I TOP SECEE-TO F F IC E O F THE S E C R E T A R Y O F DEFEN SE W ASHINGTON 25 D C SENSITIVE 25 July 1962 M EM O RAN D U M F O R TH E S P E C IA L G R O U P AUGM EN TED F rom B ig - G en L a n sd a le S u b ject R e v ie w o f O p era tion M o n g o o s e T h is is the O p e ra tio n s re p o r t at the end o f P h a se I It has b een c o m p ile d to a s s is t you in re v ie w in g O p e r a tio n M o n g o o se thus fa r and in d e te r m in in g the b e st c o u r s e o f U S a ctio n f o r the fu tu re T h is O p e ra tio n s r e p o r t con tain s the c o n tr ib u tio n o f ea ch m a jo r p a rticip a n t on o b je c t iv e s on the planning and o p e ra tio n a l a ctiv ity to w in th ese o b je c t iv e s and on future p o s s ib i li t i e s to be g o v e rn e d b y the p o lic y fr a m e w o r k A N ational In te llig e n ce E s tim a te NIE 8 5 -2 -6 2 is b ein g su b m itted s e p a r a te ly f o r c o n s id e r a tio n in co n n e ctio n with this r e p o r t A s C h ie f o f O p e ra tio n s I am in d ica tin g in this c o v e r in g m em ora n d u m w hat I c o n s id e r to be the m o s t s ig n ifica n t a s p e c ts o f ou r p o liq y and p r o g r a m p ictu re The fu ll r e p o r t o f ea ch m a jo r p a r t i c i pant is appen d ed to e n su re that you have a c c e s s to the e x a ct r e p o rtin g as su bm itted O B JE C T IV E S A s d e s ir e d b y h ig h e r authority on 30 N o v e m b e r 1961 the U S u n d ertook a s p e c ia l e ffo r t in o r d e r to h elp C uba o v e rth ro w the C om m u n ist r e g i m e 11 A fte r a re v ie w o f op era tion a l plan ning and p ro g ra m m in g c o n c e p ts the S p e c ia l G rou p Augm ented p r o v id e d g u id elin es on 14 M a rch 1962 f o r P h a se I O p era tion M on g oose ro u g h ly until the end o f July 1962 The m ain o b je c t iv e s w e r e seen a s a T h e a c q u is itio n o f h ard in te llig e n c e on the ta rg et a rea E x clu d ed f r o m a u tom a tic reg ra d in g D oD D ir 5200 10 does not apply i W S-E6 ftGBPTN UV W ofeO SANITIZED E O 13526 SEC 3 5 By fflfyNARA Date y C op y N o r TOP S E C R E T b U ndertaking a ll oth er p o lit ic a l e c o n o m ic and c o v e r t gjfctions sh o rt o f in s p ir in g a r e v o lt in C uba o r d evelopin g the n e e d fo r U S a rm e d in terv en tion c B e c o n s is te n t with' U S o v e r t p o lic y and rem a in in p o s itio n to d ise n g a g e w ith m in im u m l o s s in a s s e ts and U S p r e s t ig e 1 d C ontinue JCS planning and e s s e n t ia l p r e lim in a r y a c tio n s fo r a d e c is iv e U S ca p a b ility f o r in te r v e n tio n A C C O M P L IS H M E N T E le m e n ts of the U S g o v e rn m e n t w e r e o rg a n iz e d to r e a c h the g o a ls s e t f o r P h a s e I M y a s s e s s m e n t o f w h e re we a re on e a ch o b je c t iv e is n oted u n d er a p p ro p ria te s u b -h e a d in g s b elow In g e n e r a l this h as b e e n a r e m a r k a b ly quiet o p e r a t io n w e ll within the n o i s e and 11v is ib ilit y lim it s im p o se d H ig h e r a u th ority h as been kept in fo r m e d o f p r o g r e s s th rou g h the S p e c ia l Group A u gm en ted b y fr e q u e n t r e p o r t s The S p e c ia l G roup has p r o v id e d p o l ic y g u id an ce a s r e q u ir e d in P h a se I Th e C h ie f o f O p era tion s has c o o r d in a t e d the e ffo r ts o f p a r t ic i p a ting d ep a rtm en ts and a g e n c ie s th rou gh m e e tin g s o f the O p e r a tio n a l R e p r e s e n ta