War and Peace in the Nuclear Age; Interview with David Powers, 1986
Description:
David Powers was the Special Assistant and Assistant Appointments Secretary to President Kennedy. In the interview he describes Kennedy throughout the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. He starts by depicting the President and his brother, Robert, after the Bay of Pigs Invasion of 1961, noting the significance of the failure so early in Kennedy's term and its effect on his handling of the later crisis. He goes on to talk about the day-to-day happenings during the missile crisis, during which Kennedy was campaigning for mid-term election candidates. He recounts multiple personal interactions with the President during those 13 days, and recalls memorable comments the President made to him. Mr. Powers found particularly notable Kennedy's utter lack of fear of death, following his experiences in World War II, and his overriding concern for the fate of children during the crisis. He describes the resolution of the crisis, and the positive effect it had on Kennedy. He also depicts the relationship between Kennedy and Khrushchev, and notes that the president's proudest accomplishment was signing the Nuclear Test Ban treaty.
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