Annex No. 8 Memorandum of Discussion on Cuba January 28, 1961

8 THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON EYES ONLY January 28, 1961 nom Mcm orandum of Discussion on Cuba Cabinet Room, January 28, 1961 Present: The President, The Vice President, The Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the Director of Central Intelligence, the Chairman of the Joint Chicfs of Stiff, Assiatant Secretary Mann, Assistant Secretary Nitze, Mr. Tracy Suined, 1r. McGeorge Bundy The meeting began with a description of the present situation in Cub: by the Director of Central Intelligence. The judgment expressed without dissent was that Cuba is now for practical purposes a Communist-controlled state. The two basic elements in the present situation are a rapid andcontinuing build-up of Castro's military power, and a great increase also in popular opposition to his regime. The Unitad States has undertaken a number of covert measures against Castro, including propaganda, sabor: ge, 'political action, and direct assistance to nti-Castro Cubans in military training. A particularly urgent question is the use to be made of a group of such Cubans now in training in Guatemala, who cannot remain indelinitely where they are. The present estimate of the Department of Dcfense is that no course of action currently authorized by the United States Govern- ment will be effective in reaching the agreed nation... overthrowing the Castro regimo. Meanwhile, the Department of State sees grave political dangers to our position throughout the Western homisphore in any overt military action not autho acd and supported by the Organization of American States.