"DEAL NEGOTIATED BY ATTORNEY JAMES B. DONOVAN"

CASTRO RELEASES POWS IN RETURN FOR FOOD, MEDICINE & CASH

Havana, Cuba (JFK+50) On December 23, 1962, Premier Fidel Castro of Cuba released prisoners captured during the failed invasion at the Bay of Pigs in April 1961.  The invading force was made up of Cuban exiles secretly sponsored and trained by the United States and authorized by President John F. Kennedy.

Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy had sent New York attorney James B. Donovan* to meet with Castro in late August 1962 to negotiate the release of the POWS.

The Premier accepted an offer of $52 million in food and medicine along with $2.9 million in cash. 

*James B. Donovan (1916-1970) was a graduate of Harvard University & served as legal counsel for the Office of Strategic Services during WWI.  JBD was assistant legal counsel at the Nuremberg, Germany war crimes trial.

JFK+50 NOTE

The planned invasion was initiated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower after Fidel Castro's government aligned with the Soviet Union.  The plan was presented to newly elected President John F. Kennedy and with assurances of its success from the CIA and Joint Chiefs of Staff, JFK signed on.

JFK, however, sought to keep U.S. fingerprints off the invasion as much as possible. He cancelled a second air strike which contributed to the operation's failure.  Afterwards, the President accepted full responsibility for the fiasco.

JFK reportedly said afterwards, "How could I have been so stupid?"

Airplanes carrying the released prisoners arrived at Miami International Airport on Christmas Eve, 1962.

SOURCES

"Bay of Pigs POWs Released," JFK+50, December 23, 2014, www.jfk50.blogspot.com/

"Brilliant Disaster:  JFK, Castro and America's doomed invasion of Cuba's Bay of Pigs," by Jim Rasenberger, Scribner & Schuster Inc, New York, 2011.

www.jamesbdonovan.com/

 

 

Bay of Pigs POWS

www.latinamericanstudies.org/

 

"THESE MEN FOUGHT WELL, THE DISASTER WAS NO FAULT OF THEIRS"

CASTRO RELEASES BAY OF PIGS POWS 

Havana, Cuba (JFK+50) On December 23, 1962,  just two days before Christmas Day, Fidel Castro released prisoners captured during the ill-fated invasion at the Bay of Pigs.

According to Jim Rasenberger, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy met on June 20, 1962 with members of the Cuban Families Committee in New York City where he discussed the problem of raising money to pay Castro's ransom.

The following month, RFK met with James B. Donovan*, a New York attorney who had negotiated the release of captured U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers. Donovan was sent to Cuba where he met with Castro on August 31, 1962.

Donovan explained that $62 million in cash was impossible, but offered food and medicine instead.  Castro accepted the offer in the value amount equaling $52 million in addition to $2.9 million in cash for sixty POWS that had already been released.

The October 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis delayed the deal, but after the crisis was over negotiations were quickly back on track.  In a speech to win support from the American Pharmaceutical Association on December 7, RFK said...

"My brother made a mistake.  These men fought well, the disaster was no fault of theirs.  They are our responsibility."

The Attorney General raised the $2.9 million paid to Castro, one-third coming as a result of "a single phone call" to Richard Cardinal Cushing of Boston.

The Royal Bank of Canada issued a check for the total amount to its branch in Havana and the check was quickly in Castro's hands.  The planes bearing the POWS landed at Miami International Airport on Christmas Eve.

1,163 members of the Exile Brigade had been released and Jim Donovan also "secured the departure of some 3500 of their relatives."

*James B. Donovan (1916-1970) was a graduate of Harvard.  He served as legal council for the Office of Strategic Services during WWII.  He was assistant trial counsel in the Nuremberg War Crimes Trial and presented the filmed evidence of Nazi atrocities against the Jews.  JBD ran unsuccessfully for the US Senate in 1962 and became president of Pratt Institute.

SOURCES

"Brilliant Disaster:  JFK, Castro and America's Doomed Invasion of Cuba's Bay of Pigs," by Jim Rasenberger, Scribner (Simon and Schuster, Inc), New York, 2011.

"US-Cuban Diplomacy, 'Nation' Style," by Peter Kornbluh, The Nation, April 29, 2013. 

www.jamesbdonovan.com

Negotiator: The Life and Career

of James B. Donovan

by Philip J. Bigger (2006)

JAMES DONOVAN & THE RELEASE OF THE BAY OF PIGS POWS

JFK+50:  Volume 6, No. 1806

JAMES DONOVAN WINS RELEASE OF BAY OF PIGS POWS 

Havana, Cuba (JFK+50) Fifty-three years ago today, December 23, 1962,  just two days before Christmas Day, Fidel Castro released prisoners captured during the ill-fated invasion at the Bay of Pigs of April 1961.

According to Jim Rasenberger, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy met on June 20, 1962 with members of the Cuban Families Committee in New York City where he discussed the problem of raising money to pay Castro's ransom.

RFK then met with James B. Donovan*, a New York attorney who had negotiated the release of captured U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers, on July 2nd. Donovan was sent to Cuba where he met with Castro for four hours on August 31, 1962.

Donovan explained to Castro that $62 million in cash was not a possibility, but offered food and medicine instead.  Castro, recognizing the importance of these commodities to his people, accepted the offer in the value amount equaling $52 million in addition to $2.9 million in cash for sixty POWS that had already been released.

