Memorandum of telephone conversation between Dwight D. Eisenhower and President John F. Kennedy re Cuba

DECLASSIFIED Authority MA77-149#4 By bc NLE Date 9/11/28 TOP SECRET SEGRET October 29, 1962 MEMORANDUM OF TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH PRESIDENT KENNEDY: Yesterday, Sunday morning, President Kennedy called me on the phone to tell me about certain messages that he had received from Khrushchev dealing with the efforts to solve the Soviet-American differences in the Cuban situation. He did not quote to me the exact language of the messages that he had received from the Kremlin but did give their substance. The basic proposal was that Russia would dis mantle all its bomb sites in Cuba if, in return, the United States would guarantee that it would not invade Cuba. The messages received from the Russians contained different provisions but the final one seemed to be a very simple and, the President thought, quite acceptable in general intent. I concurred but told him that I thought our Government should be very careful about defining exactly what was meant by its promises. I observed, since we make a point of keeping our promises, that they should not imply anything more than we actually meant. It would be a mistake, said, to give the Russians an unconditional pledge that we would, forever and under all conditions, not invade regardless of changing circumstan ces. For example, I said that if Castro should attack Guantanamo, or if he became active with agents and provocators in Latin American countries, it might become necessary for us to occupy the island. My impression was that the President understood this and would make certain that we would not be overacommitted. I then called John McCone, head of the Centrall Intelligence Agency, who is normally my contact with the President on matters involving national security and gave him the gist of the conversation, particularly about the reservations that I thought should accompany any all-out promise of ours. more - TOP SECRET