tiv e s and b y con stan t r e v ie w o f p r o g r e s s T h e Ope r a tio n a l R e p re s e n ta tiv e o f e a ch m a jo r U S p a r tic ip a n t in O p era tion M o n g o o s e a re W illia m H a rv e y C IA R o b e rt H u rw itch State B r ig G en B e n ja m in H a r r is D e fe n s e and D on W ilson U SIA M y a s s e s s m e n t o f the o r g a n iz a tio n planning and a c tio n s to re a ch the g o a ls in P h a s e I In te llig e n c e C IA had the m a in a ss ig n m e n t to a cq u ire the h a r d -in t e llig e n c e d e s ir e d The h e a d q u a r te r s and fie ld s t a ff o f C IA a re now w e ll o r g a n iz e d f o r a m a jo r e f fo r t f o r this a sp e c t o f O p e ra tio n M o n g o o s e b e in g stren gth en ed by a n u m b e r o f CIA o f fic e r s e x p e r ie n c e d in d e n ie d a r e a o p e r a tio n s e ls e w h e r e in the w o r ld P lann in g and a ctio n s rate s u p e r io r in a p r o fe s s io n a l s e n s e o f in te llig e n ce c o lle c t io n C IA e s ta b lis h e d the C a ribbean A dm is s io n C en ter at O pa-L ocka F lo r id a and an in te r ro g a tio n a ctiv ity in M H H It undertook a p r io r it y 2 TOP S E C R E T T O P SECRET plan to c o lle c t in fo rm a tio n on the ta r g e t fr o m third cou n try a r e a s in L a tin A m e r ic a and E u ro p e In sid e Cuba the re cru itm en t and p l a c e m en t o f third co u n try n a tio n a ls and in itia tion o f Cuban c o lle c t io n n e ts p a r tic u la r ly in urban c e n t e r s h a s m ade O p era tion M o n g o o se n u m e r i c a lly the la r g e s t U S in te llig e n c e agent e ffo r t in sid e a C o m m u n ist state H ow ev er the e f fo r t in m o r e re m o te p r o v in c ia l a r e a s o f Cuba w h e re g u e r r illa r e s is t a n c e w a s e x p e cte d to b e sp otted r e c r u it e d and o rg a n iz e d w as s h o rt o f the h o p e d -fo r g o a l this w as due to the r e g im e 's s e c u r ity p r e c a u tio n s and to so m e d e g r e e to p o lic y lim it a tion s on the r is k s to b e a s s u m e d D efen se co n trib u te d the m a jo r it y o f p e r s o n n e l to s ta ff the C a rib b e a n A d m is s io n C e n te r ste p p e d -u p SIGINT c o lle c t io n u n d e r NSA d e s p ite ch an ges and im p r o v e d s o p h is tic a tio n o f Cuban co m m u n ic a tio n p r o c e d u r e s and b rou g h t into p la y the a v a ila b le a s s e ts o f S e r v ic e in t e lli g e n ce o rg a n iz a tio n s in c o o r d in a tio n w ith CIA State ste p p e d up its in fo rm a tio n c o lle c t io n fr o m d ip lo m a tic and re fu g e e o r g a n iz a tio n s o u r c e s J u s tic e F B I and INS and USIA p r o v id e d s ig n ifica n t su p p ort to the C a rib b e a n A d m is s io n C e n te r P o lit ic a l State a p p oin ted a re p re s e n ta tiv e to d ev ote f u ll- t im e to O p era tion M o n g o o s e and to d e v e lo p the r e q u ir e d p o lit ic a l a c t io n s D u rin g P h a se I the Punta d e l E s te c o n fe r e n c e w as a m a jo r U S p o lit ic a l a ctio n to is o la te C a s tr o and n e u tr a liz e h is in flu en ce in the H e m is p h e r e but w as not d e v e lo p e d w ithin the co n te x t o f O p era tion M o n g o o s e The s u c c e s s f u l v is it o f P r e s id e n t K enn edy to M e x ic o w as a n oth er m a jo r U S p o lit ic a l a ctio n w ith a p o te n tia l im p a ct upon ou r s p e c ia l g o a ls but w as not d e v e lo p e d w ithin the co n te x t o f O p era tion M o n g o o s