Lansdale's first Cuba Project program review (18 January 1962)

Sennen Program Review by SENSITIVE Brig. Gen. E, G. Lansdale, 18 January 196 Chief of Operations Cle, THE CUBA PROJECT 1. OBJECTIVE The U.S. objective is to help the Cubans overthrow the Communist regime from within Cuba and institute a new government with which the United States can live in peace.. oe Ill, CONCEPT OF OPERATION Basically, the operation is to bring about the revolt of the Cuban The revolt will overthrow the Communist regime and institute ‘people. a new government with which the United States can live in peace. The revolt requires a strongly motivated political action movement established within Cubz, to generate the revolt, to give it direction to- wards the objective, and to capitalize on the climactic moment. ~The political actions will be assisted by economic warfare to induce failure of the Cormmunist regime to supply Cuba's economic needs, psychological operations to turn the peoples' resentment increasingly against the regime, and military-type groups to give the popular movement an action arm for eabotage and armed resistance in support of political objectives. The failure of the U.S.-sponsored operation in April 1961 so shook -the faith of Cuban patriots in U.S. competence and intentions in support~ ing a revolt against Castro that a new effort to generate a revolt against the regime in Cuba must have active support from key Latin American countries, Further, the foreigness (Soviet Union and Bloc) of the tyranny imposed on the Cuban people must be made clear to the people of the Western Hemisphere to the point of their deep anger and open actions to Such an defend the Western Hemisphere against such foreign invasion. anger will be generated, in part, by appeals from the popular movement within Cuba to other Latin Americans especialiy. Reco; '0n oS 526) (PL102. ati f 1992 Assassin, of S the JFK Piovisio Collection Act o Reviewed on_7/<3 © The preparation phase must result in a political action organization im being in key localities inside Cuba, with its own means for internal communications, its own voice for psychological operations, and its own action arm (small guerrilla bands, sabotage squads, etc.), It must have the sympathetic support of the majority of the Cuban people, and make this (It is reported that the majority of Cubans fact known to the outside world. are-not for the present regime, but are growing apathetic towards wnat appears to be a hopeless future or the futility of their status.) The climactic moment of revolt will come from an angry reaction of the people to a government action (sparked by an incident), or from a fracturing of the leadership cadre within the regime, or both. (A major CIA HAS NO OBJECTION TO goal of the Project must be to bring this about.) The popular movement DECLASSIFICATION AND/OR >. RELEASE OF THIS DOCUMENT R Ss wet WER OMIZLE pIsnOFOIs®) eee 25 Jun Excluded from automatic This document contains g pages. regrading: DOD Inr. Copy No. of {Zs copies. Doo 73 “pe momo HWY 50955 DBocld:32424903 Page 3

pear SENSITIVE will capitalize on this climactic moment by initiating an open revolt. Areas will be taken an and held. i necessary, the popular movernent will nations, will then give open support to the Cuban peoples' revolt, Such support will include military force, as necessary. neem oneness Iu. ESTIMATE OF THE SITUATION .Our planning requires sound intelligence estimates of the situation re Cuba. The latest National Estimate (SNIE 85-61) of 28 November 1961 contains operational conclusions not based on hard fact, in addition to its intelligence conclusions; this is a repetition of an error in the planning for the unsuccessful operation of last April. The planning indicated herein will be revised, as necessary, based on the hard intelligence estimate of the situation by the U.S. Intelligence community. A new National Intelligence Estimate (NIE 85-62 on Cuba), due on 23 January, apparently has been postponed until 7 February, It is recognized that one result of the Project, so far, has been to start the collection of Intelligence on Cuba in depth, to provide facts on which to base firm estimates and operations. IV. INITIAL PHASE (30 Nov 61 18 Jan 62) A. Establish a U.S. mechanism for the project. Status: The President's directive of 30 November 1961 was imple- Gee mented by creating a U.S. operations team, with Brig. Gen. G Lansdale as Chief of Operations, and with tasks promptly y assigned, His immedi- ate staff are Mr. Hand and Major Patchell, Representatives of Secre- taries and Agency Directors are: State Woodward (Goodwin, Hurwitch) CLA Helms Defense Brig. Gen, Craig USIA Wilson Intelligence Support Status: CLA made a special survey of U.S. capabilities to interrogate Cuban refugees in the USA (1, 700 2,000 arriving per month) and on 16 January approved a program increasing the staff at the Opa Locka Interrogation Center in Florida from the present 2 people to 34. CLA will build up agent assets (positive ‘intelligence assets inside Cuba are very limited and it has no counter-intelligence assets inside). Special intelli- gence assets will be exploited more fully. The Cuba project needs far more hard intelligence in depth than is presently available. CLA will require further assistance from Defense and other U. S. organizations in this intelligence effort, and is submitting specific qualifications for Se eee marten ms BW 509455 Bocld: 324274903 Page 4 CTA TT VAT

