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Sound recording
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-TPH-24B-3
Sound recording of a telephone conversation held on July 30, 1963, between President John F. Kennedy and Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara. They discuss a legislative strategy for dealing with delays in the United States Senate on a defense appropriations bill and a military construction authorization bill. They also discuss possible effects of defense contract cuts on employment in California and on the 1964 election.This sound recording was originally recorded on Dictation Belt 24B, which contains additional sound recording(s) preceding this one. To hear all of the recordings on the Dictation Belt, see Digital Identifier: JFKPOF-TPH-24B, Title: Telephone recordings: Dictation Belt 24B.
Sound recording
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-TPH-24B
Dictation Belt 24B contains three sound recordings from July 30, 1963. Item 24B.1 is a brief fragment of a telephone conversation between President John F. Kennedy and an unidentified man (probably Assistant Secretary of State for Congressional Relations Frederick G. Dutton). They discuss putting together a congressional delegation for an unidentified occasion (probably the signing of the treaty banning atmospheric nuclear weapons tests, later known as the Partial Test Ban Treaty (PTBT) or the Limited Test Ban Treaty (LTBT). Item 24B.2 is a telephone conversation between President John F. Kennedy, Special Assistant to the President Lawrence F. O’Brien, and Secretary of State Dean Rusk. They discuss inviting United States Senators to join a congressional delegation to the signing of the Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty of 1963. Machine noise follows the conversation. Item 24B.3 is a telephone conversation between President John F. Kennedy and Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara. They discuss a legislative strategy for dealing with delays in the United States Senate on a defense appropriations bill and a military construction authorization bill. They also discuss possible effects of defense contract cuts on employment in California and on the 1964 election.Transcript included. Each item listed above is also available individually as an excerpt derived from this full-length digitized recording. See Related Records for more information.
Sound recording
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-TPH-24A-6
Sound recording of a telephone conversation held on July 30, 1963, between President John F. Kennedy, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives John W. McCormack of Massachusetts, and Representative George H. Mahon of Texas. They discuss a defense budget cut, related concerns involving Korea and the Soviet Union, and potential political consequences.The recording begins in mid-conversation and ends abruptly.
This sound recording was originally recorded on Dictation Belt 24A, which contains additional sound recording(s) preceding this one. To hear all of the recordings on the Dictation Belt, see Digital Identifier: JFKPOF-TPH-24A, Title: Telephone recordings: Dictation Belt 24A.
Sound recording
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-TPH-24A
Dictation Belt 24A contains seven sound recordings. Item 24A.1 is a telephone conversation held on July 26, 1963, between President John F. Kennedy and former President Harry S. Truman. Former President Truman congratulates President Kennedy on The Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty of 1963. President Kennedy asks former President Truman to make a public statement about the treaty. Item 24A.1A is a brief telephone exchange on July 26, 1963, between a White House Operator and Secretary of Labor W. Willard Wirtz. The operator speaks to Secretary Wirtz as he holds for President Kennedy. Item 24A.2 is a telephone conversation held on July 26, 1963, between President John F. Kennedy and Secretary of Labor W. Willard Wirtz. They discuss legislation regarding railroad work rules and George Meany’s position and strategy on the matter. Item 24A.3 is a telephone conversation held on July 26, 1963, between President John F. Kennedy and Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara. They discuss enlisting businessmen for an unidentified project. The recording begins in mid-conversation. Item 24A.4 is a telephone conversation between President John F. Kennedy and an unidentified man. The unidentified man reports on Cardinal (Richard J.) Cushing’s discussion of the election of Pope Paul VI. The recording begins in mid-conversation. Machine noise follows the conversation. Item 24A.5 is a telephone conversation held on July 30, 1963, between President John F. Kennedy and Secretary of State Dean Rusk. They discuss whether United Nations (U.N.) Secretary General U. Thant and Ambassador to the U.N. Adlai E. Stevenson should attend the signing of the Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty of 1963. They also discuss releasing a statement concerning President Charles de Gaulle of France. Machine noise follows the conversation. Item 24A.6 is a telephone conversation held on July 30, 1963, between President John F. Kennedy, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives John W. McCormack of Massachusetts, and Representative George H. Mahon of Texas. They discuss a defense budget cut, related concerns involving Korea and the Soviet Union, and potential political consequences. The recording begins in mid-conversation and ends abruptly.Transcript included. Each item listed above is also available individually as an excerpt derived from this full-length digitized recording. See Related Records for more information.
