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Document 87673

DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER
The former President denies deliberate distortion of President Kennedy's record on Vietnam.
TLS: "Ike E", 1p, 6¾x9¾. Indio, California, 1968 January 16. To his former Secretary of Commerce Lewis L. Strauss, Washington, D.C. In full: "I found your letter, of January 9, indeed interesting. I think the real 'proof of the pudding' in the case of Kennedy's action would be to determine whether the 16,000 men sent to Viet Nam by the President were merely that many individuals or were they organized in some kind of units. Actually, I used the expression, '16,000 troops, plus,' a bit erroneously. I meant to say, 16,000 plus troops, rather than putting the word 'plus' after the word troops. However, I should like to see you put Mr. Manning's words on the record again. I would like to transfer to two of the Kennedy appointees any argument about me being guilty of 'deliberate distortion' on this matter. Our weather has been beautiful. You must grow very envious when you read our midday temperatures here in the desert. Mamie joins me in affectionate greetings to Alice and we think and speak of you constantly." Accompanied by a photocopy of Strauss' January 9th letter, now housed in the Eisenhower Library. In full: "Dear Boss: The NEW YORK TIMES today prints a letter from Kenneth P. O'Donnell who identifies himself as a former Presidential Assistant to John Kennedy. A copy is attached. [copy is present] He takes issue with the accuracy of a statement by you on the subject of our involvement in Vietnam, calling it a 'total distortion of the activities and the record of President Kennedy concerning Vietnam.' I presume you will not stoop to answer him, but if you wish me to do so, it would give me pleasure. As you know, the Assistant Secretary of State at that time was Robert Manning (now Editor-in-Chief of the ATLANTIC) and he is on record as follows: 'One day late in 1961, President Kennedy discussed with his counselors a decision to increase the American 'presence' in South Vietnam from a few hundred 'military advisors' to a military force of 15,000 men.' I wrote you a note about this last November and his entire statement is in your file. Devotedly, Lewis". Copies of his November 29, 1967 letter and Manning's review of a book on foreign policy leading with his quote on increasing the American presence in Vietnam are present. Also present are copies of Eisenhower's December 13, 1967 letter to Strauss thanking him for his November 27th letter and an undated Strauss ALS about "zero weather-2º below last night", which explains Eisenhower's reference to beautiful weather in the letter offered here. Fine condition. Framed in the Gallery of History style: 31x22½.

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