◆ SpookStack

A final feature of the fourth meeting was the obvious effort to establish that President Kennedy was blameless in any way for the defeat. Illustrative of this are the following quotations: Question: Db you think it was in the President's mind that these men [the Cuban Brigade] could disappear as a guerrilla force if necessary? Answer: Yes Statement: I can't believe that if the President had understood how im- portant the air strikes were that he would have called them off. Response: All members of the Group concurred. Mr. Dulles: Another factor Iwith reference to changes in the plan from Trinidad to Zapata] was that the President was faced with hurried and difficult decisions. We [CIA] had made it very clear to him that to call off the operation would have resulted in a very unpleasant situation. Statement: In the future we must carry out any operations of this type in such a manner that the President, who has shown the highest courage, will not have to assume the responsibi1ity.* 46/ . - The fifth and sixth meetings of the Cuban Study Group on the 27 and 28 of April 1961 were highlighted by the discussion of the need for revisions in the handling of cold war activities * Once again, the reviewer would benefit by knowing whether the last statement was made by the President's brother, General Taylor, or one of the other participants at this particular meeting of the Cuban Study Group. 57 i: