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Secret Recordings at the White House:
The President mobilized a group of advisers to help navigate the crisis. For two weeks, they met almost continuously, sorting through the confusion of ever-changing reports and intelligence. With the President guiding the discussions, they argued heatedly -- passionately -- over the best course of action. As they struggled to make sense of events unfolding around the globe, and the world moved closer to a possible nuclear confrontation, the President made his decisions, imposing them, when necessary, on his advisers.
Unbeknownst to almost all of the participants, JFK recorded these White House meetings. Excerpts from the 43 hours of secret recordings related to the Cuban Missile Crisis are presented in the gallery and form the centerpiece of this exhibit. The tapes are preserved by the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston, Massachusetts. |