e T w o O p era tion M o n g o o s e e ffo r t s in p o lit ic a l a ctio n w e r e attem p ted in P h a s e I to co u n te r C a s tr o -C o m m u n is t p rop a g a n d a e x p lo ita tio n o f M ay D a y and to a r o u s e stron g H e m isp h e re r e a c t io n to Cuban m ilita r y s u p p r e s s io n o f the h u n ger d em on stra tion at C a rd e n a s in June A m b a s s a d o r s in L a tin A m e r ic a w e r e ask ed to un dertake a s p e c ia l e ffo r t as p o s s ib le w ith the h e lp o f th eir C ou n try T e a m s p o lit ic a l a ctio n re s u lts in both in sta n ce s w e r e m o s tly n e g a tiv e due to la c k o f c a p a b ility and the lo c a l attitude in L a tin A m e r ic a n co u n tr ie s State is r e s p o n s ib le f o r re fu g e e p o lit ic a l p o lic y m a t te r s a s s is te d b y C IA in d a ily lia is o n T h is is an a re a o f m a jo r in te r e s t to O p era tion M o n g o o s e sin ce the Cuban r e fu g e e s have an open o b je c tiv e o f o v e r th row in g the C om m u n ist r e g im e in Havana and re ca p tu rin g th e ir hom eland 3 T O P SECRET TOP SECRET T hey a re given op en U S a s s is ta n c e to re m a in in this cou n try yet are p a rticip a tin g in c o v e r t a ction s in a lim ite d w ay Only a fra ctio n a l opening has b e e n m a d e to r e le a s e the fr u s tr a te d e n e r g y o f these refu g ees in fre e in g th e ir h o m e la n d and in c r e a tin g a fa v o r a b le p o litic a l clim a te in Latin A m e r ic a f o r the lib e r a tio n o f C uba P o l i c y lim ita tio n s o f a u d ib ility and v is ib ilit y a p p ly d ir e c t ly in c o n s id e r in g the handling and use of this dynam ic re fu g e e p o te n tia l A s a w o rk in g d ocu m en t f o r U S o p e x a tio n a l g u id a n ce State d ev elop ed a d e fin itio n o f a p o litic a l p r o g r a m f o r a fr e e Cuba w ith the u nderstanding that any r e a l p o litic a l p r o g r a m m u st b e d e v e lo p e d b y the Cubans th e m s e lv e s P s y c h o lo g ic a l P s y c h o lo g ic a l a c t iv itie s f o r O p e ra tio n M o n g o o s e m ake use o f e x is tin g a ssig n m e n ts o f r e s p o n s ib ilit ie s w ithin the U S govern m en t S tate havin g the p o lic y r o le c h a ir s an in te r -a g e n c y Cuba P s y c h o lo g ic a l O p e ra tio n s G roup w h ich m e e ts w e e k ly USIA d is s e m in a te s any U S g o v e rn m e n t in fo rm a tio n V O A and P r e s s S e r v ic e and g en era tes g r a y o r n o n - o f f ic i a l in form a tion 5 m illio n c a r to o n b o o k s and thousands o f Spanish b o o k s on Cuba d isse m in a te d in L atin A m e r ic a C IA p a s s e s in fo rm a tio n a p p r o p r ia te f o r g r a y and c o v e r t p s y c h o lo g ic a l ch an n els ra d io m a ilin g s to C u ba and d isse m in a tio n in sid e C uba C on d ition s and ev en ts in Cuba have p r o v id e d m an y e ffe c t iv e th em es w hich have b een p r o m p tly and sh a rp ly e x p lo ite d b y a v a ila b le m ea n s in the W e ste rn H e m is p h e r e H o w e v e r the U S s t ill la c k s the c a p a b ility o f o e ffe c t iv e ly getting in fo rm a tio n to the m a jo r it y o f the Cuban p e o p le Our j sh o rt-w a v e b r o a d c a s t s a re h igh ly r e g a rd e d b y the Cuban p e o p le but s h o r t I w ave r e c e iv e r s e ts a r e lim ite d in sid e Cuba O ur m e d iu m -w a v e b r o a d ca sts co m p e te a g a in st s t r o n g e r Cuban s ig n a ls it w as f e lt that g r e