Processed by: EWHBARBA
Assistant Special Counsel to the President, 1954-57
DESCRIPTION: Position on White House staff; education; joining the Shanley-Fisher law firm in Newark; association with [Bernard M.] Bern Shanley; working in the White House; association with Roger Jones; the Administration and the legislative process (including use of the Bureau of the Budget; Barba's responsibilities; other staff members involved with legislative issues; procedures for dealing with enrolled bills; Sherman Adams' role; the President's reaction to bills; merit vs. politics in bill handling; getting bills to the White House; the postal pay increase veto; formulating administrative position on pending legislation; anecdote regarding the ceremony of signing a bill); Barba's closing comments on Roger Jones, the efficacy of the Bureau of the Budget, and the consultation process in the White House.
[Dwight D. Eisenhower Library Oral History, interview by Dr. Stephen J. Wayne and James F.C. Hyde, Jr., Spring, 1974]
Processed by: EWHBENNETT
BENNETT, CHARLES I. (OH-509) 50 pgs.
OPEN
Air Force officer; pilot for General Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1945-48
DESCRIPTION: Biographical information; World War II military service; story of how he got his commission; family military history; first association with General Eisenhower; [Laurence J.] Larry Hansen; becoming Eisenhower's pilot; anecdotes regarding Eisenhower and General [George] Patton; the modified plane; the crews; responsibilities as pilot; relationship with Eisenhower; anecdote regarding Eisenhower and rank; aircraft used; Sunflowers I and II; modified interiors; Mrs. Eisenhower's fear of flying; anecdote regarding General Hoyt Vandenburg; anecdote regarding Biloxi, Mississippi, "surrender" to Eisenhower; Eisenhower's advice to Bennett on being a good officer; security precautions; anecdote regarding flight to Mexico City and a fighter escort; Bennett's responsibilities for Eisenhower's plane and for Eisenhower; Eisenhower as a pilot; meeting the man who taught Eisenhower to fly; anecdote regarding Bennett's authority as pilot of the plane; end-of-war homecoming flight to Washington; flights to Abilene and Denver; comments about the C-54; anecdote regarding a flight with General [Henry] "Hap" Arnold; difficulties of flight planning (need for details, adverse weather conditions, language barriers, etc.); anecdote regarding a flight to Moscow (security, the Metropole Hotel, reactions of Russians on the street to an American, the Kremlin Museum, meeting Marshall Zhukov); transfer to the Air Force, 1947; anecdote regarding military tradition of asking commanding officer's permission to marry; anecdote regarding Eisenhower, General [Carl] "Tooey" Spaatz, Bennett, and the Air Command & Staff School; Bennett's career following Eisenhower's retirement (including military career; further education; further relationship with Eisenhower at White House and Gettysburg; anecdote regarding [General John P.] J.P. McConnell and [Robert L.] Bob Shultz; personal friends and experiences; retirement); Bennett's comments on his family's warm relationship with the Eisenhowers, a visit to Culzean Castle, and Eisenhower's funeral in Washington.
[Dwight D. Eisenhower Library Oral History, interview by Martin M. Teasley, March 22, 1990]
Processed by: EWHBENSON
BENSON, EZRA TAFT (OH-516) 55 pgs.OPEN
Secretary of Agriculture, 1953-61
DESCRIPTION: The National Council of Farmers Cooperatives (period covering 1939-44; including structure of organization; purpose; Benson's responsibilities as executive secretary); agricultural background (including farm experience; service as county agricultural agent and state agricultural economist and marketing specialist; education; national exposure through agricultural groups, church responsibilities, and education contacts); Benson's concerns for free enterprise system, farm problems, government control of agriculture; Benson's appointment as Secretary of Agriculture; Eisenhower's contributions to development of US farm policy (including Eisenhower's background and interest; the Cabinet; the Agriculture Advisory Committee; Eisenhower's and Benson's philosophy toward government intervention in agricultural affairs); details of veto of an election-year farm bill; Benson's problems with Eisenhower's 1952 endorsement of 90% of parity; the National Dairy Association meeting at Pennsylvania State College (including Milton Eisenhower; butter storage and price supports; solutions to dairy problems); Milton Eisenhower and the Secretary of Agriculture job; USDA's relationship with the State Department (including implementation of PL-480 program; agriculture attaches; budgets; screening personnel); USDA's relationship with the Treasury Department (including support of Benson by George Humphrey and Arthur Summerfield); Cabinet support for agricultural concerns (including lack of knowledge; politics vs. agriculture; relationships with Robert Anderson, Fred Seaton, Douglas McKay; Seaton and a mining bill); USDA's relationship with the Labor Department (including position on migrant labor; international relationship with Mexico and other countries); Benson's comments on various Cabinet and staff personalities (Charles E. Wilson, [John Foster] Dulles, Arthur [E.] Summerfield, Martin [P.] Durkin, Sinclair Weeks, Herbert Brownell, Wilton B. Persons, Eisenhower, Oveta Culp Hobby); other Presidential advisors; Eisenhower's stag dinners; Eisenhower on quitting smoking; Eisenhower's concern for the health of his cabinet; Eisenhower, Benson, and prayer; Benson and Mamie Eisenhower's 75th birthday party; Eisenhower's interest in Mormon family home evenings.
[Dwight D. Eisenhower Library Oral History, interview by Dr. Maclyn Burg, May 21, 1975]
Processed by: EWHEISENHOWER, D.D.
