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B
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
SECR ET
May 26, 1961
MEMORANDUM TO MR. BUNDY
FROM:
W work
SUBJECT: Medium Level Conversation With Mr. Khrushchev.
1.
Mr. Khrushchev is a pragmatic politician, with a broad
faith in the success of his ideology, and a quite particular view of
history. He believes three things about history. First, that in time
the expansion of the economy of Russia and the Communist Bloc will
outstrip the West; second, that the techniques he has now adopted
will gain victory for communism in the underdeveloped areas, probably
without major war; and, third, that the United States lacks a coherent
and effective historical concept of how to oppose his strategy.
2.
Cuba and Laos have recently confirmed him in the second
and third propositions; that is, he takes these two events as evidence
that we do not know how to deal with his tactics and will thrash about
ineffectively. But he also fears that war may come because the United
States will not gracefully accept the defeat he plans by salami tactics.
3.
In view of this outlook, I believe the President must not
merely talk about Berlin and the test ban treaty. He must also make
Khrushchev realize that we understand his tactics; that we have a
strategy as well as a faith of our own; and, above all, we must radically
heighten his fear that his present technique -- and notably its guerrilla
warfare component in Southeast Asia may lead to war unless he
exercises much more caution than he has exhibited in Laos and Viet-Nam.
4.
The President should state that the common problem we face
in the underdeveloped areas is how to conduct the current ideological
struggle without starting a war that could lead on to a nuclear exchange.
SECRET
DECLASSIFIED
E. O. 11652, SEC. 3(E), 5(D), 5(E) AND 11
U.S Archivist (NLK: 76-gozappial)
BY mym NARS, DATE 11/30/ 28
Document source description
This file contains materials collected by the office of President John F. Kennedy's secretary, Evelyn Lincoln, concerning the Soviet Union. Materials in this file include newspaper articles, background papers on nuclear science and possible cooperative space exploration projects, a summary of a telephone conversation between President Kennedy and French President General Charles de Gaulle, an itinerary for President Kennedy's trip to Vienna, Austria, and copies of a joint statement issued by the President and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev concerning nuclear weapons, disarmament, and Germany following discussions in Vienna. The majority of this file consists of telegrams and memoranda to President Kennedy from Cabinet members and advisors regarding suggested strategies for discussing subjects such as nuclear weapons, disarmament, Berlin, and Laos with Premier Khrushchev.
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"ocrText": "B\nTHE WHITE HOUSE\nWASHINGTON\nSECR ET\nMay 26, 1961\nMEMORANDUM TO MR. BUNDY\nFROM:\nW work\nSUBJECT: Medium Level Conversation With Mr. Khrushchev.\n1.\nMr. Khrushchev is a pragmatic politician, with a broad\nfaith in the success of his ideology, and a quite particular view of\nhistory. He believes three things about history. First, that in time\nthe expansion of the economy of Russia and the Communist Bloc will\noutstrip the West; second, that the techniques he has now adopted\nwill gain victory for communism in the underdeveloped areas, probably\nwithout major war; and, third, that the United States lacks a coherent\nand effective historical concept of how to oppose his strategy.\n2.\nCuba and Laos have recently confirmed him in the second\nand third propositions; that is, he takes these two events as evidence\nthat we do not know how to deal with his tactics and will thrash about\nineffectively. But he also fears that war may come because the United\nStates will not gracefully accept the defeat he plans by salami tactics.\n3.\nIn view of this outlook, I believe the President must not\nmerely talk about Berlin and the test ban treaty. He must also make\nKhrushchev realize that we understand his tactics; that we have a\nstrategy as well as a faith of our own; and, above all, we must radically\nheighten his fear that his present technique -- and notably its guerrilla\nwarfare component in Southeast Asia may lead to war unless he\nexercises much more caution than he has exhibited in Laos and Viet-Nam.\n4.\nThe President should state that the common problem we face\nin the underdeveloped areas is how to conduct the current ideological\nstruggle without starting a war that could lead on to a nuclear exchange.\nSECRET\nDECLASSIFIED\nE. O. 11652, SEC. 3(E), 5(D), 5(E) AND 11\nU.S Archivist (NLK: 76-gozappial)\nBY mym NARS, DATE 11/30/ 28"
}