◆ SpookStack

because the cancellation of the D-Day strike had come directly on the orders of the President, General White's intimations that the JCS had been bypassed on these affairs led to another period of sharp exchanges, presumably with the Attorney General. The record of the meeting shows the following exchange: Question: He IPresident Kennedy] heard nothing from the Joint Chiefs with regard to any infeasibility of this [Zapata] plan. Is it fair to say that the Chiefs would have volunteered their comment if they really thought this thing was going badly? General White: Without any question. The problem was that there were last minute changes of which we did not know. Question: You refer to the last minute cancellation of the air strikes? General White: Yes. Statement: But that was just one factor. General Wbite: I think that was a very key factor, sir. Statement: Well, in this operation, I think we would be convinced that the plan wouldn't have been any more successful if we had had the .ID-Day] air strikes. General White: Well, I really believe that the Cuban Air Force had a whale of an effect on the bad outcome. It is difficult to say what an air strike on D-Day at dawn would have done, but it might very well have made the difference in my opinion. 115/ White then got himself entangled in a discussion concerning Castro's T-33s. Following his statement that he was "surprised" to find that the T-33s were armed, General White was jumped on 122