EISENHOWER, DWIGHT D. (OH-501) 7 pgs. OPEN
DESCRIPTION: Abridged version of an interview with Eisenhower on the subject of his experiences with General Douglas MacArthur. First meeting; opinion of General George Van Horn Moseley; origin of the Field Marshall of the Philippine Army title; comments on MacArthur's memory, conversational ability, personality, work habits, and attitude toward rank; Eisenhower's personal experiences with MacArthur; MacArthur's Medal of Honor; brief impressions of five generals: [George C.] Marshall, Fox Connor, MacArthur, [Omar N.] Bradley, and Moseley.
[Dwight D. Eisenhower Library Oral History, interview by Dr. D. Clayton James, August 29, 1967]
Processed by: EWHEISENHOWER WHITE HOUSE
THE EISENHOWER WHITE HOUSE (OH-508) 86 pgs.OPEN
Joint Interview:
DESCRIPTION: This is an informal group interview that begins with a document (dated July 8, 1953) from C.D. Jackson [speechwriter for and consultant to the President, 1952-58] that was circulated at the White House. Subject: Eisenhower's kind of leadership and the lack of understanding some of his staff had of it.
[Robert] Bobby Cutler, [John] Foster Dulles, and the Solarium Project (a study of 3 main lines of foreign and security policy: rollback, containment, or drawing the line); people involved; procedure and report; determination of policy to follow; Goodpaster's and Saulnier's disagreement with Jackson on Eisenhower's lack of initiative in leadership; discussion of Eisenhower's desire for good staff work (i.e. to produce special proposals for debate/discussion concerning various policies in order to provide President with options to choose from); example of staff work leading to Eisenhower's decisions; Dulles and the NSC; George Humphrey's comments and the 1958 budget; analysis of Eisenhower's leadership in economic policy problems; questioning Douglas Kinnard's accuracy of information; Eisenhower and decision-making in ad hoc situations; NSC procedures; the decision-making process generally; the importance of economic issues in making decisions; Eisenhower as an administrator; the roles of the Cabinet and the NSC; criticism of the group method; the changes made by the Kennedy administration; problem areas for NSC (role of nuclear weapons and troop reduction in Europe); comments on how Eisenhower spent his days; Eisenhower's involvement with issues; formation of the Committee on Price Stability for Growth (the Nixon Committee) and the Committee on Government Actions Affecting Costs and Prices; the Advisory Board on Economic Growth and Stability (ABEGS) (including purpose, format, expanded membership); Eisenhower's involvement in economic issues during Sherman Adams' and [Wilton B.] Persons' tenures; difference in relationships of Eisenhower-Dulles and Eisenhower-Christian Herter (including patterns of relationship; the Khrushchev and Castro visits); role of C.D. Jackson (including personality; friction with Dulles); Eisenhower's deference to Dulles' expertise; basic differences in Eisenhower's and Dulles' philosophies (including attitudes, the People-to-People program, C.D. Jackson's meetings with Dulles); Eisenhower's handling of Congressional affairs (including Eisenhower's methods, people involved, effectiveness of the legislative leaders' meetings); Eisenhower's personality and popularity; Eisenhower's staff system (including effectiveness of, individuals involved, Eisenhower's stance on tough policy issues, access to Eisenhower, Sherman Adams' methods, Eisenhower's executive ability, the two Vice Presidents proposal); Eisenhower's precision of mind (illustrated by story of meeting of Charles Wilson, the Chiefs of Staff, and Eisenhower); lessons learned from the Eisenhower Presidency (discussion including need for strong, competent personnel; necessity for working out problems cooperatively; importance of control of information flow and clear communication; need for flexibility in machinery of administrative systems; small vs. large presidential staffs); functions of the committees on economic affairs; complexities of the Presidential-Federal Reserve Board relationship; Eisenhower's coordination of staff efforts (including techniques for dealing with situations, resolution of conflicts, need for "idea" men like C.D. Jackson and Nelson Rockefeller); argument for keeping White House staffs and committees small in size (discussion including task accomplishment, degrees of access to the President, changes in White House staffs following Eisenhower administration; the Eisenhower staff).
[Dwight D. Eisenhower Library Oral History, interview by Hugh Heclo and Anna Nelson, June 11, 1980]
Processed by: EWHFLEMMING
FLEMMING, ARTHUR S. (OH-506) 41 pages OPEN
Director, Office of Defense Mobilization, 1953-57; Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, 1958-61.
DESCRIPTION: First contact with Eisenhower, Nov., 1952; invitation to serve on an advisory committee on government organization with Nelson Rockefeller and Milton Eisenhower; Flemming's close acquaintance with Milton Eisenhower; first impressions of President-elect Eisenhower; Flemming's involvement with reorganizing Federal Security Agency into Cabinet-level department; need to get Congressional authority to reorganize government (asked for by President Eisenhower and backed by Herbert C. Hoover, Sen. Robert A. Taft, and Congressman Clarence Brown of Ohio); authority granted and plan for Department of Health, Education, and Welfare completed, going into effect April, 1953; Eisenhower's direct involvement with reorganization committee; the Eisenhower brothers' relationship; Flemming's position as president of Ohio Wesleyan University and Eisenhower's interest in education and small liberal arts colleges; Eisenhower's contributions to Columbia University; Flemming's government service prior to becoming director of the Office of Defense Mobilization; Eisenhower's longtime interest in the mobilization of non-military resources; effect of acquaintance with Bernard Baruch on Eisenhower's thinking; Flemming's first ODM job--a de-control program; Gabriel "Gabe" Hauge and de-control of prices and wages; responsibilities of director of Defense Mobilization (administration of Defense Production Act, membership on Cabinet, member of National Security Council, etc.); evolution of Eisenhower's concept of role of Cabinet; mechanics of meetings; Eisenhower's management of Cabinet and Security Council meetings; effect of debate on Eisenhower's decisions; Bradley "Brad" H. Patterson [Assistant to the Secretary to the Cabinet]; Cabinet debate over increased aid to education; Flemming's observations about the importance of Eisenhower's use of Cabinet and Security Council and the debate format; ODM and Civil Defense as separate entities; development of plan for relocation of government in event of attack; Eisenhower's interest in relocation sites; Flemming's relationship with Eisenhower; Nelson Rockefeller, Milton Eisenhower, and Flemming; the J. Robert Oppenheimer case; creation of the Health, Education, and Welfare department; Eisenhower's interest in and support for a federal program of medical insurance for older persons; Eisenhower's view of issues on a national basis (medical insurance, education, etc.) rather than a local; Eisenhower on civil rights, schools, and racial integration.