Sound recording
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-TPH-14B-2
Sound recording of a telephone conversation held on March 12, 1963, between President John F. Kennedy and Under Secretary of the Navy Paul B. Fay. They discuss possible naval base closings and the outlook for a bid by the city of San Francisco to host the 1964 Democratic National Convention.Machine noise follows the conversation.
Transcript included. This sound recording was originally recorded on Dictation Belt 14B, which contains additional sound recording(s) preceding and following this one. To hear all of the recordings on the Dictation Belt, see Digital Identifier: JFKPOF-TPH-14B, Title: Telephone recordings: Dictation Belt 14B.
Sound recording
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-TPH-14B
Dictation Belt 14B contains six sound recordings from March 12, 1963. The recording of the conversation in item 14B.1 begins on Dictation Belt 14A.5. Item 14B.1 is part of a telephone conversation between President John F. Kennedy and Secretary of the Treasury C. Douglas Dillon. They continue to discuss Internal Revenue Service (IRS) rules on expense accounts. Machine noise follows the conversation. Item 14B.2 is a telephone conversation between President John F. Kennedy and Under Secretary of the Navy Paul B. Fay. They discuss possible naval base closings and the outlook for a bid by the city of San Francisco to host the 1964 Democratic National Convention. Machine noise follows the conversation. Item 14B.3 is a telephone conversation between President John F. Kennedy and Richard N. Goodwin, Secretary-general for the International Peace Corps Secretariat. They discuss preparing remarks for President Kennedy to deliver during his visit to Costa Rica. The recording begins in mid-conversation. Item 14B.4 is a telephone conversation between President John F. Kennedy and Deputy Secretary of Defense Roswell L. Gilpatric. They discuss hearings on the TFX airplane. The recording begins in mid-conversation. Item 14B.5 is a telephone conversation between President John F. Kennedy and Lawrence F. O'Brien, Special Assistant to the President. They discuss a construction bill, a pay raise issue, and their effects on the federal budget. The recording begins in mid-conversation. Item 14B.6 is a telephone conversation between President John F. Kennedy and Assistant Secretary of Defense Arthur Sylvester. They discuss Sylvester’s testimony at a hearing involving the TFX airplane.Transcript included. Each item listed above is also available individually as an excerpt derived from this full-length digitized recording. See Related Records for more information.
Sound recording
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-TPH-50-2
Sound recording of a telephone conversation held in 1962 between President John F. Kennedy and an unidentified man. They discuss James H. Meredith’s accusations of segregation within the United States Army.The recording begins in mid-conversation.
This sound recording was originally recorded on Dictation Belt 50, which contains additional sound recording(s) preceding and following this one. To hear all of the recordings on the Dictation Belt, see Digital Identifier: JFKPOF-TPH-50, Title: Telephone Recordings: Dictation Belt 50.
Sound recording
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-TPH-50
Dictation Belt 50 contains four sound recordings. Item 50.1 is a recording of two telephone exchanges. The first exchange is a telephone conversation between Personal Secretary Evelyn Lincoln and a woman called “Barbara” who answers the telephone in the office of White House Social Secretary Letitia Baldrige. They discuss President John F. Kennedy’s decisions on social affairs, one involving Chief Justice Earl Warren and another involving a luncheon. A long delay precedes the conversation. [White House Operator?] places the call at Lincoln’s request. Machine noise follows the conversation. The second exchange is a brief telephone exchange between President John F. Kennedy and a White House Operator. President Kennedy asks the operator to place a call to Charles Bartlett. The recording begins in mid-conversation. Machine noise follows the conversation. Item 50.2 is a telephone conversation held in 1962 between President John F. Kennedy and an unidentified man. They discuss James H. Meredith’s accusations of segregation within the United States Army. The recording begins in mid-conversation. Item 50.3 is a telephone conversation held in 1962 between President John F. Kennedy and Senator George A. Smathers of Florida. They discuss the signing of an unidentified bill, southern politics, and other congressional matters. The recording begins in mid-conversation. Item 50.4 is a brief fragment of a telephone conversation held in 1962 between President John F. Kennedy and an unidentified man. The topic of discussion is unclear. The recording begins in mid-conversation and ends abruptly.Each item listed above is also available individually as an excerpt derived from this full-length digitized recording. See Related Records for more information.
Sound recording
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-TPH-47-2
Sound recording of a telephone conversation between President John F. Kennedy and Secretary of the Air Force Eugene M. Zuckert. They discuss the Air Force budget.[White House Operator?] places the call at President Kennedy’s request. After a brief delay and a fragment of an exchange, the conversation begins in mid-sentence.