a t e r U S co m p e titio n in m e d iu m -w a v e b r o a d ca s ts co u ld le a d to Cuban in te r fe r e n c e o f U S c o m m e r c ia l b r o a d c a s ts o v e r a f a ir ly w id e a r e a o f the U S C lan destin e b r o a d c a s t s fr o m a su b m a rin e a p p ea rin g as b r o a d c a s t s by Cuban g u e r r illa s in s id e Cuba have b een in itia te d they a re in th e ir infancy and have a lon g w a y to d e v e lo p b e fo r e th e ir m e s s a g e s a r e b e lie v e d and get p a sse d am on g C u b a n s b y w o r d -o f-m o u th D is s e m in a tio n o f le a fle ts and propaganda in s id e Cuba by b a llo o n o r a ir c r a ft has not r e c e iv e d p o lic y ap p rova l E co n o m ic State has the m ain r e s p o n s ib ilit y f o r d e v e lo p in g econ om ic a ctio n s State has c h a ir e d an in te r -a g e n c y w o rk in g g rou p w h ich generated 4 TOP SECRET TOP S E C R E T the U S tra d e e m b a r g o d en ia l o f b u n k e rin g fa c ilit ie s in c r e a s e d p o r t s e c u rity and c o n tr o l p r o c e d u r e s on tra n sh ip m en t te ch n ica l data and cu stom s in s p e c tio n D ip lo m a tic m e a n s w e r e u sed to fru s tra te Cuban trade n e g o tia tio n s in I s r a e l J o rd a n Ir a n G r e e c e and p o s s ib ly Japan Under R e s o lu tio n VIII adopted at Punta d e l E s te the OAS has e sta b lish e d a s p e c ia l c o m m itte e to study th e f e a s ib i li t y and d e s ir a b ility o f extending the su sp e n sio n o f tra d e w ith Cuba to o t h e r ite m s than a r m s 11 State has p re p a re d a p r o g r a m to be su bm itted to th is OAS com m ittee in the fu tu re The e v id e n ce is that C uba' s e c o n o m y is su fferin g T ra d e with the C om m u n ist B lo c and o th e rs has k ep t it lim p in g alon g d esp ite s c a r c it y o f U S g o o d s the bad drought lim itin g a g r a r ia n c r o p s in c r e a s e d w o r k e r n o n -c o o p e r a tio n and the r e g im e fs b u n g lin g o f e co n o m ic c o n tr o l m e a s u r e s C r itic a l s p a r e p a rts s t ill a r r iv e in C u b a ' in clu d in g sh ipm ents f r o m B ritis h and C anadian f ir m s C h a rte re d sh ip p in g f r o m JNree W o rld s o u r c e s s t ill plays a m a jo r r o le in C u b a 's tra d e and the U S has little hop e o f cutting this li f e - li n e to C a s tro G u e r r illa C IA ha d the m a in r e s p o n s ib ilit y f o r a s s e s s in g r e s is t a n c e p oten tia l in s id e Cuba a n d lto sta rt q u ie tly -o rg a n iz in g such r e s is t a n c e as fe a s ib le T h e C IA plan h as b een to s e t abou t doing this through in trod u cin g s m a ll te a m s in to the Cuban c o u n tr y s id e a v e r the b e a c h 11 fr o m b o a ts E ach te a m is ta sk e d f ir s t to stay a liv e w h ile getting e sta b lis h e d in an a re a O nce able to liv e in an a re a it then s t a r t s a cautiou s s u rv e y o f p oten tia l r e c r u it s f o r a r e s is t a n c e grou p N a m e s o f -su ch r e c r u its a r e sen t to CIA f o r ch e ck in g A s r e c r u it s jo in they a r e tra in e d on the grou n d b y the team and then con tin u e the su rv e y T h is is s lo w and dan gerou s w o rk C IA r e p o r ts that 11 te a m s w ill have been in filtra te d by the end o f J u ly and that 19 m a r itim e o p e r a tio n s have a b orted O f the team s in the m o s t s u c c e s s fu l is the one in P in a r d el R io in w e s t e r n Cuba its s u c c e s s w a s h elp ed g re a tly b y a m