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James Forrestal and John Kennedy


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James Forrestal and John Kennedy


by DC Dave



August 7, 2014


http://buelahman.wordpress.com/2014/08/07/james-forrestal-and-john-kennedy/




Note: Ted Rubinstein originally posted this article on Facebook with an advisory "treat with caution."


Edited by Douglas Caddy
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Pretty interesting regarding JFK's May '63 visit to James Forrestal's grave. One wonders just what was going on in JFK's mind. My most recent book read is the Best & The Brightest, which is far from a "official version of JFK's

administration," in the sense of the fact that Halberstam writes in a very accurate account of just how much JFK resisted the JCOS, Walt Rostow and Maxwell Taylor kept pushing for ground troops in Vietnam. Ironically, Halberstam

died in an automobile accident on his way to address a group of college graduates. One myth Halberstam destroys is the fact that Maxwell Taylor was a proponent of counterinsurgency in Vietnam. Counterinsurgency

was talked about a great deal during JFK's 1,000 days, but in reality didn't really take off until after November 22, 1963 had long passed.

Whereas Lansdale was from Day One eager to up the ante using that type of approach, once he was brought in to JFK's closer advisors. In fact, Halberstam vividly describes how Taylor was in charge of compiling a list of officials to go on a 1961 Vietnam Fact finding mission to that country, and Taylor had intentionally left Lansdale's name off the list. So much of the Best and the Brightest, I believe requires an innate ability to read between the lines.

Regarding the 1946 trip to Berlin, the JFK Library confirms the trip took place, which I admit I wasn't aware of.

http://www.jfklibrary.org/Asset-Viewer/Archives/JFKPOF-007-005-p0058.aspx

Edited by Robert Howard
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