[Dwight D. Eisenhower Library Oral History, interview by Dr. Thomas Soapes, November 24, 1978]
Processed by: EWHHOFFMAN
HOFFMAN, COLONEL RAYMOND P. (OH-481) 446 pgs. OPEN
Paratrooper with 101st Airborne Division during World War II
DESCRIPTION: INTERVIEW #1:
Background and education; involvement in a junior ROTC-type
program; enlistment as a paratrooper; developing attitudes;
basic and heavy weapons training at Camp Croft; airborne
interviews and testing; Ft. Benning and infantry OCS training;
the four stages of jump school training.
INTERVIEW #2:
Continuation of discussion of training program; rigging the
parachutes; jump practice; jump master training; demolition
school; memories of the first jumps; assignment to the 542nd
Parachute Infantry Regiment; Colonel Ryder; assignment to Army
Ground Replacement Pool at Ft. Meade.
INTERVIEW #3:
Arrival in England; "Axis Sally"; assignment to the 501st
Parachute Regiment, intelligence section; make-up of an S-2
operation; history of the 501st; Howard Johnson; morale in the
501st; the "Geronimos"; routines and training exercises; live
fire exercises; battalion commanders; preparations for D-Day;
maps and aerial photographs of the Cotentin Peninsula;
briefings; objectives (Douve River bridges and the lock at la
Barquette); the marshalling area and lock up; hair cuts;
equipment generally; personal gear.
INTERVIEW #4:
Continuation of discussion of personal gear; June 5, evening;
preparations for the jump (including splitting the regiment;
battalion designations; commanders; last preparations; loading
the planes; meeting the pilot and crew; the flight itself;
weather conditions; air sickness; physical condition of men;
combat conditions going into drop areas; the jump master's
responsibilities); details of the jump and landing.
INTERVIEW #5:
Getting free of the parachute; next movements (including
weapons; cricket use; hedgerows; crickets, Mauser bolts, and
Cornelius Ryan); link-up with his men; moving toward St. Côme-
du-Mont; the farm at Housville; regiment starts to reform; dawn
and combat engagement; problems of getting to la Barquette;
reporting to [Colonel] Ballard's command; securing the la
Barquette-le Port objectives; reflections on being in combat
for first time; personality of Colonel Johnson.
INTERVIEW #6:
Arrival of the tanks; the drive toward Carentan; the return to
England; re-assembling the S-2 section; interrogation of POW's;
strained relations between Johnson and Ballard; the S.L.A.
("Slam") Marshall field interviews (Army historical team);
importance of interviews, techniques used and results; training
for the Holland drop (including re-outfitting; analysis of
errors in D-Day drop; accomplishments of airborne troops;
positive aspects of training; Hugo Sims; responsibilities of
pilots).
INTERVIEW #7:
Taking leave in England and Scotland (including travel
conditions and accommodations; attitudes of the English and
Scottish civilians towards Americans; rationing; anecdote about
hospitality); the jump into Holland on Sept. 17, 1944
(including troops involved; objectives; thoughts about the
second jump; Lt. Colonel Harry W.O. Kinnard, Jr.; the Sunday
morning drop; reaction of the Dutch; forming up of the
battalion; establishing regimental headquarters at Veghel;
activities of the 101st Division); arrival of British troops;
information flow; the Market Garden operation (including drop
zones and objectives; target Arnhem; need for British armor;
morale; underground activities of Dutch teenagers; difficulties
of the Guards Armored Division to advance; holding the roads
and bridges; German resistance).
INTERVIEW #8:
Continuation of Market Garden operation (including casualties
of jump; anecdote concerning capture of German soldiers and a
German medical jeep; arrival of British forces at Veghel;
difficulties of keeping "Hell's Highway" open and securing the
bridges; stepped-up German attacks; the 107th Panzer Brigade;
the German attack on Veghel; Brigadier Gen. Anthony C.
McAuliffe; importance of holding Veghel; moving north; the
German 6th Parachute; quality of German soldiers; Lt. Hugo
Sheridan Sims, Jr., and the "incredible patrol").
INTERVIEW #9:
Death of [Colonel] Howard Johnson, Lt. Col. Julian J. Ewell;
the Mourmelon-la-Petit base camp and refitting the unit; lack
of winter clothing; the battle for Bastogne (including weather
and travel conditions; German units; headquarters in Bastogne
convent; make-up of American forces and equipment; the siege);
the fight through the Haguenau Forest; end of the war and
disbanding of 501st; theological seminary in Virginia;
rejoining the 101st Airborne Division (327th Brigade) as
chaplain (rank, captain); military decorations.
[Dwight D. Eisenhower Library Oral History, interviews by Dr. Maclyn Burg, July 28, August 4, 11, 18, 25, September 1, 8, 15, 22, 1978]
Processed by: MJAHOUGHTON
HOUGHTON, AMORY (OH-298) 96 pages PRRCQ
U.S. Ambassador to France, 1957-61.