SENSITIVE ne C. Political platform for peoples' movement inside Cuba, Status: State has sketched in a broad outline. CIA is to produce i the firm platform statement of aims for which the Cubans who will operate inside Cuba are willing to risk their lives, and upon which popular support can be generated. D. Nucleus for popular movement Status: To date, C1A has been unable to produce the necessary political action agents for this purpose. Upon re-evaluation of its capabilities, CLA now hopes to complete spotting and assessing eight to ten Cuban political action agents by 1S February, from among te Gubans available in the United States. The minimum need for the Project to be effective is 30|such political action Cubans and CIA is Pl 4 tasked to make a priority search for them among Cubans in the U.S. and Caribbean area. E. Deployment of nucleus Status: CLA is tasked to select 20 localities within Cuba where political action groups can be established. Initial selection and plans for establishing these action groups are now due 1 February. Havana, and localities in the provinces of Camaguey and fas Villas will receive priority consideration, according to present intelligence. Planning on this must be adjusted as firmer intelligence is acquired, F. Diplomatic actions Status: State is concentrating on the OAS Meeting of Foreign Ministers, which opens 22 January, hoping to get wide Western Hemis- phere support for OAS resolutions condemning Cuba and isolating it from the rest of the Hemisphere. A companion resolution, to offer OAS relief directly to the suffering Cuban people (similar to U. S. oe relief to Russia, 1919-20) is being considered, as a means to reach ieegiootene the Cuban people sympathetically without going through their Com- an munist government. The OAS me is to be supported by publi 12,Y 50 Cc A dermonstrations in Latin Americ exated by CLA, and a payehon ct logical campaign assisted by USI/ 1.304 M+) The major task for our diplomatic capability is to encourage Latin American leaders to develop independent operations similar to this Pro- Ject, seeking an internal revolt of the Cuban people against the Communist “Fegime. This is yet to be initiated by State and must be vigorously pressed. G. Economic warfare Status: This critical key to our political action Project is still in the planning stage under State leadership. State is basing future economic actions, including plans for an embargo on Cuban trade, on the outcome of the forthcoming OAS meeting. Meanwhile, State has chaired an Economic action group, which agreed on developing 13 actions, 15 Februar is set for _¢ a report on implementing plans, so that actions can be initiatedy CLA was. pag} unable to undertake action to sabotage the sugar harvest, which commences fad if about 15 January, and upon which Cuba's one-crop sugar economy depends.<* inhi: (Sabotage of transport, mills, sugar sacking and cane fields was explored.) J HW 50955 DBocld:32424903 Page 5 SENSITIVE

SENSITIVE rated on a small vessel under CLA control. CLA plans to 14 it attempt intrusion on i ettuary during Castro's forthcoming speech and ye rade demonstrations I. Special sabotage support Statug PState has explored, with negative results, the feasibility C/A of pre-e reaction with respect to tanker charters (most Bloc ship- ments to Cuba are carried in Western bottoms), CLA has initiated )3@QQE/ action to contaminate POL supplies for Cuba, oor visible results py (stoppage of some Cuban transport) is not expected until mid-1962, CLA ;9([uTT>" J. Military actions en) me Status: Defense has been tasked with preparing a contingency plan for_U.S. military action, in case the Cuban an people request U.S, help when en their revolt starts 6 making headway. This. contingency ‘plan will permit obtaining a policy decision on the major point of U.S. intentions, and is looked upon as a posituve political-psychological factor ina people's revolt, even more than as a possible military action, Defense also has been tasked with fully assisting State and CIA, as commitments of Defense men, money, and materiel are required. Ren cA K, Major elements of the population Status: Both State and CIA are continuing to explore their capabilities (with results largely negative to date) for mounting special group operations inside Cuba focused upon dynamic elements of the population, particularly operations through the Church to reach the women and farnilies, and through Labor contacts to reach the workers. Other elements include enlistment of the youth and professional groupings. Special consideration is to be given to doing this through Latin American operational contacts, This is vital to the success of our political action nucleus when CIA can pyt it into place, L. Outlook” Status: As reported to the Special Group last week, there has been period of a realistic second look at CIA capabilities to mount the required clandestine operations against Cuba, and a subsequent start in "tooling up." After this second look, CIA has concluded that its realistic role should be to create at least the illusion of a popular movement, to win external support for it, to improve CLA operational capability, and to help create a climate which will permit provocative actions in support of (a a shift to overt t action, This outlook, although arrived “at at thoughtfully within CLA, is far short of the Cuba project's goals. CLA must take yet another hard look at ite potential capabilities, in the light of the following tasking, to determine petbahteth if it cannot make the greater effort required. HW 50955 Docld:324294903 Page 6 SENSITIVE

