Extensions of Remarks

658 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS ·January 14, 1969 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS THE CUBAN MISSil..E CRISIS four-part cable that Chairman Khrushchev broadcast from Moscow, and a U-2 was shot sent the afternoon of Friday, Oct. 26. This down over Cuba, killing the pilot, Major An cable marked the turning point in the Soviet derson. There seemed no alternative to bomb HON. FRANK CHURCH attitude and was the basis of the agreement ing the missiles sites, and following this with OF mAHO that resolved the crisis. Kennedy also docu an invasion. ments what had only been deduced before But it was Robert Kennedy who conceived IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES about the course events would probably have a brilliant diplomatic maneuver-later dub Tuesday, January 14, 1969 taken if the Soviets had not backed down bed the "Trollope ploy," after the recurrent the United States would have been forced to scene in Anthony Trollope's novels in which Mr. CHURCH. Mr. President, several take out the Soviet anti-aircraft SAM sites, the girl interprets a squeeze of her hand as a weeks ago, there appeared in the maga and, then, if the Soviets still persisted, to proposal of marriage. His suggestion was to zine Commonweal an article comment launch an invasion. deal with Friday's package of signals ing upon the book "13 Days," authored Many other details are also new, -but one Khrushchev's cable and the approach by our late colleague, Senator Robert F. is particularly significant-the account of through the Soviet intelligence agent-as Kennedy, concerning the 1962 Cuban Robert Kennedy's meeting with Ambassador if the reneging message of Saturday simply Dobrynin, the details of which supply a miss did not exist. Picking out of the various missile crisis-a crisis in which he played ing link that has puzzled historians. There signals those items which the United States a central role as adviser and confidant of has long been speculation that something found acceptable, Robert Kennedy drafted his brother, the late President Kennedy. happened Saturady Oct. 27, that finally con a message to Khrushchev. At the President's Written by former State Department vinced the Soviets just how dete.rmined the direction, he then had his crucial conversa official Roger Hilsman, the Commonweal Americans were and caused them to recog tion with Dobrynin, as described above. And article deals with an analysis of the book nize the full gravity of the situation. Ken the crisis was resolved. from an "insiders" point of view, for Mr. nedy's account of his meeting with Dobrynin There is no doubt of the debt that Amer provides the explanation. For Robert Ken ica-and all of humankind-owes to Robert Hilsman has an active part in the Ken nedy was able to make it clear how events F. Kennedy. nedy administration at the time of the must inevitably proceed, how short time was 1962 Cuban confrontation. before events took command, and yet to do I recommend Mr. Hilsman's article to so without threats or posturing. NEW HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT REG all Senators as a worthy contribution to The final section of Thirteen Days is de voted to reflections on the crisis and on the ULATIONS MAY SLOW DOWN CON our better understanding of one of the STRUCTION most crucial events in the history of the lessons learned. Here, Robert Kennedy ls speaking to future Presidents and other of Nation. I ask that it be printed in the ficials who will sit around that same table Extensions of Remarks of the CONGRES making other fateful decisions. And what HON. JOHN M. ZWACH SIONAL RECORD. he has to say is worthy of their attention. OF MINNESOTA There being no objection, the article It is at this point, however, that a criticism IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES was ordered to be printed in the RECORD, must be made. Once during- the crisis, a as follows: member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Tuesday, January 14, 1969 that he believed in a preventive attack on R. F. K. ON CUBA: AN INSIDER'S ANALYSIS Mr. ZWACH. Mr. Speaker, during this the Soviet Union. Others advocated attacks past month, I was beseiged by calls from (By Roger Hilsman) on Cuba without warning. "They seemed al Robert Kennedy's Thirteen Days is ways to assume," Kennedy writes, "that the county commissioners and State orga unique-an account of the world's first Russians and the Cubans would not respond nizations and officials regarding the pro nuclear crisis by a man who shared presi or, if they did, that a war was in our national posed change in Federal or interstate dential responsibility. For of all of the men interest." There ls no question that these