DESCRIPTION: Interview #1. Personal background: acting head of Corning glass until 1941; member of the War Production Board, 1941-43; deputy chief of the Mission for Economic Affairs, 1943-44; U.S. Ambassador to France, 1957-61. Resignation from Corning glass; travel to London to become Deputy Chief of Mission for Economic Affairs; first contact with Eisenhower during a trip to France shortly after D-Day; working relationship between Americans and British during World War II; resuming work at Corning after the war; offering Eisenhower the presidency of the Boy Scouts of America following the war; Eisenhower's early political activities; qualities that Eisenhower brought to his presidency; British opinions of Eisenhower's role in World War II; assessment of Winston Churchill's importance in World War II. Invitation to become the ambassador to France; French position regarding Algiers; French anger at American arms supplies to Tunisia; assessment of French President Coty; Eisenhower's visit to France in 1957; an ambassador's role in NATO sessions; Rome treaty and the beginnings of the European Community; French financial difficulties; De Gaulle's desire to create a NATO triumvirate of France, U.K., and the United States; the French decision to create atomic weapons motivated by fear rather than desire for prestige; assessment of De Gaulle; French political chaos following World War II; encounters with Eisenhower in his post-presidential years.
DESCRIPTION: Interview #2. Chaotic state of French government prior to De Gaulle; De Gaulle's new constitution; French desire to create NATO triumvirate; De Gaulle's imperialism; De Gaulle's thoughts on the Russian threat; the U.K.'s reluctance to join the European Community; U.S. fears concerning the U.K.'s exclusion from the European Community; the embassy's lines of communication with French and American governments; French negativism towards America following World War II; withdrawal of the French fleet from NATO in 1959; De Gaulle's suspicion of the close alliance between the U.K. and the United States; assessment of Adenauer; relationship between Eisenhower and De Gaulle; Eisenhower's stays at the U.S. Embassy in Paris; general's uprising; communist attempts to win the support of the French right; U-2 incident; Soviet unwillingness to achieve real detente at Paris Summit; flaws of the United Nations; 1960 presidential campaign; pressures of diplomatic life; golfing with Eisenhower; Dulles' importance in formulating foreign policy; assessment of Dulles as Secretary of State.
[Columbia University Oral History Project, interviewed by John T. Mason, 1968]
Processed by: MJAKROUT
KROUT, JOHN (OH-381) 44 pages open
Professor of American History, Columbia U., 1922- ; Dean of graduate faculty, Columbia U., 1949-51; Vice President and Provost of Columbia U., 1951- .
Interview #1. Personal Background: received A.B. from U. of Michigan in 1918; travelled to Columbia in 1919; received M.A. from Columbia in 1920; received Ph.D. from Columbia in 1925; becomes a history professor at Columbia upon reception of Ph.D. focusing on colonial period. Entrance into administration at Columbia during Eisenhower's presidency; temporary dean of the School of General Studies in 1948; dean of graduate faculties of philosophy, political science, and pure science in 1949-1951. Eisenhower's appointment as president of Columbia; many trustees desired a prominent public figure as president; Eisenhower's initial impressions of Columbia; trustees possibly attempting to set up Eisenhower's run for the presidency of the United States; Eisenhower's reluctance to get involved in politics; Eisenhower's appointment as commanding officer of NATO; Eisenhower's continuing interest in programs he helped to start at Columbia; criticisms of Eisenhower voiced by Columbia's faculty; evidence of an attempt to avoid political pressures seen in Eisenhower's trip to Heidelberg College; Eisenhower's dislike of fundraising for Columbia; Eisenhower's awareness of research being done at Columbia, especially physics; beginning the American Assembly; Eisenhower's interest in others' concerns regardless of their importance; Eisenhower's frustration with academic administrative style; Eisenhower's legacy at Columbia is neither positive nor negative; continued contact with Eisenhower, 1953-1969.
Processed by: MJANICHOLS
Nichols, Kenneth D. (OH-262) 100 pages PRRCQ
Engineering instructor at West Point; Deputy District Engineer for the Manhattan Project, 1942-1943; District Engineer for the Manhattan Project, 1942-1947; Chief of the Armed Forces Special Weapons Project, 1948-1950; Deputy Director of Guided Missiles, Office of the Secretary of Defense, 1950-1953; Chief of Research and Development for the U.S. Army, 1952-1953; General Manager of the Atomic Energy Commission, 1953-1955.
