Close
Not finding the information you're looking for? Please contact the Archives research staff.
Sound recording
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-MTG-109-004
Sound recording of a meeting about Vietnam held on September 10, 1963, between President John F. Kennedy; former United States Ambassador to Vietnam Frederick Nolting; Defense Secretary Robert S. McNamara; Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) General Maxwell D. Taylor; Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) John McCone; Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs W. Averell Harriman; Deputy Secretary of Defense Roswell Gilpatric; Director of the United States Information Agency (USIA) Edward R. Murrow; Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs Roger Hilsman; Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs McGeorge Bundy; National Security Council (NSC) member Michael Forrestal; Specialist on Counterinsurgency for the JCS General Victor Krulak; Executive Secretary of the NSC Bromley Smith; Foreign Service Officer Joseph Mendenhall; Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs Roger Hilsman; Military Aide to the President General Chester Clifton; Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy; USIA Official-Public Affairs Officer at the United States Embassy in Saigon, South Vietnam, John Mecklin; Director of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) David Bell; and Assistant Director for Rural Affairs, Operations Mission in Vietnam Rufus Phillips. This meeting is essentially the platform through which General Krulak and Foreign Service Officer Mendenhall report to President John F. Kennedy on their fact-finding mission to South Vietnam in September 1963. General Krulak and Mendenhall's four-day trip was intended to gain an overview of the military and civilian views of the country. General Krulak’s view, taken from his visits with military leaders, is generally optimistic on the progress of the war. Mendenhall presents the opposite view, one of widespread military and social discontent. After the two men present their views, President Kennedy quips, “You both went to the same country?” In this rather long and involved meeting, they delve into divergent views and possible steps to take. Responding to a question from former Ambassador Frederick Nolting, State Department official Rufus Phillips comments, “This was not a military war, but a political war.” 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 109, which contains additional sound recording(s) preceding this one. See Related Records to access Tape 109 in its entirety.
Sound recording
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-MTG-108-004
Sound recording of a meeting held on September 3, 1963, between President John F. Kennedy, former United States Ambassador to Vietnam Frederick Nolting, Secretary of State Dean Rusk, Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, Secretary of the Treasury C. Douglas Dillon, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) General Marshall Carter, Director of the CIA John McCone, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Maxwell Taylor, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs W. Averell Harriman, Deputy Secretary of Defense Roswell Gilpatric, Specialist on Counterinsurgency for the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Victor Krulak, Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs Roger Hilsman, Director of the CIA's Far Eastern Division William Colby, Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs McGeorge Bundy, Military Aide to the President General Chester Clifton, National Security Council member Michael Forrestal, and Executive Secretary of the National Security Council Bromley Smith. This meeting is the continued discussion between President Kennedy and a wide range of Department of State, Department of Defense, CIA, and White House advisors on the volatile situation in South Vietnam. This sound recording has been excerpted from Tape 108, which contains additional sound recording(s) preceding this one. See Related Records to access Tape 108 in its entirety.
Sound recording
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-MTG-108-003
Sound recording of a meeting held on August 29, 1963, between President John F. Kennedy, former United States Ambassador to Vietnam Frederick Nolting, Secretary of State Dean Rusk, Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, Secretary of the Treasury C. Douglas Dillon, Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) General Marshall Carter, Director of the United States Information (USIA) Edward R. Murrow, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs W. Averell Harriman, Deputy Secretary of Defense Roswell Gilpatric, Specialist on Counterinsurgency for the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) General Victor Krulak, Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs Roger Hilsman, Deputy Director of the CIA for Plans Richard Helms, Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs McGeorge Bundy, Military Aide to the President General Chester Clifton, National Security Council member Michael Forrestal, Executive Secretary of the National Security Council Bromley Smith. This meeting is a discussion between President Kennedy and a wide range of Department of State, Department of Defense, CIA, and White House advisors on the volatile situation in South Vietnam. Three segments of the recording totaling 1 minute and 44 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 108, which contains additional sound recording(s) preceding and following this one. See Related Records to access Tape 108 in its entirety.
Sound recording
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-MTG-108-001
Sound recording of part of a meeting held on August 28, 1963, between President John F. Kennedy, former United States Ambassador to Vietnam Frederick Nolting, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Maxwell Taylor, Under Secretary of State George Ball, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs W. Averell Harriman, Deputy Secretary of Defense Roswell Gilpatric, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency's (CIA) Far Eastern Division William Colby, Deputy Director of the CIA General Marshall Carter, Director of the United States Information Agency (USIA) Edward R. Murrow, Deputy CIA Director for Plans Richard Helms, Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs Roger Hilsman, Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs McGeorge Bundy, National Security Council member Michael Forrestal, Specialist on Counterinsurgency for the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Victor Krulak, Secretary of the Treasury C. Douglas Dillon, Executive Secretary of the National Security Council Bromley Smith, and later in the meeting, Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson. The recording of this meeting begins on Tape 107. President Kennedy and a wide range of State Department, Defense Department, CIA, and White House advisors continue to discuss the volatile situation in South Vietnam. Three segments of the recording totaling 54 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 108, which contains additional sound recording(s) following this one. See Related Records to access Tape 108 in its entirety or the beginning of this recording on Tape 89.
Sound recording
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-MTG-107-007
Sound recording of part of a meeting held on August 28, 1963, between President John F. Kennedy, former United States Ambassador to Vietnam Frederick Nolting, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Maxwell Taylor, Under Secretary of State George Ball, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs W. Averell Harriman, Deputy Secretary of Defense Roswell Gilpatric, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency's (CIA) Far Eastern Division William Colby, Deputy Director of the CIA General Marshall Carter, Director of the United States Information Agency (USIA) Edward R. Murrow, Deputy CIA Director for Plans Richard Helms, Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs Roger Hilsman, Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs McGeorge Bundy, National Security Council member Michael Forrestal, Specialist on Counterinsurgency for the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Victor Krulak, Secretary of the Treasury C. Douglas Dillon, Executive Secretary of the National Security Council Bromley Smith, and later in the meeting, Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson. This meeting is the continued discussion between President Kennedy and a wide range of State Department, Defense Department, CIA, and White House advisors concerning the volatile situation in South Vietnam. Two segments of the recording totaling 1 minute and 11 seconds have been removed in accordance with Section 3.4 (b) (1), (3) of Executive Order 12958. The recording of this meeting ends abruptly and continues on Tape 108. This sound recording has been excerpted from Tape 107, which contains additional sound recording(s) preceding this one. See Related Records to access Tape 107 in its entirety.