a r it im e r e -s u p p ly o f a r m s and equ ipm en t the fa c t that it is a g o in g c o n c e r n and r e c e iv e s h e lp fr o m ou tside has a ttra cte d r e c r u it s Its p o te n tia l has been e stim a te d at about 250 w h ich is a s iz e a b le g u e r r illa f o r c e W ith equ ally la rg e g u e r r illa f o r c e s in o th e r Cuban p r o v in c e s g u e r r illa w a r fa r e cou ld b e a ctiv a te d with a g ood ch a n ce o f s u c c e s s if a s s is t e d p r o p e r ly H ow ev er the team s in oth er p r o v in c e s have not b een so s u c c e s s f u l ou r b e s t hope is that we w ill have v ia b le tea m s in a ll the p o te n tia l r e s is ta n c e a rea s b y e a r ly O cto b e r Bad w e a th e r high s e a s and in c r e a s e d s e c u r it y p a trols w ill m ak e the in filtra tio n o f team s and th e ir r e -s u p p ly f r o m sm a ll boats a h a rd task 5 TOP SE C R E T T O P SECRET S abotage h as n ot taken p la c e on a U S - s p o n s o r e d b a s is P lanning f o r su ch a ctio n b y C IA h a s b e e n th orou gh in clu d in g d eta iled study o f the s tru ctu re s and v u ln e r a b ilit ie s o f k ey ta r g e ts S op h istica ted a ctio n s su ch as the co n ta m in a tio n o f P O L has been fr u s tr a te d b y la ck of co o p e r a tio n o f n ation s w h e re POL w o u ld be v u ln era b le to a c tio n Com m ando type ra id s w ou ld take m a r it im e m e a n s w h ich now have p r i o r it y u se in su p p ort o f C IA tea m s b e in g in filt r a te d in sid e to s u rv e y and c r e a t e a g u e rrilla p oten tia l C IA has r e p o r t e d that th e re is -now' so m e c a p a b ility in sid e Cuba fo r sa b ota ge a ctio n that t a r g e t s e le c t io n has b een u n der fu r t h e r ca re fu l r e v ie w and that a p r o p o s a l is fo r th c o m in g to b e su b m itted f o r p o lic y approval In terven tion P lan n in g T h e JCS w e r e given the r e s p o n s ib ilit y fo r planning and un dertakin g e ss e n tia l p r e lim in a r y a ctio n s f o r a d e c is iv e U S ca p a b ility fp r in terv en tio n in C uba T h is MG u id e lin e sM o b je c t iv e has been m e t fu lly A ls o U S m ili t a r y r e a d in e s s fo r in te rv e n tio n in Cuba has b e e n un der con tinu ing r e v ie w w ith in D e fe n s e b ein g im p r o v e d w h e r e v e r f e a s ib le In a d d ition r u m o r s d u rin g June o f a p o s s ib le u p r is in g in side Cuba le d to fu rth e r planning f o r a co n tin g e n cy -w h e re a n o n -U S in s p ir e d re v o lt m ig h t sta rt in sid e Cuba in t e r -a g e n c y sta ffin g o f U S p lan n in g f o r such a oCuban co n tin g e n cy is b ein g c o m p le te d un der D efen se le a d e r s h ip A s s e t s W h a tever w e d e c id e to do in the future d e p e n d s to a ' la r g e d e g r e e onfhe a s s e ts a v a ila b le to -us Our own U S a s s e t s in o r g a n i z a tio n p e r s o n n e l and eq u ip m en t a re su fficie n t to lib e r a te C u ba given the d e c is io n to do s o A s s e ts a m on g the C ubans to lib e r a te t h e m s e lv e s a re c a p a b le o f a g r e a te r e ffe c t iv e n e s s o n ce a fir m d e c is io n is m a d e b y the U S to p r o v id e m a x im u m su p p o rt o f C ubans to lib e ra te Cuba and the Cubans sta rt b ein g h e lp e d tow a rd s th a t-g o a l b y the U S T h e re a r e enough a b le b o d ie d and p r o p e r ly m o tiv a te d Cubans in sid e Cuba and in e x ile to do the jo b T h e r e is w id e -s