DESCRIPTION: Interview #1. Personal background: received A.B. from West Point in 1929; received M.S. from Cornell University; received Ph.D. from Iowa State University; commissioned in the Corps of Engineers; instructor at West Point; account of career in atomic community. First meeting with Eisenhower in late 1945 to brief him on the nuclear stockpile; contacts with Eisenhower sought because of Nichols' conflict with David Lilienthal; Eisenhower's role in allowing Nichols to leave the atomic program in favor of assuming a professorship at West Point in April, 1947; Nichols' promotion to Major General and recall to Washington; differences of opinion concerning weapons custody between Nichols and Lilienthal; Eisenhower's important influence at security meetings during the Berlin crisis; Nichols' meeting with Eisenhower, in his capacity as an advisor to Secretary of Defense Forrestal, concerning the "no use" policy then governing atomic weapons; Eisenhower's vital role in increasing budget for atomic weapons as informal chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Lilienthal's preference for atomic energy research and his unhappiness as an atomic munitions maker; Lilienthal's opposition to the Hydrogen bomb; Nichols' appointment to the Atomic Energy Commission; civilian/military weapons custody battle within the Atomic Energy Commission; Lilienthal's success in slowing the Hydrogen bomb's progress through the support of sympathetic scientists; Joint Chiefs' support of the Hydrogen bomb puts Lilienthal out of a job. Creation of the Guided Missiles Project and Nichols' selection as Deputy Director; specific missiles emphasized; Wilson's appointment as Secretary of Defense in 1953 brings the elimination of the office; limited attention given to long-range missiles; Von Braun's role in getting research and development started on long range missiles; prevalent attitude is one of peace in the late 1940's; Berlin Crisis and the Korean War spark national interest in developing atomic weapons and missiles; ballistic missiles delayed by Army/Air Force rivalry; briefing with Eisenhower concerning NATO missiles shows development of the nuclear posture he would have as president; Eisenhower's feelings towards the press and political life; Eisenhower's belief in the need for massive retaliation; commitment to use nuclear weapons essential to strengthen the NATO alliance; French departure from NATO; world-wide belief that Eisenhower would use nuclear weapons; military preparations for atomic use in Korea; military satellite program initiation under Aristide Von Grosau; Wilson's termination of the satellite program; American capability to launch satellite prior to Sputnik; Nichols' criticisms of the space race; delivery vehicles for nuclear warheads when Eisenhower came into office; Polaris development and its need for smaller warheads and missiles; Russian explosion of an atomic weapon in 1949 provides impetus for the Hydrogen bomb; changing attitude among scientists regarding the Hydrogen bomb. Oppenheimer denied security clearance until 1943 due to communist record; Oppenheimer's contributions to the war effort; Oppenheimer's disapproval of the Hydrogen bomb makes his extreme influence inappropriate; Borden alleges that Oppenheimer is a Soviet agent; necessity for Eisenhower to restrict Oppenheimer's clearance in order to avoid attack from McCarthy; fairness of Oppenheimer's hearing; Oppenheimer considers resigning; lack of credibility demonstrated by Chevalier case; antagonism created by security case among the scientific community; assessment of Eisenhower's fairness; Strauss' desire to purge government of Communist influence; "missile gap"; Charles Wilson as Secretary of Defense; Atomic Energy Commission's growing militarism; Atoms for Peace; impossibility of nuclear non-proliferation; defensive missiles; extensive comments on the Dixon-Yates contract; Eisenhower's approach to Vietnam conflict would have involved nuclear weapons; military-industrial complex; need for pollution control in rivers.
Processed by: EWHPERSONS
PERSONS, WILTON B. (OH-334) 163 pgs. w/Name Index PRCQ(M)
Active in the Eisenhower campaign of 1952; Deputy Assistant to the President, 1953-58; The Assistant to the President, 1958-61.
DESCRIPTION: PART I: Relationship, professional and social, with Eisenhowers (1931 through early 1940's); Persons as Congressional liaison for Assistant Secretary and later Secretary of War [Harry Woodring]; Congressional inspection tour of European atrocity camps/liaison with Eisenhower (1945); post-war associations with Eisenhower (Chief of Staff, NATO); early discussions with Eisenhower on subject of Presidential candidacy; Persons' role in the campaign; Leonard Hall as a politician and campaign organizer; Eisenhower's attitude toward Secret Service; Eisenhower's Korean trip; observations of 1952 campaign (attitudes of workers and press, Nixon incident and "Checkers Speech," Eisenhower's attitude toward Nixon, Senator Joseph McCarthy's denunciation of General [George] Marshall and Eisenhower's response); Persons' role in the new administration as Congressional liaison; Persons and Senator McCarthy; Persons' staff (Bryce [N.] Harlow, [Gerald] Jerry Morgan, Jack [Z.] Anderson, [Edward A.] Ed McCabe, Jack Martin); Senator [Robert] Taft and the Eisenhower administration; Eisenhower and Republican legislative leaders; [Charles A.] Charlie Halleck; Persons' relationship with Congress; Persons' background in Congressional liaison (1920's on); Persons' list of helpful Congressional members (both Republicans and Democrats); Eisenhower's preparations for political office; comparison of General George Marshall's and Eisenhower's styles of leadership; Eisenhower's awareness of importance of White House-Congressional relationship; division of work on liaison staff; White House staff attitudes; the daily White House staff meetings; Eisenhower's attitude toward applying pressure to individual members of Congress; Eisenhower and the Mutual Security Bill; Persons' access to the President; Persons' techniques for handling members of Congress; Joe Martin, Charlie Halleck, and Congressional leadership.
PART II: Eisenhower's insistence on being fully advised; Eisenhower's concept of staff work; Eisenhower and decision making; Persons' relationship with [Sherman] Adams (including personal friendship and admiration for Adams, Adams' character, Adams as a political target, details of Adams' resignation, the Goldfine case; the President's reaction; Adams' lack of popularity; Persons as Adams' successor; Congressional feelings about Adams; continuing friendship between Persons and Adams); shifting assignments of White House staff; Persons' role as assistant to the President (Eisenhower's view/Persons' view); Persons' thoughts on Vice- President Nixon (including value of Eisenhower's policy of keeping Nixon thoroughly informed; personal relationship between Persons and the Vice-President; reactions to Eisenhower's heart attack, 1955; carrying on government business while Eisenhower was incapacitated).