The October 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis delayed the deal, but after the crisis was resolved negotiations were quickly back on track.  In a speech to win support from the American Pharmaceutical Association on December 7, RFK said...

"My brother made a mistake.  These men fought well, the disaster was no fault of theirs.  They are our responsibility."

200 corporations gave $23 million in pharmaceuticals, $7 million in surgical and dental supplies, $9 million in powdered milk and $14 million in baby food.

Throughout the negotiations the Attorney General was "a constant presence, cajoling and mollifying contributors as necessary," but it was not Robert Kennedy who brokered the deal...it was Jim Donovan.

The Attorney General raised the $2.9 million paid to Castro, one-third coming as a result of "a single phone call" to Richard Cardinal Cushing of Boston.
The Royal Bank of Canada issued a check for the total amount to its branch in Havana and the check was quickly in Castro's hands.  The planes bearing the POWS landed at Miami International Airport on Christmas Eve.

1,163 members of the Exile Brigade had been released and Jim Donovan also "secured the departure of some 3500 of their relatives."

*James B. Donovan (1916-1970) was a graduate of Harvard.  He served as legal council for the Office of Strategic Services during WWII.  He was assistant trial counsel in the Nuremberg War Crimes Trial and presented the filmed evidence of Nazi atrocities against the Jews.  JBD ran unsuccessfully for the US Senate in 1962 and became president of Pratt Institute.

SOURCES

"Brilliant Disaster:  JFK, Castro and America's Doomed Invasion of Cuba's Bay of Pigs," by Jim Rasenberger, Scribner (Simon and Schuster, Inc), New York, 2011.

"US-Cuban Diplomacy, 'Nation' Style," by Peter Kornbluh, The Nation, April 29, 2013. 

www.jamesbdonovan.com

Negotiator: The Life and Career

of James B. Donovan

by Philip J. Bigger (2006)

BAY OF PIGS POWS RELEASED

BAY OF PIGS POWS RELEASED

Havana, Cuba (JFK+50) Fifty-two years ago today, December 23, 1962,  just two days before Christmas Day, Premier Fidel Castro released prisoners captured during the ill-fated invasion at the Bay of Pigs in mid-April 1961.

According to Jim Rasenberger, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy met on June 20, 1962 with members of the Cuban Families Committee in New York City where he discussed the problem of raising money to pay Castro's ransom.

RFK then met with James B. Donovan*, a New York attorney who had negotiated the release of captured U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers from the USSR, on July 2nd.  Donovan was dispatched to Cuba where he met with Castro for four hours on August 31, 1962.

Donovan explained to Castro that $62 million in cash was not a possibility, but offered food and medicine instead.  Castro, recognizing the importance of these commodities to his people, accepted the offer in the value amount equaling $52 million in addition to $2.9 million in cash for sixty POWS that had already been released.

The October 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis put a temporary cog in the deal, but after the crisis was resolved with JFK's popularity at a high mark and the physical condition of the POWS deteriorating, negotiations were quickly back on track.

In a speech to win support from the American Pharmaceutical Association on December 7, RFK said...

"My brother made a mistake.  These men fought well, the disaster was no fault of theirs.  They are our responsibility."

200 corporations gave something--the total included $23 million in pharmaceuticals, $7 million in surgical and dental supplies, $9 million in powdered milk and $14 million in baby food.

Throughout the negotiations, RFK was "a constant presence, cajoling and mollifying contributors as necessary," but it was not Robert Kennedy who brokered the deal...it was Jim Donovan.

The Attorney General did raise the $2.9 million paid to Castro, one-third coming as a result of "a single phone call" to Richard Cardinal Cushing of Boston.

The Royal Bank of Canada issued a check for the total amount to its branch in Havana and the check was quickly in Castro's hands.  The planes bearing the POWS landed at Miami International Airport on Christmas Eve.

1,163 members of the Exile Brigade had been released and Jim Donovan also "secured the departure of some 3500 of their relatives."

*James B. Donovan (1916-1970) was a graduate of Harvard.  He served as legal council for the Office of Strategic Services during WWII.  He was assistant trial counsel in the Nuremberg War Crimes Trial and presented the filmed evidence of Nazi atrocities against the Jews.  

JBD ran unsuccessfully for the US Senate in 1962 and became president of Pratt Institute (art school) in New York.

Negotiator: The Life and Career

of James B. Donovan

by Philip J. Bigger (2006)

SOURCES

"Brilliant Disaster:  JFK, Castro and America's Doomed Invasion of Cuba's Bay of Pigs," by Jim Rasenberger, Scribner (Simon and Schuster, Inc), New York, 2011.

"US-Cuban Diplomacy, 'Nation' Style," by Peter Kornbluh, The Nation, April 29, 2013. 

www.jamesbdonovan.com

POWs of the Bay of Pigs

www.latinamerican.studies.org

TRUMAN APPOINTS WWII AMNESTY BOARD

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) On December 23, 1946 President Harry S Truman appointed an amnesty board to review the cases of those imprisoned for refusal to serve the United States in the Second World War.

The 15,000 cases involved men who were drafted into the service but refused to serve in any capacity, combatant or otherwise.

The President wanted the board to review individual cases to determine if any were unjustly punished and would be eligible for presidential pardon.

The board reported back one year later that 1500 of the 15,000 cases merited "full amnesty."  They included those belonging to pacifist religious groups.  On December 23, 1947, President Truman granted a pardon in these cases and restored political and civil rights to those so pardoned.

            President Harry S. Truman