32. Editorial Note
At 2:30 p.m. on January 28, 1961, following the meeting at the White House concerning the proposed plan of action against Cuba, the Joint Chiefs of Staff met at the Pentagon with McNamara, Dulles, Rusk, Gilpatric, Bowles, and Nitze to consider the implications of the meeting with the President and the nature of the proposed operation: “Mr. McNamara expressed his concern about the Cuba operation and pointed out the necessity for determining whether the CIA plan was satisfactory or not. He was informed that the Joint Staff had been told to appraise and evaluate the Cuban plan. Mr. McNamara, in effect, questioned whether such a small force could really achieve a worthwhile objective. Admiral Burke pointed out that a big question was the matter of support for the force. He also mentioned that the Cubans could get on the beach but it was a matter of how long they could stay there.SecDef pointed out that at the next meeting CIA should be told that their plan is not considered to be a good one and therefore the necessity for development of an alternate plan. The Chairman agreed with him.” (“Review of record of proceedings related to Cuban Situation,” prepared by Naval Intelligence for the Director of Naval Operations, May 5; Naval Historical Center, Area Files, Bumpy Road Materials)