Thirteen Days

Reflecting on the lessons learned from the crisis, Robert Kennedy observed that “the time that was available to the President and his advisors to work secretly, quietly, privately developing a course of action was essential” (85). Had the crisis been made public earlier, the committee would have had much less time to deliberate, analyze and argue about different options, which he felt would have significantly altered the course of events.

It was critical that the President was exposed to a range of perspectives and expertise from different individuals and government offices beyond the Cabinet level, including lesser officials with direct experience and specialized knowledge. To illustrate this point, Robert Kennedy offers an elaborate examination of how government departments and agencies have grown and evolved to manage an increasingly complex array of international relations and initiatives. President Kennedy “went to considerable lengths to ensure that he was not insulated from individuals because of rank or position” (89) and sought out “people who raised questions, who criticized, on whose judgment he could rely, regardless of their rank or viewpoint” (90).

The importance of providing a check on the military was another lesson derived from the Cuban crisis: “This experience pointed out for us all the importance of civilian direction and control and the importance of raising probing questions to military recommendations” (91).