This sound recording was originally recorded on Dictation Belt 47, which contains additional sound recording(s) preceding and following this one. To hear all of the recordings on the Dictation Belt, see Digital Identifier: JFKPOF-TPH-47, Title: Telephone Recordings: Dictation Belt 47.
Sound recording
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-TPH-47
Dictation Belt 47 contains seven sound recordings. Item 47.1 is a telephone conversation between President John F. Kennedy and Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara. They discuss defense appropriations and the military aspect of the space program. The recording begins in mid-conversation. Item 47.2 is a telephone conversation between President John F. Kennedy and Secretary of the Air Force Eugene M. Zuckert. They discuss the Air Force budget. [White House Operator?] places the call at President Kennedy’s request. After a brief delay and a fragment of an exchange, the conversation begins in mid-sentence. Item 47.3 is a telephone conversation between President John F. Kennedy and Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson. They discuss the resignation of Robert B. Troutman, Jr., from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the appointment of an African-American. Item 47.4 is a brief fragment of a telephone conversation between President John F. Kennedy and an unidentified senator. President Kennedy congratulates the senator on passing an unidentified bill. [White House Operator?] speaks to the senator as he holds for President Kennedy. The recording of the conversation ends abruptly and a fragment of indistinct speech follows. Item 47.5 is a brief telephone exchange between Personal Secretary Evelyn Lincoln and a White House Operator. The operator announces a call from “Sam Gallo” of Warner Brothers. Item 47.6 is a telephone conversation between Personal Secretary Evelyn Lincoln and a woman called Miss “Gallenburg” from Protocol. They discuss gifts for Prime Minister Eric Eustace Williams of Trinidad and Tobago and others. [White House Operator?] announces the call. Machine noise follows the conversation. Item 47.7 is part of a telephone conversation between Personal Secretary Evelyn Lincoln and Stanley Tretick. Tretick inquires about scheduling time with President John F. Kennedy to do work related to an article for “Look” magazine. [White House Operator?] announces the call. Occasionally there is an echo. The recording of this conversation ends abruptly and continues on Dictation Belt 48.Each item listed above is also available individually as an excerpt derived from this full-length digitized recording. See Related Records for more information.
Sound recording
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-MTG-085-005
Sound recording of a meeting held on May 8, 1963, between President John F. Kennedy and Admiral George W. Anderson. They discuss Admiral Anderson's expiring term as Chief of Naval Operations. It is clear from Admiral Anderson's tone that he believes that Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara has been extremely critical of Admiral Anderson’s handling of the TFX affair. (The TFX fighter plane contract was awarded to General Dynamics over Boeing. Members of the military had complained that they had preferred the Boeing plans, and that these recommendations were not taken into account by Secretary McNamara in the final decisions. The United States Senate later began an investigation of this contract award.) Admiral Anderson criticizes Secretary McNamara’s handling of the Department of Defense (DOD) in general. The President is quiet for most of the meeting, but does discuss Admiral Anderson taking an Ambassadorship to Portugal. This sound recording has been excerpted from Tape 85, which contains additional sound recording(s) preceding this one. See Related Records to access Tape 85 in its entirety.
Sound recording
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-MTG-085-004
Sound recording of an undated meeting, possibly held on May 7, 1963, between President John F. Kennedy and Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara. They discuss various issues concerning the Department of Defense (DOD), including the military situation in Vietnam, the Congressional budget fight on military spending in Vietnam and personnel issues in DOD, specifically the nomination of a new Deputy Secretary of Defense. The exact date of this meeting is uncertain since it does not appear in the President’s Appointment Books. Secretary McNamara refers to his discussion "yesterday" on the same issues, which could refer to the SECDEF (Secretary of Defense) Conference in Honolulu, Hawaii, that took place on May 6, 1963. One segment of the recording totaling 1 minute and 50 seconds has been removed for reasons of national security. This sound recording has been excerpted from Tape 85, which contains additional sound recording(s) preceding and following this one. See Related Records to access Tape 85 in its entirety.
Sound recording
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-MTG-120-003
Sound recording of a meeting on defense contracts held on November 8, 1963, between President John F. Kennedy and Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara. This brief discussion touches on a variety of subjects including the TFX aircraft contract issue, the futures of General Thomas Power and General Curtis LeMay, the 1964 presidential campaign, the FY1965 (Fiscal Year 1965) Budget review and stockpile discussion with Congress, and Admiral George W. Anderson’s conduct during the Cuban Missile Crisis. This sound recording has been excerpted from Tape 120/A56, which contains additional sound recording(s) preceding and following this one. See Related Records to access Tape 120/A56 in its entirety.
