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1962 / Washington, D.C.

Casus Belli

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Operation FREE RIDE:
a. Objective: The objective is to create unrest and dissension amongst the Cuban people.
b. Concept: This to be accomplished by air dropping valid Pan American or KLM one-way airline tickets good for passage to Mexico City, Caracas, etc. (none to the U.S.). Tickets could be intermixed with other leaflets planned to be dropped. The number of tickets dropped could be increased. The validity of the tickets would have to be restricted to a time period.

Operation GOOD TIMES:
a. Objective: To disillusion the Cuban population with Castro image by distribution of fake photographic material.
b. Concept: Prepare a desired photograph, such as an obese Castro with two beauties in any situation desired, ostensibly within a room in the Castro residence, lavishly furnished, and a table brimming over with the most delectable Cuban food with an underlying caption (appropriately Cuban) such as, “My ration is different.” Make as many prints as desired on sterile paper and then distribute over the countryside by air drops or agents. This should put even a Commie dictator in the proper perspective with the underprivileged masses.

Operation TRUE BLUE:
1. Objective: To degrade Castro and his government in the eyes of the Cuban people by communications intrusion.
Concept of Operations:
2. By utilizing high-powered transmitters in the vicinity of Cuba (Florida, Inagwa, Jamaica, aboard Naval ship), which have the capability of overriding commercial Cuban radio and TV stations, periodically degrade Castro and other government figures in the minds of the Cuban people.
3. The technique of communications intrusion could be exploited by pretaping or live broadcasts of anticommunist and anti-Castro propaganda at station breaks, Castro speeches, etc. This idea envisions the use of a Cuban refugee to make such broadcasts and naturally would require close monitoring of stations to be worked. Any number of thoughts could be injected such as:

a. “Cuba Sí, Russia No.”
b. Communism exploits the masses.
c. Communism is ruthless totalitarianism.
d. Castro and henchmen feast off the land while we are rationed.
e. Castro and his reign of terror.
f. Castro is a lunatic and should be put away.
g. Castro is the cause of all our troubles.
h. Rise up against the pig Castro, etc., etc.

4. If approved, this operation could become a continuous project, perhaps under control of USLA.

Operation “NO LOVE LOST”:
a. Objective: To confuse and harass Castro Cuban pilots by use of radio conversations.
b. Concept: Fly Cuban refugee pilot in sterile aircraft in proximity of Cuba at periodic intervals while communication monitoring Cuban air/ground frequencies utilized for airdrome control. Cuban refugee pilot in sterile aircraft would personally know many of the pilots still flying for Castro. Refugee pilot would get into argument with Castro pilots over radio thus distracting, confusing, etc. Would be real trouble for Castro pilots in actual weather conditions. Argument could go, “I’ll get you, you Red son of a gun,” and call by name if appropriate.

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Published In
States of War
About the Text

Memorandum, "Justification for U.S. Military Intervention in Cuba," submitted by the Joint Chiefs of Staff to then Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara on March 13, 1962, seven months prior to the Cuban Missile Crisis. Other elements of the proposal, codenamed Operation Northwoods and designed to justify an American invasion of Cuba, foresaw the assassination of Cuban residents in the United States, the faking of a Cuban Air Force attack on an American airliner, and the blowing up of an American ship in Cuban waters.

The nation that makes a great distinction between its scholars and its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards, and its fighting done by fools.
Thucydides, 5th century BC
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