‘Vir Su wWimis ub SENSITIVE V. TARGET SCHEDULE A. Intelligence Task 1: NIE 85-62 on Cuba due 7 February (CLA). Task 2: By 15 February, Opa Locka Interrogation Center to be made an effective operation for collection and processing “of intelligence (CLA with support of Defense, State, I&NS, FBI). Task 3: Intelligence collection, from Cuban refugees else’ e than Gieaiarea., CLA to survey other refugee points (Puerto Ricg@/ Venezuela, § on etc. ggund on a priority basis to ensure maximum coverage of ch sOurce points, 15 February target date. Task 4: CIA to continue its re-examination of intelligence assets, ity en ¢ agents inside Cuba, and report on capability by 15 Feb- guntry) source, particularly those having diplomatic relations with Cub edge Ky B. Political Task 5: CLA to submit plan by 1 February for defection of top Cuban government officials, to fracture the regime from within. This effort must be imaginative and bold enough to consider a ''name'! defector to be worth at least a million U.S. dollars. This can be the key to our political action goal and must be mounted without delay as a major CIA project. Or Task 6: CIA to complete plans by 1 February for Cover and Decep- eats tion actions, to help fracture the Communist regime in Cuba. Defense, ‘Scecenmettaatngemt tant State and FBI are to collaborate on this, Task 7: By 1 February, CIA to submit operations schedule for initiating popular movement within Cuba. This must include localities selected inside Cuba, assessment of selected Cubans, their infiltra- tion, activity assignments, and political platform. One section must deal with the "underground, assess its true status and plans to use it. Task 8: State to follow up the OAS meeting by having Embassies in Latin America exploit all opportunities to enlist local Sympathy for the Cuban people and to increase hostility towards the Communist regime in Cuba. State to submit_report.on results of this assignment by 13 February, 60 further planning can be “programmed, Task 9: By 15 February, State to submit an inventory of operational assets in the Caribbean area, including capabilities of local governments or groups to mount operations on their own, to help achieve the Project's goals. Plans for early use of such capabilities are due by 19 February. Task 10: CLA to submit operational schedule for using assets in the Caribbean area to achieve the Project's political action goals, The objective of working on dynamic clements of the Cuban population (such as workers, farmers) is underscored. Due 19 February. shies HY 50955 DBocld:324274903 Page 7

C. Economic Task ll; State to prepare recommendations to the President on U.S. trade with Cuba, as follow-up to OAS meeting. (Uf the minimum result of the meeting is an agreement to condemn Cuba as an accom- “plice of the Sino-Soviet Bloc and adoption of a general ‘statement that. ‘Cuba presents a threat to the peace and security of the Hemisphere, _State_is prepared to recommend to the President that remaining trade between the U.S. and Cuba be barred.) TT TV car mH we Task 12: State to plan, with Coramerce and other U.S. agencies, on how to halt the diversion of vital items in the Cubantrade. Due date 15 February. Cooperation of other OAS nations, particularly Canada and Mexico, is to be explored by State. Task 13: State, with Commerce and others involved, to plan on “how to make "positive list" items to Latin America be subject to the same licensing procedures as applied to such shipments to other parts-of the free world, Due 18 February. Task 14: State to obtain from Commerce proposal to amend’, present export. controls of technical data (petrochemical, cormmuni- cations equipment) eo that Cuba is treated the same as the Sino- Soviet Bloc. Due 15 February. Task 15: State by 15 February to submit recommendations on iesuance of transportation order (T-3) under authority of the Defense Production Act, of 1950 forbidding U.S. -owned vessels to engage in trade with Cuba. oe Task 16: State plan due by 15 February on feasible extension of U.S. port treatment now given to Bloc and Cuban vessels to charter vessels of Bloc and Cuba (Treasury to advise on this). ae Task 17: State to report by 15 February on feasibility of harass~- sesbiratenda ing Bloc shipping by refusing entry into U.S. ports (statedly for pests security reasogs) Task 18 A to report on possibility of cooperation of AFL-CIO CIA with the Interhzts Transport Federation to refuse to handle cargo j. 3/44) or or from Cuba e by 15 February Task 19: State to report by 15 February on possibilities for obtaining the discreet cooperation of the National Foreign Trade Council to urge U.S. shippers to refuse to ship on vessels which call at Cuban ports. (Commerce to assist on this.) Task 20: State to report by 15 February on possibilities to obtain the discreet cooperation of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers to influence U.S. firms having subsidaries abroad to adhere to the spirit of U.S, economic sanctions. (Commerce to assist on thie.) HW 50955 DocId:32424903 Page 8 SENSITIVE if vessels have called or will call at Cuban ports.