PART III: President's social activities: with Vice-President and others, for relaxation, problems of arranging time for; Eisenhower's reactions to interruptions; his temper (the "brown suit" days); relationship between Eisenhower and Taft: effect of Taft's death, Taft's importance to administration; Congressional matters: the Bricker Amendment, the Mutual Security Bill, relations with Democratic congressmen, confirmation problems of Admiral [Lewis] Strauss, Margaret Chase Smith, relations with Senators [William F.] Knowland and [Everett] Dirksen, the Joe Martin-Charlie Halleck controversy; Eisenhower's working methods; the 1954 Congressional elections; question of Eisenhower's candidacy for 1956 election; Milton Eisenhower's influence on the President; Persons' role in campaign; Eisenhower as a campaigner; Eisenhower's concern for able leadership in government; arguments for Eisenhower's running for a second term; Eisenhower's relationship with department heads and Cabinet members; Eisenhower's interest in rebuilding the Republican party after the 1958 Congressional elections; Eisenhower's thoughtfulness (addressing the President in private, an Eisenhower painting for Persons); Eisenhower's closest personal friends; Eisenhower's Cabinet meetings (format and procedure, dominant figures); Robert Anderson; Fred Seaton; Eisenhower and General [Douglas] MacArthur; Eisenhower and the Little Rock issue; White House involvement in the Civil Rights Act of 1957; Eisenhower's views on civil rights; relationship with General [George] Marshall; naming the Marshall Space Flight Center; Eisenhower's views of Senator Joseph McCarthy; Persons' list of Eisenhower's major achievements as President: ending the Korean War, maintaining peace, stopping Communist expansion, the Interstate Highway System, the St. Lawrence Seaway project, stopping of inflation, civil rights statute, space program initiation; Eisenhower's concept of defense and the reorganization of the military services; Eisenhower's desire to strengthen fiscal responsibility in government; Eisenhower's views on Vice-President Nixon as his successor.
PART IV: The appointment of Persons (Eisenhower) and Clark Clifford (Kennedy) to supervise transition of power between administrations; meetings between new appointees and incumbents; the career White House employees; keeping President-elect Kennedy briefed; keeping Eisenhower informed; success of transition process; impressions of the President- elect; the election defeat of Nixon; Persons' role in the 1960 campaign; effects of Eisenhower's illnesses; importance of the post-Presidential Eisenhower; Eisenhower's work habits; Eisenhower's relationship with [James C.] Jim Hagerty; Persons' personal contacts with Eisenhower after the Presidency; the Berlin crisis (1959); Eisenhower's opinion of Premier Khrushchev; the U-2 incident; Eisenhower's relations with the press; Persons' brother, the Democratic governor of Alabama [1951-54] and Persons' Southern Democratic family background; Persons' friendship with Mrs. Eisenhower. INDEX.
[Columbia University Oral History, interviews by John Luter, June 22, 23, 24, 1970.]
Processed by: EWHSHANLEY
SHANLEY, BERNARD M.(OH-403) 54 pgs. OPEN
Member of the Advisory Committee for the Eisenhower campaign of 1952; Special Counsel to President Eisenhower, 1953-55; Appointment Secretary to President Eisenhower, 1955-57.
DESCRIPTION: Shanley's relationship with Eisenhower prior to and during the campaign of 1952; appointment to and personnel of White House staff; Shanley's political activities prior to 1951; influence of Archie Alexander and David A. Morse on Shanley's entering political field; Clark Clifford; responsibilities for legal work as Special Counsel and legislative program of administration; President--staff learning how to deal with Congress; Roger Jones (Assistant Director for Legislative Reference, Bureau of Budget), the Bureau of the Budget (BOB), and the legislative process; putting together a legislative program (1954): what to include (18 yr. old vote, item veto, etc.), input of departments, hearings; Eisenhower's reluctance to take positions on legislative issues; importance of BOB in reviewing purposed legislation; Shanley's diary; expertise of BOB in getting legislation corrected and ready for signature; Shanley as conduit between BOB and President for enrolled bills and enrolled bill memos; role of Special Counsel to set policy; President's and Special Counsel's reliance on BOB recommendations; flexibility of BOB in dealing with White House policy; Shanley's relationship with BOB; importance of [Joseph M.] Dodge, Director of BOB, 1953-54 in interpreting administration policy; contribution of BOB to effectiveness of Eisenhower administration; involvement of congressional liaison staff [Wilton B. "Jerry" Persons, Bryce N. Harlow, Jack Martin, Gerald "Jerry" Morgan] in policy making; closeness of Eisenhower's White House staff; Vice-President Nixon's involvement in policy making and in being part of the team; Shanley's observations on expanding White House staff.
[Dwight D. Eisenhower Library Oral History, interview by Dr. Stephen J. Wayne and James F.C. Hyde, Jr., Spring, 1974]
Processed by: EWHSICILIANO
SICILIANO, ROCCO C. (OH-9) Part I = 91 pgs.PRCQ
II = 32 pgs.
123 pgs.
Special Assistant to the President for Personnel Management, 1957-59.