highway location regulations. around John F. Kennedy in those fateful remarks were made, but it is also clear that Upon checking with these and other days, only Robert F. Kennedy, his brother, the deliberated positions taken by the Joint authorities, I then submitted a state could feel the personal sense that John Ken Chiefs of Staff were more responsible and ment to the Department urging them to nedy did of responsibility for all of mankind took greater account of the proper limita extend the hearing or to delay such hear and for generations yet unborn. It is the tions of military advice. The inability to look closest thing we will ever have to the reflec beyond the limited military field illustrated ings in order that all segments of admin tions of John F . Kennedy himself. by these remarks appalled Robert Kennedy istrative agencies dealing with highway Th& awesome drama of those thirteen days, and led him to the sharp judgment given location and construction become the tension, the clashing wills of patriotic, in the manuscript. But had he lived to go thoroughly aware of the drastic changes intelligent, but overwrought men of deeply over it once more, he might well have made being proposed. differing convictions is all here. This manu some changes. For he quotes John Kennedy I also received a copy of the state script was a first-draft, and Robert Kennedy in a different vein: "When we talked about ment made at the Department of Trans had intended to polish and edit it. But, in this later, he said we had to remember that a way, the first-draft roughness, contributes they were trained to fight and to wage war portation hearing by the president of the to the drama of the account, conveying some that was their life. Perhaps we would feel Minnesota Good Roads Association thing of the striving for deliberateness in even more concerned if they were always op which I believe point up the ramifica the midst of overwhelming pressure for posed to using arms or mmtary means-for tions of these broad proposals. The presi speed. if they would not be willing, who would be?" dent, Mr. Frank Marzitelli, was formerly Some commentators have said that there One final observation must be made. Be deputy highway commissioner in Min is nothing in Robert Kennedy's account that cause Robert Kennedy is the author of this nesota, and is able to speak authorita had not already appeared. But as one who account, his own role is played down. But was himself involved in those events as the the truth of the matter is that Robert Ken tively on this subject. I commend the Director of the State Department's Bureau nedy's role was central, second only to that reading and study of his statement of Intelligence and Research, I believe that of his brother. And on two occasions his con which follows: judgment is unfair. There are no "now-it tribution was the higher. On Friday night, Mr. Chairman, my name is Frank D. Mar can-be-told" state secrets revealed, but there Oct. 19, support in the ExCom for blockading zitelli, and I have ventured here from St. is stlll much that is new. Cuba as the first step began to fall apart, Paul, Minnesota. Formerly I served as Deputy First, of course, is the account of how with more and more members shifting to the Commissioner of the Minnesota Department John Kennedy felt, how he saw the crisis, idea of opening with a bombing strike of Highways. Currently I am Executive Vice and both his and Robert Kennedy's joint re against the missile sites. It was Robert Ken President of the Port Authority of the City fiections on the lessons to be learned. This is nedy who eloquently, even passionately, of St. Paul. I also am President of Minnesota new. John Kennedy was determined to avoid argued against an "American Pearl Harbor" Good Roads, Incorporated, and I primarily recrimination or exultation in his dealing and who won the day. appear before you in the latter capacity. with the Soviet Union and to take the op The second occasion was on Saturday, Oct. Minnesota Good Roads, Incorporated is an portunity to move to achieve agreements, 27, the blackest day of the crisis. The night organization composed of interested and such as the limited nuclear test ban agree before Khrushchev's long cable seemed to concerned citizens who urgenty believe that ment, that would help to end the Oold War, open the door to a resolution. This was re Minnesota's industrial and economic devel and he refrained from confiding his feelings inforced by a very specific set of proposals opment hinges upon a growing transporta aibout the crisis to anyone but his brother. delivered informally by the representative tion system that can effectively and expedi Other details are also new.

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