Sound recording
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-MTG-116-001
Sound recording of three meetings. First is a meeting held on October 11, 1963, between President John F. Kennedy, Secretary of State Dean Rusk, Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs McGeorge Bundy, President Kennedy’s Berlin Representative General Lucius Clay, Press Secretary Pierre Salinger, Military Aide to the President General Chester Clifton, Secretary of the Navy Paul Nitze, Special Military Assistant to the President General Maxwell Taylor, National Security Council (NSC) Assistant for Europe and Canada David Klein, and Executive Secretary of the NSC Bromley Smith. President Kennedy and his staff review in detail recent issues that Allied troops have faced regarding convoy holdups by the Soviet Union in Berlin, Germany. They discuss changes to the dismount instructions for Berlin convoys and also discuss having talks with Allies concerning these changes. One segment of this recording totaling 29 seconds has been removed in accordance with Section 3.4 (b) (1), (3) of Executive Order 13526.Second is an October 16, 1963, meeting on the Dominican Republic. This meeting is closed in full under NLK-10-154a and NLK-01-393-6-4-7: one segment of the recording totaling 38 minutes and 48 seconds has been removed.
Third is a meeting on Berlin, Germany, held on October 21, 1963, between President John F. Kennedy, Secretary of State Dean Rusk, Ambassador-at-Large Llewellyn Thompson, Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs William Tyler, Under Secretary of State George Ball, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Richard Davis; John Ausland from the Department of State; Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, Secretary of the Navy Paul Nitze, Special Military Assistant to the President General Maxwell Taylor, President Kennedy’s Berlin Representative General Lucius Clay, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) John McCone, Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs McGeorge Bundy, and the following meeting participants listed in the President's schedule: Mr. Janney, Mr. Whitman, Colonel William Smith, and Mr. Diklein. This meeting is similar to a meeting that was held on October 11, 1963. They review recent problems with the Soviets on convoy procedures. They debate further the sorts of discussions that need to be held with officials of the Soviet Union concerning these ongoing problems. One segment of the recording totaling 26 seconds has been removed in accordance with Section 3.4 (b) (1), (3) of Executive Order 13526.
This sound recording has been excerpted from Tape 116/A52, which contains additional sound recording(s) following this one. See Related Records to access Tape 116/A52 in its entirety.
Sound recording
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-MTG-110-003
Sound recording of a meeting held on September 12, 1963, between President John F. Kennedy and economic advisers. Participating advisers include Secretary of the Treasury C. Douglas Dillon, Under Secretary of the Treasury Robert V. Roosa, Director of the Bureau of the Budget Kermit Gordon, Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) Walter Heller, Chairman of the Federal Reserve System Board of Governors William McChesney Martin, CEA member Gardner Ackley, CEA member John Lewis, and Assistant Director of the Bureau of the Budget Charles Schultze. They discuss economic spending, military pay, and the likelihood of a recession. Please note that this meetings was opened in 1983 as part of the Tax Cut tape release package. This sound recording has been excerpted from Tape 110, which contains additional sound recording(s) preceding and following this one. See Related Records to access Tape 110 in its entirety.
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-098-002
Sound recording of a meeting held on July 16, 1963, between President John F. Kennedy, Secretary of the Treasury C. Douglas Dillon, Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, Under Secretary of State George Ball, Secretary of Commerce Luther Hodges, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Affairs Richard Holton, Administrator of the Agency for International Development (AID) David Bell, Chief United States Trade Negotiator Christian Herter, member of the Council of Economic Advisers Walter Heller, Director of the Bureau of the Budget Kermit Gordon, Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs McGeorge Bundy, Special Counsel to the President Theodore Sorensen, and Under Secretary of Commerce Franklin Roosevelt, Jr. The discussions concerning the balance of payments are similar to discussions in a meeting the previous day, only in a larger group. Actions by the Federal Reserve as well as the President’s Special Message to Congress on the Balance of Payments are also covered. In addition, military budget cuts in personnel and in aid, and export-trade difficulties are discussed in detail. Two segments of the recording totaling 2 minutes have been removed in accordance with Section 3.4 (b) (1), (3) of Executive Order 12958. This sound recording has been excerpted from Tape 98, which contains additional sound recording(s) preceding and following this one. See Related Records to access Tape 98 in its entirety.