DESCRIPTION: PART I, Tape 1: Born Utah; Georgetown Law School; legal assistant to an NLRB board member for 2 years; interested in labor law and labor relations; moved to Chicago and became corporate officer of a company building oil refining chemical processing plants, 1950-53; responsible for legal and labor relations; became acquainted with president of Plumbers and Pipefitters Union, Martin P. Durkin, who was later appointed Secretary of Labor by Eisenhower (Dec., 1952); advised by Sen. Wallace F. Bennett (R-Utah) to apply to Republican National Committee for possible job; named Assistant Secretary of Labor (1953); Durkin resignation; James P. Mitchell appointed new Secretary of Labor; irony--Siciliano, appointed to department by a Democrat (Durkin), had never been politically active; served as Assistant Secretary of Labor from Aug. 24, 1953, to Sept. 1, 1957; DUTIES: in charge of Employment and Manpower Activities (involved supervision of Bureau of Employment Security, Bureau of Veterans' Reemployment Rights, Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training), represented Department with Congress (responsible for all congressional activities of department), responsible for Federal Civil Defense activities, represented Labor Department by testifying before various committees, appeared before the Cabinet, served on the Advisory Council for Economic Growth and Stability under Dr. Arthur Burns (chairman, Council of Economic Advisors); changing role of Assistant Secretary of Labor (as of Aug. 24, 1953) from "political reward" job to one of line officer responsibilities; representative from Labor Department to Office of Defense Mobilization Committee under Dr. Arthur Flemming; continuing changes in Labor Department following 1957; Siciliano's feelings about responsibilities of assistant secretaries; Siciliano's assessment of Secretary of Labor Mitchell: best Secretary of past 40 years [roughly the 30's through 60's], great administrator and knowledgeable of departmental affairs, demanded knowledgeable subordinates, somewhat insecure personality, strictly "business" at all times; Mitchell and reorganization of Department (changed it from trade union identity to government department of stature); problems of gaining status with Congress (a Mitchell weak point: he couldn't understand the importance of cultivating Congressional leaders) and the Executive Branch (from President on down, no one appreciated importance of trade union movement / philosophy); trade unions' attitudes toward Mitchell; George Meany on Mitchell; Siciliano's appointment to White House staff (July, 1957) as Special Assistant to the President for Personnel Management (a new position created by Executive Order); responsibility for management of the personnel system of the Federal government (2,300,000 employees at time); not a patronage-type job; position involved approximately 77 different systems; Siciliano's attendance at Cabinet meetings and involvement with Cabinet officers and agency heads; Eisenhower's 1958 submission to Congress of a compensation proposal (first of its kind); Siciliano's office in EOB and staff; idea for position originated in the Rockefeller Commission (Commission on Organization of the Government) and was signed into being by Executive Order; President Kennedy later abolished position; Siciliano's thoughts about importance of job, need for its continuance, the opposition of career people to reorganization; Siciliano's observations on the government's attitude toward trade unions within the Federal sphere; Congressional reaction to President Eisenhower's pay proposal (1958); Siciliano's initiation of a comparability pay schedule study by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (government vs. private industry pay plans), findings later submitted by Kennedy to Congress and adopted.
TAPE 2: Siciliano's inter-actions with White House staff: Sherman Adams, the Director of the Bureau of the Budget [Maurice "Maury" H. Stans], Gen. [Wilton B.] Persons, Bryce [N.] Harlow, [Robert] "Bob" Merriam, Jack [Z.] Anderson, [Gerald] "Gerry" Morgan, [Edward A.] "Ed" McCabe, [David] "Dave" Kendall; Siciliano's thoughts on Sherman Adams' administrative abilities and the changes after Adams left White House; the story behind Eisenhower's signing of the "holiday on Sunday" bill; the staffing system of the White House and the problems Siciliano saw as a result of the military staffing model (as an example of the way things worked, Siciliano discusses the dual Panamanian/ US pay system problem and how it was handled0; Siciliano's reasons for leaving government service; Siciliano's reflections on Eisenhower's periods of illness; further comments on the President's affirmative pay proposal and the Panama situation and Siciliano's role in these; Siciliano's assessment of criticisms of the Eisenhower administration's "standpatism" policies; social relations among White House staffers and subsequent effects on staff areas of responsibility; comments on various White House staff personnel; processes involved in appointing White House staff; Siciliano's directive to executive agencies regarding recognition of labor unions representing Federal employees (eventually ordered by President Kennedy, 1961, with Executive Order 10988); provisions of the Clark bill (Sen. Clark, Pennsylvania) regarding permanent establishment of an Office of Personnel Management and subsequent recommendations for such an organization.
PART II: Reflections on Sherman Adams: relationship between Siciliano and Adams; Adams' character traits; the Bernard Goldfine investigation; weakness of Eisenhower and White House staff in handling affair; deleterious effects of investigation on Adams (mental and physical) before resignation, Sept. 22, 1958; Eisenhower's "disconnection" with Adams' affair; effect of Eisenhower's illness (after 1956) on his responsiveness to situations; conservative Republicans' desire to oust Adams from White House; Senator Knowland's enmity for Adams; Adams' position in White House; Governor Adams after his resignation; press handling of Adams' case; Siciliano's temporary assignment to assume responsibilities in area of minority issues; setting up the meeting between Eisenhower and Negro leaders-- the Reverend Martin Luther King, [Jr.], Roy Wilkins (NAACP), Lester Granger (Urban League), and [A. Philip] Randolph (AFL- CIO's Pullman Car Porters); briefing the President and the meeting discussing various problems of race relations--civil rights, use of federal funds, etc.
[Dwight D. Eisenhower Library Oral History, interviews by Dr. John E. Wickman, July 7 and 13, 1967, and April 2, 1968.]
Processed by: EWHSMITH
SMITH, GERARD C.(OH-513) 42 pgs. OPEN
Special Assistant to Secretary of State for Atomic Affairs, 1954-57; Assistant Secretary of State, Director of Policy Planning Staff, Department of State, 1957-61; Foreign Policy Consultant, Washington Center for Foreign Policy Research, 1961-69; Director of U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, 1969-72.
