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Oral history
John F. Kennedy Oral History Collection
JFKOH-RFK-01
In this interview Robert F. Kennedy [RFK] discusses beginning John F. Kennedy's [JFK] presidential Administration with no political obligations; carefully picking Cabinet members, specifically Secretaries of State, Defense, and Treasury; RFK’s decision on what role to play in JFK’s Administration; JFK’s unhappiness with Dean Rusk as Secretary of State; JFK’s advisers and other presidential appointments; Cabinet meetings; Department of Justice organization under RFK; the first 100 days of the Kennedy Administration; the role of the Vice President, according to RFK; JFK’s relationship with Lyndon B. Johnson and why JFK put Johnson on the ticket in 1960; what JFK was most concerned with as President; domestic programs versus foreign affairs in the Kennedy Administration; Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr.’s role during JFK’s presidency; the Bay of Pigs, the aftermath, and its effect on JFK; how JFK approached problems as President; dealing with Georgi Bolshakov; negotiating with the Soviet Union in Vienna, over Laos and Cuba, etc.; JFK’s relationship with foreign heads of state; State Department staff and U.S. Ambassadors; the military coup in Vietnam; the Berlin crisis of the summer of 1961 and the Berlin Wall; RFK’s 1961 trip to the Ivory Coast; and Soviet and American nuclear testing, among other issues.
Photograph folder
White House Photographs
JFKWHP-1962-10-29-A
ST15
Photograph folder
White House Photographs
JFKWHP-1962-10-11-B
AR28, ST14, KN24
Photograph
White House Photographs
JFKWHP-AR6485-D
President John F. Kennedy meets with Prime Minister of Great Britain Harold Macmillan and members of British and American cabinets. (L-R) Front row: United States Ambassador to the United Nations Adlai Stevenson; Secretary of State Dean Rusk; President Kennedy; Prime Minister Macmillan; British Minister for Foreign Affairs and Earl of Home Alec Douglas-Home; Ambassador of Great Britain Harold Caccia. (L-R) Back row: Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs George Ball; Special Assistant to the Secretary of State for Soviet Affairs Charles Bohlen (partially hidden); Secretary of the Prime Minister’s Cabinet Sir Norman Brook; Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs G. Mennen "Soapy" Williams; United Kingdom Permanent Representative to the United Nations Sir Patrick Dean (mostly hidden); Ambassador at Large W. Averell Harriman; unidentified man (mostly hidden); U.S. Ambassador to Great Britain David K. E. Bruce; unidentified man (partially hidden); Under Secretary of State Chester Bowles; unidentified man (mostly hidden); former Secretary of State Dean Acheson; Secretary of the Treasury C. Douglas Dillon; unidentified man (mostly hidden); Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara; Chairman of State Department Policy Planning Council George McGhee; President's Special Assistant for National Security McGeorge Bundy; Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs Foy Kohler; Permanent Under Secretary for the Foreign Office Sir Frederick Hoyer-Millar; unidentified man; President's Deputy Special Assistant for National Security Affairs Walt W. Rostow. Rose Garden, White House. Washington, D.C.
Photograph
White House Photographs
JFKWHP-ST-A26-25-62
President John F. Kennedy meets with members of the Executive Committee of the National Security Council (EXCOMM) regarding the crisis in Cuba. Clockwise from top right side of table: Under Secretary of State George Ball, Secretary of State Dean Rusk, President Kennedy, Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, Deputy Secretary of Defense Roswell Gilpatric, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Maxwell D. Taylor, Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Paul Nitze, Acting Director of the United States Information Agency (USIA) Donald Wilson, Special Counsel to the President Theodore C. Sorensen, Special Assistant to the President for National Security McGeorge Bundy, Secretary of the Treasury C. Douglas Dillon, Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson (mostly hidden), Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, former U.S. Ambassador to the Soviet Union Llewellyn Thompson, Director of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency (ACDA) William C. Foster, and Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) John McCone (mostly hidden behind Director Foster). Cabinet Room, White House, Washington, D.C.