p r e a d d is a ffe c t io n in Cuba with stron g in d ic a tio n s that e c o n o m ic d is t r e s s and d e m o r a liz a tio n o f population is c a u s in g r e a l co n ce rn and stra in f o r the r e g im e fs c o n t r o l o f fic ia ls 'F i r m U S in ten tion to help fr e e Cuba is the k ey fa c t o r in a s s e s s in g the Cubans th e m s e lv e s as an o p e ra tio n a l asiset f o r O p e ra tio n M o n g o o s e A t the c lo s e o f P h a se-1 m y c o n c e r n is stron g that tim e is running out f o r the U S to m ak e a f r e e c h o ic e on Cuba b a se d la r g e ly on what is happening to the w ill o f the Cuban p e o p le R igh tly o r w r o n g ly the Cubans have lo o k e d and a r e lo o k in g to the U S f o r guidance on w hat to a sp ire to and do next T h ey w on d er i f w e a r e not m e r e ly w atching Cuba c lo s e ly as TOP SECRET TOP SECRET a m a tter o f ou r ow n s e c u r ity undertaking so m e e c o n o m ic p r o s c r ip tio n and iso la tin g the C a s t r o C o m m u n is t gang fr o m con ta m in a tin g the H e m is p h ere A lon g w ith r e c o g n itio n o f ou r h u m an itarian sy m p a th ies this seem s to be the fe a r a m on g Cuban r e fu g e e s although th ey a r e s t ill hopefu l If Cubans b e c o m e co n v in ce d that the U S is not goin g to do m o re than w atch and talk I b e lie v e they w ill m ake o th e r plan s f o r the future The bulk o f Cuban r e fu g e e s in the U S a re m o s t lik e ly to sta r t getting s e r io u s about se ttlin g dow n f o r life in the U S d u llin g th e ir d e s ir e to retu rn h o m e w ith p e r s o n a l r is k in v olv ed The bu lk o f d is a ffe c te d peop le ' in sid e Cuba w ill lo s e h op e and in cen tiv e f o r fu tile p r o t e s t s against the reg im e antf sta rt a c c e p tin g th e ir status as c a p tiv e s o f the C o m m u iiists Som e Cuban a c tiv is ts w ill not a c c e p t t h e lo s s o f th e ir h o m e la n d s o e a s ily and m ay seek r e le a s e fr o m fr u s tr a t io n b y lib e r a tio n o p e r a tio n s o u tsid e U S t e r r it o r y and c o n tr o l The r e c e n t w ild ca t Cuban s c h e m e to b o m b Habana fr o m C en tral A m e r ic a is an e x a m p le O ur p r o b e s o f the g u e r r illa poten tial in sid e Cuba have b een h a m p ered b y s im ila r m o r a le f a c t o r s Cubans sen t to r is k th e ir liv e s on m is s io n s in sid e Cuba f e e l v e r y m u ch a lon e e x ce p t f o r th e ir co m m u n ica tio n s link b a ck to the U S T h e y a re unable to r e c r u it fr e e d o m fig h t e r s a g g r e s s iv e ly by the t im e -p r o v e n m eth od o f sta rtin g an a ctiv e r e s is t a n c e and thus a ttra ctin g r e c r u it s U S g u id e lin e s to keep this sh o rt o f a r e v o lt have m ad e the in ten tion behind the o p e r a tio n su sp e ct to lo c a l C ubans T h e e v id e n ce o f so m e intent is se e n in the r e c e n t m a r itim e r e -s u p p ly o f the te a m in P in a r d el R io We b rou gh t in e x tra w e a p o n s fo r w hich th ere w e r e im m e d ia te r e c r u it s if w e w e r e to e x p lo it the ev id en t g u e r r illa p oten tia l in this p r o v in c e it a p p ea rs lik e ly that w e w ou ld have to fu rn ish su p p lies b y a ir and p r o b a b ly open the U S Uto stro n g c h a r g e s o f fu rn ish in g such su p p ort to Cuban r e s is t a n c e e le m e n ts T h e r e fo r e w e have b een unable to s u r fa c e the Cuban r e s is ta n c e p oten tia l to