34. Memorandum of Telephone Conversation Between the Presidentʼs Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy) and Secretary of State Rusk0
TELEPHONE CALL FROM MR. BUNDY
B said the Pres has been saying re Cuba that he has the feeling he has heard different arguments from different kinds of people and he wonders if Berle is going to be involved in that kind of problem and wants him to if it is all right with the Sec. The Sec said yes—he is in charge of the total Latin American task force—Willauer is a subcomm on the particular country. B said if there is a serious difference of view he would like the people to come over and argue with him. R confirmed that Berle is fully informed. B said he got an extremely instructive lecture from Mann and there is a divergence of his view and the Agencyʼs view. If there is a real divergence it will help Mannʼs view to have it argued out direct with the Pres. R is not concerned as Mannʼs view is Berleʼs and his and the other part must not prevail. B said it may be important given the level of that feeling—the Pres is ready to listen—otherwise he is assuming it is going all right.
R said he would like to see the Pres this week end re high-level visitors—would prefer Sunday. B said OʼDonnell will call this office to set a time.
- Source: Department of State, Rusk Files: Lot 72 D 192, Telephone Conversations, 1/21/61-2/15/61. No classification marking. Prepared in Ruskʼs office by Phyllis D. Bernau.↩