DAY FIVE |
October 20, 1962 |
"President Kennedy, in Chicago campaigning for congressional candidates, decides to return to the White House as the crisis reaches a new urgency. To avoid public suspicion, the President consults his physician and together they fabricate the diagnosis of a cold, allowing JFK to return to Washington without arousing panic" (JFK Library).
"President Kennedy meets with the full group of planning principals. He notes that the airstike plan as presented is not a 'surgical strike', but a massive military commitment that could involve heavy casualties on all sides. President Kennedy directs that attention be focused on implementing the blockade option, calling it the only course of action compatible with American principles" (Chang and Kornbluh).
|
"If the president doesn't accept our recommendation [for an aistrike], there won't be time to do it later" -Robert McNamara (Kennedy).
"TCS - 10/20/62"
"Objections to air strike":
"U.S. initiated "Pearl Harbor" on a small nation which history could neither understand nor forget" "Advantages to a blockade":
"It is a more prudent and flexible step which enables us to move to an air strike, invasion or any other step at any time it proves necessary." |