JFK, Dulles, Nixon and the BOP

[Tim Gratz]

Interesting perspective on Allen Dulles.

On Oct 21, 1060 the NY Times printed a JFK press release criticizing Eisenhower-Nixon for not providing sufficient support to anti-Castro rebels. Apparently the press release was prepared by Salinger and Goodwin and not cleared by JFK (iu was very late.) Nixon was in NY preparing for their final debate. When he saw the article, he was livid because he believed JFK had been briegfed by the CIA about the BOP invasion. He had Cabinet Secretary Fred Seaton call Gen Andrew Goodpasture (the White House liason with CIA). Goodpasture apparently checked, called Seaton back and Nixon was told CIA had been briefed. But in the foreign policy debate that night, JFK accused the Eisenhower-Nixon administration of losing Cuba to the Communists (could be some truth here) etc. Nixon was livid.

Source: Breuer: Vendetta: Fidel Castro and the Kennedy Brothers.

In his 1962 book Six Crises charged that Kennedy had knowledge of the planning for planned invasion. On March 20, 1962 the White House issued a press release denying that JFK was informed of the invasion plans before the election.

Dulles, who had by then been fired by JFK over the BOP, backed Kennedy up and stated tgat JFK had not been briefed of the invasion plans.

Nixon had it wrong, possibly due to communications misunderstandings.

One reason we know this is that the plans for a conventional assault on Cuba had not coalesced at the time of the debates, and had not been part of the approval of anti-Cuba oprerations given by Ike on March 17, 1960. This meeting included Dulles and Bissell and a number of Eisenhower aides including General Goodpasture.

My colleague Mark Howell and I had an interesting phone chat with General Goodpasture a few months ago. He related to us an informal warning he had made to Eisenhower after the March 17, 1960 meeting. He warned Eisenhower that plans such as the one he had approved often acquired "a life of their own" : i.e. would develop into something far more than originally approved. Ike, Goodpasture said, responded angrily, "Not while I am in charge!" To which Goodpasture responded to Eisehower with a reminder that he would not always be in charge.

The CIA expanded the plans to include an invasion. Presumably, one of the reasaons JFK went along with the CIA planned invasion was because of his harsh anti-Castro rhetoric in the campaign.

We do not know, of course, whether Nixon would have supported the invasion. My guess is he probably would have. But I doubt whether an experienced military man such as Eidsehower would have.

Goodpasture also told us that Nixon was not a participant in the March 17, 1960 CIA meeting with Eisenhower. We thought we detected a derisive tone when he said it.

[Jim Root]

Tim

The question once again: Was Kennedy briefed by Maxwell Taylor? Everybodies "plausible denial" remains in place. And Taylor did receive the greatest reward.....after the Bay of Pigs......Chairman of the Joint Chiefs.

Jim Root

[Jim Root]

Tim

Goodpasture also carried the papers signed by Eisenhower for the Powers U-2 flight.

Jim Root

[Dawn Meredith]

Tim

Goodpasture also carried the papers signed by Eisenhower for the Powers U-2 flight.

Jim Root

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

___________________________-

Tim and Jim,

I thought it was common knowledge that BOP was not only approved by Nixon, but in fact he was a main participant in the planning. That he was "expected" to win the election and BOP would have resulted in the end (death) of Castro.

Dawn

[Tim Carroll]

The question once again:  Was Kennedy briefed by Maxwell Taylor?  Everybodies "plausible denial" remains in place.  And Taylor did receive the greatest reward.....after the Bay of Pigs......Chairman of the Joint Chiefs.

Jim Root

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Jim:

I don't believe Taylor was in a position to brief anyone on the Bay of Pigs prior to the 1960 election. Tim Gratz's issue is more appropriately focused on the issue of how much Allen Dulles told JFK prior to the 1960 presidential debates.

Tim