DESCRIPTION: Joining the staff of [John Foster] Dulles, 1954; the Atoms for Peace proposal (including initial reactions; Molotov; Eisenhower's attitude; benefits derived from atomic energy; success of the IAEA-International Atomic Energy Agency); Smith's relationship with Secretary Dulles (including comments on Dulles' character; anecdote regarding NATO); Dulles' relationship with Eisenhower (including interaction; Eisenhower's dependence on Dulles); comparison of the two secretaries, Dulles and [Christian] Herter (including personalities; philosophies); Smith's assessment of various government personalities (including [Andrew J.] Andy Goodpaster; Lewis [L.] Strauss; Thomas E. Murray; John [A.] McCone; James [R.] Killian; George [B.] Kistiakowsky; Gordon Gray; Robert [R.] Bowie; James [J.] Wadsworth; Phil Farley); anecdote regarding V.S. Emelyanov; Sir David Ormsby-Gore; appointment as Director of the State Department's Policy Planning Staff (1957); purpose of job (including anecdote regarding inception of Alliance for Progress program; long- range policy planning regarding Taiwan; studying the Panama Canal problem); involvement in formulating national security policy (including meetings with NSC; connections with CIA); deputy directors (Bert Matthews; George Morgan) and staff personnel; policy planning (including nuclear weapons and philosophy regarding use; Smith's personal views; anecdote regarding Quemoy-Matsu); Harold [E.] Stassen (including relationship with Eisenhower; character; arms control); the Committee of Principals; Administration contingency plans for war (general war vs. limited war plans); U.S.-British relationships and nuclear weapons; Administration policy on French nuclear force; General Lauris Norstad and NATO; Lyndon [B.] Johnson (including Dulles' regard for; Smith's relationship with Johnson); Smith's assessment of the Eisenhower Administration's foreign policy (including Eisenhower's management of foreign policy; Eisenhower's attitude toward foreign policy in military affairs).
[Dwight D. Eisenhower Library Oral History, interview by Martin Mack Teasley, May 8, 1990]
Processed by: EWHTHOMAS
THOMAS, CHARLES(OH-490) 65 pgs. OPEN
Undersecretary of the Navy, Jan.-Aug., 1953; Assistant Secretary of Defense for Supply and Logistics, 1953-54; Secretary of the Navy, 1954-57
DESCRIPTION: Biographical information: education, World War I naval aviation service, early career in investment banking, World War II service; early political activity and formation of Republican National Finance Committee in California (1946); involvement in fund-raising for 1952 election; conflict with Earl Warren; the California delegation; Taft vs. Eisenhower sentiment; Nixon's early political career (successful races against Jerry Voorhis for Congress and against Helen Gahagan Douglas for Senate); Nixon popularity high (good campaigner, strong anti-communist stand); story behind Thomas' move to Washington as Undersecretary of the Navy; relationship with [Robert B.] Bob Anderson, Secretary of Navy; appointment as Assistant Secretary of Defense and Logistics; appointment as Secretary of the Navy (1954); assessment of [Charles E.] Charlie Wilson, Secretary of Defense; [pgs. 23-25 closed]; changes instituted by Thomas in promoting Naval flag officers (ages, wives, etc.); working relationships between service secretaries and service chiefs of staff; inter-service rivalries; [Robert T.] Bob Stevens [Secretary of the Army] and Senator [Joseph R.] McCarthy; Arthur Langlie (governor of Washington) and the naval air base at Sand Point; Thomas as chairman of National Finance Committee (1957); disgruntled Republicans; criticism of Eisenhower as leader of the party; Meade Alcorn [Chairman of Republican National Committee, 1957- 59]; Admiral Hyman Rickover (career, relationship with Congress, contributions to Navy, criticism of); developing the nuclear submarine; the Bunker Hill incident; Admiral William F. Raborn and the Polaris missile program; Thomas' opinion of Congressional relations, past and present; Carl Vinson; costs of nuclear-powered naval craft; American-Soviet military superiority; Nixon's Moscow trip, 1959; Thomas' personal inter- actions with Russian citizens; post-Presidential relations with Eisenhower; Eisenhower's comments on Churchill and DeGaulle.
[Dwight D. Eisenhower Library Oral History, interview by Dr. Thomas Soapes, July 23, 1976.]
Processed by: EWHWHITMAN
WHITMAN, ANN C.(OH-511) 35 pgs. Open
Personal Secretary to the President, 1953-61
Description: Handling files during the campaign and pre- inaugural period; Betty Bonesteel; deciding where to file White House materials; retrieval of material from central files; Eisenhower's taping system; Eisenhower's temper; Eisenhower as an editor; the Military-Industrial Complex speech; editing Eisenhower's work; time management; access to the President; Eisenhower as a decision maker (the Lebanon and Little Rock situations); Eisenhower's leadership style; Eisenhower's honesty; Eisenhower as a chauvinist; Mamie Eisenhower as a hostess; Eisenhower-Whitman relationship; the Trumans' (Harry and Margaret) criticism of Eisenhower (including comments on Eisenhower's personality and Truman's calling of John Eisenhower home for the inauguration); Eisenhower's arguments with Whitman (topics including civil rights, religion); Eisenhower's "professional" baseball experience; Merle Miller's comments on Eisenhower; Eisenhower as a boss; Whitman's comments on Eisenhower's reaction to [John] Foster Dulles' death; Whitman's relationship with Nixon; personal costs of job (including comments on her divorce from Edmund S. "Whit" Whitman and her own personality); taking job with Nelson Rockefeller (including comments about Rockefeller's character); comments on Merriman Smith; comments on White House staff (including Harry Albright, [Andrew J.] Andy Goodpaster, [Thomas E.] Tom Stephens); White House work schedule; assessment of the Eisenhower Administration years; golf.
[Dwight D. Eisenhower Library Oral History, interview by Martin Mack Teasley, February 15, 1991]