Photograph
White House Photographs
JFKWHP-ST-A26-18-62
President John F. Kennedy meets with members of the Executive Committee of the National Security Council (EXCOMM) regarding the crisis in Cuba. Seated at table (clockwise from bottom left): Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Paul Nitze, Acting Director of the United States Information Agency (USIA) Donald Wilson (partially hidden), Special Counsel to the President Theodore C. Sorensen, Special Assistant to the President for National Security McGeorge Bundy, Secretary of the Treasury C. Douglas Dillon, Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson, former U.S. Ambassador to the Soviet Union Llewellyn Thompson, Director of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency (ACDA) William C. Foster, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) John McCone (mostly hidden), Under Secretary of State George Ball (partially hidden), Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, Deputy Secretary of Defense Roswell Gilpatric, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Maxwell D. Taylor. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy stands at far left; President Kennedy (looking down, with hands on table) and Secretary of State Dean Rusk stand at far right; Executive Secretary of the National Security Council Bromley Smith (back left) sits against the wall, near the bookcase. Cabinet Room, White House, Washington, D.C.
Photograph
White House Photographs
JFKWHP-ST-A26-16-62
President John F. Kennedy meets with members of the Executive Committee of the National Security Council (EXCOMM) regarding the crisis in Cuba. Seated at table (clockwise from bottom left): Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Paul Nitze, Acting Director of the United States Information Agency (USIA) Donald Wilson (partially hidden), Special Counsel to the President Theodore C. Sorensen, Special Assistant to the President for National Security McGeorge Bundy, Secretary of the Treasury C. Douglas Dillon, Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, former U.S. Ambassador to the Soviet Union Llewellyn Thompson, Director of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency (ACDA) William C. Foster, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) John McCone, Under Secretary of State George Ball (mostly hidden), Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, Deputy Secretary of Defense Roswell Gilpatric, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Maxwell D. Taylor. Secretary of State Dean Rusk, President Kennedy (mostly hidden behind Secretary Rusk), and White House Press Secretary Pierre Salinger (on far edge of frame) stand at right; Executive Secretary of the National Security Council Bromley Smith (back left) sits against the wall, near the bookcase. Cabinet Room, White House, Washington, D.C.
Photograph
White House Photographs
JFKWHP-ST-A26-1-62
President John F. Kennedy meets with members of the Executive Committee of the National Security Council (EXCOMM) regarding the crisis in Cuba. Clockwise from top right side of table: Under Secretary of State George Ball, Secretary of State Dean Rusk, President Kennedy, Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, Deputy Secretary of Defense Roswell Gilpatric, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Maxwell D. Taylor, Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Paul Nitze, Acting Director of the United States Information Agency (USIA) Donald Wilson, Special Counsel to the President Theodore C. Sorensen, Special Assistant to the President for National Security McGeorge Bundy (mostly hidden), Secretary of the Treasury C. Douglas Dillon, Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson (mostly hidden), Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, former U.S. Ambassador to the Soviet Union Llewellyn Thompson, Director of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency (ACDA) William C. Foster, and Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) John McCone (mostly hidden behind Director Foster). Cabinet Room, White House, Washington, D.C.
Photograph
White House Photographs
JFKWHP-KN-C17423
President John F. Kennedy meets with Prime Minister of Great Britain Harold Macmillan and members of British and American cabinets. (L-R) Front row: United States Ambassador to the United Nations Adlai Stevenson; Secretary of State Dean Rusk; President Kennedy; Prime Minister Macmillan; British Minister for Foreign Affairs and Earl of Home Alec Douglas-Home; Ambassador of Great Britain Harold Caccia. (L-R) Back row: Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs George Ball (mostly hidden); Special Assistant to the Secretary of State for Soviet Affairs Charles Bohlen (mostly hidden); Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs G. Mennen "Soapy" Williams; Secretary of the Prime Minister’s Cabinet Sir Norman Brook (mostly hidden); Ambassador at Large W. Averell Harriman; U.S. Ambassador to Great Britain David K. E. Bruce; unidentified man; Under Secretary of State Chester Bowles; Military Aide to the President Chester V. Clifton (partially hidden); unidentified man; Secretary of the Treasury C. Douglas Dillon; unidentified man; Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara; Chairman of State Department Policy Planning Council George McGhee; Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs Foy Kohler; Permanent Under Secretary for the Foreign Office Sir Frederick Hoyer-Millar; President's Special Assistant for National Security McGeorge Bundy. Rose Garden, White House. Washington, D.C.