point w h e re w e can m e a s u re it r e a lis t ic a lly The only way this can be d on e a c c u r a te ly is when r e s is t a n c e a c tu a lly Has a ra llyin g ' point o f fr e e d o m fig h t e r s who a p p ea r to the Cuban p e o p le tb have som e ch an ce o f w inning and that m ean s at le a s t an im p lic a tio n that the U S is in su p p ort W o r d -o f-m o u t h in fo rm a tio n that su ch a fr e e d o m m ovem en t is afOot co u ld c a u s e the m a jo r it y o f the Cuban p e o p le to c h o o s e s id e s It w ould b e the f ir s t r e a l opportu n ity f o r them to do s o s in c e C a stro and the C om m u n ists ca m e to p o w e r T h e re w as little op p ortu n ity fo r the Cuban p eop le to jo in an a c t iv e r e s is ta n c e in A p r il 1961 th e re is le s s opportunity today If the Cuban p e o p le a re to f e e l they have a r e a l opportu n ity they m ust have som eth in g w h ich they can jo in w ith s o m e b e li e f in its s u c c e s s 7 T O P SECRET T O F -S E C T f i r r - P R O JE C T IO N PH ASE II A s a h elp tow a rd s the m a k in g o f a U S d e c is io n on a future c o u r s e o f a ctio n the O p e ra tion a l R e p r e s e n ta tiv e s d e v e lo p e d w ork in g statem en ts o f fo u r p o s s ib ilit ie s at m y re q u e s t th ey have com m en ted on the p o s itiv e and n eg a tiv e fa c t o r s w orth c o n s id e r in g f o r e a ch p o s s ib le c o u r s e and it is su g g e s te d that th ese thoughtful sta tem en ts a re w orth rea d in g in fu ll T h e w o rk in g sta tem en ts o f the c h o ic e s open to the U S a re as fo llo w s a C a n c e l o p e ra tio n a l p la n s t r e a t Cuba as a B lo c n ation p r o t e c t H e m is p h e r e f r o m it o r b E x e r t a ll p o s s ib le d ip lo m a t ic e c o n o m ic p s y c h o lo g ic a l and o th e r p r e s s u r e s to o v e rth ro w the C a s t r o -C o m m u n is t r e g im e w ithout 'o y e r t e m p lo y m e n t o f U S m ilit a r y o r c C o m m it U S to h elp Cubans o v e r th r o w the C a s tr o -C o m m u n is t re g im e w ith a s t e p -b y -s t e p ph asin g to e n s u re s u c c e s s in clu d in g the use o f U S m ilit a r y f o r c e i f r e q u ir e d at the end o r d U se a p r o v o c a tio n and o v e r th r o w the C a s t r o -C o m m u n is t oregim e b y U S m ilita r y f o r c e R E C O M M E N D A T IO N It is r e c o m m e n d e d that this r e v ie w o f P h a se I b e c o n s id e r e d b y the S p e c ia l G rou p as p ro v id in g the o p e r a tio n a l b a s is f o r g u id e lin e s and o b je c t iv e s f o r P h a se II It is a m a tte r o f u r g e n cy that th ese b e a r r iv e d at by the S p e c ia l G roup to p e r m it d e v e lo p in g s p e c if ic plan s and sch e d u le s f o r P h a s e II 4 A tta ch m en ts ME y e s O n ly 11 c o p ie s to S p e c ia l G rou p A ugm ented 1 2 3 r 4 5 6 G e n e r a l T a y lo r M r A le x is John son M r R o s w e ll G ilp a tric M r John JktcGone v M r R o b e r t K ennedy G e n e ra l L e m n itz e r O p e ra tio n a l R e p re s e n ta tiv e s 7 8 M r W illia m H a rv ey CIA M r R o b e r t H urw itch State 8 9 10 11 G en era l H a r r is D efen se M r Don W ils o n USIA C h ief o f O perations JFKL NSF Box 319 folder Special Group Augmented July 1962 This document is from the holdings of The National Security Archive Suite 701 Gelman Library The George Washington University 2130 H Street NW Washington D C 20037 Phone 202 994-7000 Fax 202 994-7005 nsarchiv@gwu edu