August 27, 1963 and, 399

optimism for a military solution in Vietnam, 280–81

on progress of war, 278

quashing of criticism, 347

replacement of, 391, 392

Norstad, Lauris, 72–73, 226

nuclear test ban treaty, 209–13, 255–57, 336

Cousins and, 358–59

JFK-Macmillan initiative, 358

Joint Chiefs resistance to, 358

nuclear war and weapons

atmospheric tests, 208, 210, 256–57

Berlin threat and, 185, 204

Cuban missile crisis and potential for war, 294, 299, 301, 302, 304, 305, 308, 312, 314, 320, 321, 332

destructive powers of, 362–63

Eisenhower’s massive retaliation policy, 72, 93, 157, 158

fallout concerns, 208, 256

JFK’s concerns, xi, 1, 17, 67–68, 70, 185, 205, 223, 363

JFK’s “flexible response,” 72, 93, 159

Joint Chiefs willingness to engage, 362, 363

Joint Strategic Capabilities Plan, 74

Khrushchev and, 191, 201, 223, 356–60

MAD (mutually assured destruction) and, 69, 159, 205

McNamara and, 304

nuclear testing and arms control, 207–13, 255–57, 356–60, 379–83

nuclear winter, 208

preemptive first strike policy, 74, 254

stockpiling of weapons, 208

U.S. military establishment and, 69, 70, 72–73, 158–59

O’Brien, Lawrence F., 109, 112

as JFK’s point man with Congress, 112–14

JFK’s campaigns and, 112, 113

as member of “Irish Mafia,” 112

O’Donnell, Kenneth, 109, 111, 226, 227

dislike of Sorensen, 81, 369

friendship with RFK, 111

as gatekeeper, 110

as JFK confidant, 339

JFK on Joint Chiefs, 317

as JFK’s principal political adviser, 110–12

JFK’s Senate race and, 42–43

JFK’s speech to Cuban exiles and, 364

as member of “Irish Mafia,” 112

Onassis, Aristotle, 423

Once Upon a Secret
(Alford), 31

One World
(Wilkie), 218

Organization of American States (OAS), 300

Oswald, Lee Harvey, 421

Other America, The
(Harrington), 107

“Our Men in Miami” (
New Republic
), 141

Parnell, Charles, 35

Passman, Otto, 404

Peace Corps, 121, 128–30, 131

Pearson, Drew, RFK letter to, 64

Pentagon.
See
U. S. Department of Defense

Power, Thomas, 72, 73

Powers, Dave, 109, 335

JFK and Bay of Pigs, 136, 144

Kennedy’s womanizing and, 32, 109

as member of “Irish Mafia,” 112

as special counsel to the president, 109–10

Presidential Power
(Neustadt), 24

Profiles in Courage
(JFK), 14, 80

Quiet American, The
(Greene), 218

Rauh, Joe, 336

Rayburn, Sam, 13

Raymont, Henry, 145

Reagan, Ronald, ix, x, 146

Republican Party

anti-Castro hawks and, 366–67

Cuba hosting Soviet missiles, concern about, 293

foreign policy and, 16–17

Goldwater nomination, 335

JFK’s advisers, Republicans among, 22, 76, 82, 85, 89, 102, 104, 116–17, 288

on JFK’s involvement in Vietnam, 263

presidential campaign (1952), 42

Reston, James, 15, 198, 263, 292

Ribicoff, Abe, 63

Riesman, David, 90–91

Roosevelt, Eleanor, 15, 60, 95, 124, 125

Roosevelt, Franklin Delano (FDR), ix, x, 1, 8, 19, 28, 47, 82, 108, 118, 186

advisers and decision-making, 25

brain trust for, 82

Good Neighbor Policy, 131

hiding of paralysis by, 11

Joe Kennedy, Sr. and, 7–8

as model for managing staff, 111–12

national consensus on war and, 262

New Deal, 55, 336

State Department and, 184

Roosevelt, Franklin, Jr., 55–56

Roosevelt, Theodore, ix, x, 17, 25, 28, 47, 108

Rostow, Walt

as adviser to LBJ, 429

anti-communism of, 91–92

background, 91–92

on Bay of Pigs, 136, 146

Bundy and, 92–93

as Deputy National Security Adviser, 91–93, 126

JFK’s diminished confidence in, 279

JFK’s presidential race and, 92

Vietnam and, 164–65, 170–71, 229–36, 242, 243, 277–78, 404–5, 431

Vietnam fact-finding trip, 237, 238

Rusk, Dean, 84, 98–99, 429

Acheson and, 98

as adviser to LBJ, 429–30

attitude toward position, 100

background, 97–98

Bay of Pigs and, 133, 139–40, 143, 150–51

Berlin crisis and, 227–28

conflict among advisers and, 369

Cuba and, 287, 360, 377, 388

Cuba hosting Soviet missiles disputed by, 290, 293

Cuban missile crisis and, 296, 298, 299–300, 302–3, 304, 310, 321, 325, 328–29, 333

disarmament and, 210

as “gray eminence,” 100

humor directed at, 100, 101

JFK’s compelling to accept appointment, 99

JFK’s diminished confidence in, 279

JFK’s message to Khrushchev and, 323

JFK’s opinion of, 140, 429

JFK’s relationship with, 101

JFK’s speech to Cuban exiles and, 364

Korean War and, 98

lobbying for appointment, 101

middle-ground as characteristic, 371, 388, 429

Moscow trip for test ban treaty signing, 380

post-State Department career, 430

regard for Dulles, 133

secrecy and, 100

as Secretary of State, 93, 97–101

space race and, 179

Stevenson and, 142

test ban treaty and, 255, 256

Vietnam and, 162, 229, 230, 232, 234, 238, 240, 241, 242, 243, 245, 248, 265, 266, 268, 341, 409

Vietnam and Diem, 352, 354, 355, 398, 403, 404, 416

Vietnam War and reputation, 430

Russell, Bertrand, 321, 323

Russell, Richard, 242

Rustin, Bayard, 173

Ryan, Elizabeth “Toodles,” 6

Salinger, Pierre, 109, 111, 203, 229

anger at Bowles, 153

JFK’s live televised press conferences and, 115–16

Khrushchev message sent through, 229

on O’Donnell, 110

as press secretary, 114–16

Samuelson, Paul, 118

Scali, John, 325

Schlesinger, Arthur, Jr., 27, 307

as adviser, 81–83, 96, 126

Bay of Pigs invasion and compromising of, 136–37, 140–41, 143, 146