Photograph
White House Photographs
JFKWHP-ST-66-2-61
President John F. Kennedy meets with Prime Minister of Great Britain Harold Macmillan and members of British and American cabinets. (L-R) Front row: United States Ambassador to the United Nations Adlai Stevenson; Secretary of State Dean Rusk; President Kennedy; Prime Minister Macmillan; British Minister for Foreign Affairs and Earl of Home Alec Douglas-Home; Ambassador of Great Britain Harold Caccia. (L-R) Back row: Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs George Ball; Special Assistant to the Secretary of State for Soviet Affairs Charles Bohlen; unidentified man (mostly hidden); Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs G. Mennen "Soapy" Williams; Secretary of the Prime Minister’s Cabinet Sir Norman Brook (mostly hidden); Ambassador at Large W. Averell Harriman; U.S. Ambassador to Great Britain David K. E. Bruce; unidentified man (mostly hidden); Under Secretary of State Chester Bowles; unidentified man (partially hidden); former Secretary of State Dean Acheson; unidentified man (partially hidden); Secretary of the Treasury C. Douglas Dillon; unidentified man (partially hidden); Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara; unidentified man (partially hidden); Chairman of State Department Policy Planning Council George McGhee; Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs Foy Kohler; President's Special Assistant for National Security McGeorge Bundy; Permanent Under Secretary for the Foreign Office Sir Frederick Hoyer-Millar; unidentified man; President's Deputy Special Assistant for National Security Affairs Walt W. Rostow. Rose Garden, White House. Washington, D.C.
Photograph
White House Photographs
JFKWHP-ST-66-1-61
President John F. Kennedy meets with Prime Minister of Great Britain Harold Macmillan and members of British and American cabinets. (L-R) Front row: United States Ambassador to the United Nations Adlai Stevenson; Secretary of State Dean Rusk; President Kennedy; Prime Minister Macmillan; British Minister for Foreign Affairs and Earl of Home Alec Douglas-Home; Ambassador of Great Britain Harold Caccia. (L-R) Back row: Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs George Ball; Special Assistant to the Secretary of State for Soviet Affairs Charles Bohlen; unidentified man; Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs G. Mennen "Soapy" Williams; Secretary of the Prime Minister’s Cabinet Sir Norman Brook (mostly hidden); Ambassador at Large W. Averell Harriman; U.S. Ambassador to Great Britain David K. E. Bruce; unidentified man (mostly hidden); Under Secretary of State Chester Bowles; unidentified man; former Secretary of State Dean Acheson; unidentified man (mostly hidden); Secretary of the Treasury C. Douglas Dillon; unidentified man; Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara; unidentified man; Chairman of State Department Policy Planning Council George McGhee (partially hidden); Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs Foy Kohler; President's Special Assistant for National Security McGeorge Bundy; Permanent Under Secretary for the Foreign Office Sir Frederick Hoyer-Millar; unidentified man; President's Deputy Special Assistant for National Security Affairs Walt W. Rostow. Rose Garden, White House. Washington, D.C.
Photograph
White House Photographs
JFKWHP-AR7535-E
President John F. Kennedy (seated) signs the Trade Expansion Act of 1962. Standing (L-R): Secretary of Commerce, Luther H. Hodges; unidentified; Representative John J. Flynt, Jr. (Georgia); Representative Hale Boggs of Louisiana (partially hidden); Representative Wilbur D. Mills (Arkansas); Secretary of Defense, Robert S. McNamara (in back, mostly hidden); Senator Robert S. Kerr (Oklahoma); Representative John W. Byrnes (Wisconsin); Senator Mike Mansfield (Montana); Senator Russell B. Long (Louisiana); Senator John O. Pastore (Rhode Island); Secretary of State, Dean Rusk (in back); Senator Hubert H. Humphrey (Minnesota); Representative Cecil R. King (California); Secretary of the Treasury, C. Douglas Dillon (in back, mostly hidden); Representative Howard H. Baker (Tennessee); Representative Eugene J. Keogh of New York (in back, mostly hidden); Special Assistant to the President for International Trade Policy, Howard C. Petersen; Secretary of Agriculture, Orville L. Freeman; Under Secretary of State, George Ball. Fish Room, White House, Washington, D.C.