SENSITIVE Task 21: CLA to submit plan by 15 February for inducing failures in food creps in Cuba. Capability for sabotage of rice, for instance, is available; timing is the problem, Task 22: State to report by 15 February on status of plans to gain cooperation of NATO allies (bilaterally and in the NATO forum, as appropriate). Objective is to persuade these nations to take steps to isolate Cuba from the West. Task 23: State to report by 15 February on status of actions under- taken with Japan, which has comparatively significant trade with Cuba, along lines similar to those with NATO nations. Task 24: CIA to submit plan by 15 February on disruption of the supply of Cuban nickel to the Soviet Union, CIA will specifically con- sider how to block the Soviets from re-opening their supply of nickel from Canada. (Canadian contract was terminated when the Cuban supply became available to the Soviets.) ee D. Psychological Task 25: USIA to submit plan by 15 February for the most. ‘5 effective psychological exploitation of actions undertaken in the Project, towards the end result of awakening world sympathy for the Cuban people (as a David) battling against the Communist regime (as a Goliath) and towards stimulating Cubans inside Cuba to join "the cause," Task 26: CIA to submit by 15 February its operational schedule for a psychological campaign to provoke a relaxing of police state control within Cuba. This is to include effective means of publicly indicting “people's criminals" for justice after liberation of Cuba (not only individual top officials, but members of the Vigilancia, etc.). Tack 27: CIA and USIA will report on progress as of 15 Februaty in developing identification of the popular movement inside Cuba, as sipgpeaigbnst with gongs, symbols, propaganda themes. Task 28: By 15 February CIA will report on plans and actions for propaganda support of the popular movement inside Cuba, Included will be exactly what is planned for use by the movement inside Cuba, tA [and feasibility of using smuggled food packets (such as the "I Shall wv 4) turn" cigarette packets to Philippine guerrillas in World War It) as morale boosters in generating the popular movement, E. Military Action Task 29: Defense to submit contingency plan for use of U.S. military force to support the Cuban popular movement, including a Statement of conditions under which Defense believes such action would be required to win the Project's goal and believes such action would not Necessarily lead to general war, Due 28 February. Task 30: CIA to submit by 15 February its operational schedule for sabotage actions inside Cuba, including timing proposed for the actions and how they effect the generation and support of a popular ate movement, to achieve the Project goals, HW 50955 Docld:324274903 Page 9 SENSITIVE

coe SENSITIVE Task 31: ClA to submit specific requests to Defense for required support by Defense as early as possible after its plane firm up. Requests for all major needs are expected by 23 February. Task 32: Defense will submit. plan for "special operations" use of Cubans enlisted in the U.S. armed forces. Due 28 February. [ts reat t ne ea reg eT Ed vi, FUTURE PLANS Seed By 20 February, itis expected that sufficient realistic plans for individual tasks will have been received, and initial actions started, to permit a firm time-table to be constructed, Since the President directed that the Chief of Operations conduct the Project through the appropriate organizations and Departments of the Government, and since these U.S. organizations are mainly in the initial inventory and development of capabilities phase concerning assigned tasks, .a precise operations time table as of today would be too speculative to be useful. RaremaneggnsectEtrn Azhas alerted Defense that it will require considerable military” ‘aw ty cas pate cluding two submarines, PT boats, Coast Guard type cutters, Special WM es trainers, C-54 aircraft, F-86 aircraft, amphibian air- Areny leaflet battalion, and Guantanamo as 4 base ‘for submarine operations Ki@iAlso, CLA apparently believes that its role CIA should be to create a@eudnd a popular movement, illusory and actual, a) Re eee which will create a political climate which can provide a framework of 3a X+#) plausible excuse for armed intervention, This is not in conformity with) the Presidential directive now governing Projecttasking. Actually, the ‘role of creating the political climate and plausible excuse for armed ieraft, helio-couriers, intervention would be more propgmly,that of State and Defense, if such ‘an objective becomes desirable." Ff HW 50955 Docld:324294903 Page 10 SENSITIVE

HW 450955 Docld: 32424903 Distribution: Copy No. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 8. 9. 10. + 12-14, Page iL SENSITIVE The President The Attorney General The Military Assistant to the President, General Taylor The Secretary of State (and Deputy Under Secretary Johnson) The Secretary of Defense (and Deputy Secretary Gilpatric). The Director, Central Intelligence The Director, USIA ‘The Department of State Project Officer, Aneistai®Secretary Woodward and Mr, Hurwitch The Department of Defense Project Officer, Brig. Gen. Craig, (who will inform the Chairman, ICS) The CIA Project Officer, Mr. Helms The USIA Project Officer, Deputy Director Wilson Brig. Gen, Lansdale Pe ee OFT SHOT US