Document 481 - Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, Cuba, Volume VI - Historical Documents - Office of the Historian
17/12/15
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HISTORIC AL DOC UMENTS
Volumes
1958–60, Volume VI, Cuba
Brows e by Adminis tration
Choos e adminis tration
Cuba
Preface
Lis t of Sources
Lis t of Abbreviations
Lis t of Pers ons
Cuba
U.S. Interes t in the Cuban
Revolution, the Overthrow of
the Batis ta Government, and
the Cons olidation of Power
by Fidel Cas tro, reevaluation
by the U.S. Government of
the policy of s hipping arms to
the Batis ta g overnment,
J anuary–J une 1958
(Documents 1-68)
Kidnapping of U.S. citizens
by Cuban rebels , J une–J uly
1958 (Documents 69-106)
Continuing violence during
the Cuban electoral
campaig n and reapprais al by
the U.S. Government of its
s upport of the Batis ta
g overnment, J uly–November
1958 (Documents 107-151)
Fall of the Batis ta
g overnment, November–
December 1958 (Documents
152-206)
Fidel Cas tro’s as s umption of
power, J anuary–April 1959
(Documents 207-272)
Vis it to the United States by
Prime Minis ter Cas tro, April
1959 (Documents 273-305)
THE CUBAN
GOVERNMENT’S
PROMULGATION OF AN
AGRARIAN REFORM LAW,
AND THE QUESTION OF
ASYLUM FOR Batis ta,
MAY–OCTOBER 1959
(Documents 306-369)
Adoption by the Department
of State and the Eis enhower
Adminis tration of a revis ed
policy toward Cuba, October
1959–J anuary 1960
(Documents 370-423)
Recall of Ambas s ador
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Doc Lis t No. 481 Prev Next View Imag e
Pag e 850
FOREIGN RELATIONS OF THE UNITED STATES, 1958–
Pag e 851
1960
VOLUME VI, CUBA, DOCUMENT 481
Abbreviations &
Terms
4 81. Paper Prepared by the 54 12 Committee 1
CIA
Washington, March 16, 1960.
A PROGRAM OF COVERT ACT ION AGAINST T HE CAST RO REGIME
1. Objective: T he purpose of the prog ram outlined herein is to bring about the
replacement of the Castro reg ime with one more devoted to the true interests of the
Cuban people and more acceptable to the U.S. in such a manner as to avoid any
appearance of U.S. intervention. Essentially the method of accomplishing this end will
be to induce, support, and so far as possible direct action, both inside and outside of
Cuba, by selected g roups of Cubans of a sort that they mig ht be expected to and
could undertake on their own initiative. Since a crisis inevitably entailing drastic action
in or toward Cuba could be provoked by circumstances beyond control of the U.S.
before the covert action prog ram has accomplished its objective, every effort will be
made to carry it out in such a way as prog ressively to improve the capability of the
U.S. to act in a crisis.
2. Summary Outline: T he prog ram contemplates four major courses of action:
a. T he first requirement is the creation of a responsible, appealing and unified Cuban
opposition to the Castro reg ime, publicly declared as such and therefore necessarily
located outside of Cuba, [3 sentences (10 lines) not declassified] (T ab A 2 )
b. So that the opposition may be heard and Castro’s basis of popular support
undermined, it is necessary to develop the means for mass communication to the
Cuban people so that a powerful propag anda offensive can be initiated in the name of
the declared opposition. T he major tool proposed to be used for this purpose is a
long and short wave g ray broadcasting facility, probably to be located on Swan Island.
[2 sentences (4 lines) not declassified] (T ab B)
c. Work is already in prog ress in the creation of a covert intellig ence and action
org anization within Cuba which will be responsive to the orders and directions of the
“exile” opposition. [3 sentences (7 lines) not declassified]
d. Preparations have already been made for the development of an adequate
paramilitary force outside of Cuba, tog ether with mechanisms for the necessary
log istic support of covert military operations on the Island. Initially a cadre of leaders
will be recruited after careful screening and trained as paramilitary instructors. In a
second phase a number of paramilitary cadres will be trained at secure locations
outside of the U.S. so as to be available for immediate deployment into Cuba to
org anize, train and lead resistance forces recruited there both before and after the
establishment of one or more active centers of resistance. T he creation of this
capability will require a minimum of six months and probably closer to eig ht. In the
meanwhile, a limited air capability for resupply and for infiltration and exfiltration
already exists under CIA control and can be rather easily expanded if and when the
situation requires. Within two months it is hoped to parallel this with a small air
resupply capability under deep cover as a commercial operation in another country.
[Numbered paragraphs 3–5 (29 lines) not declassified] (T ab C 3 )
1/2
Document 481 - Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, Cuba, Volume VI - Historical Documents - Office of the Historian 17/12/15
Bons al and formulation within
the U.S. Government of a 6. Recommendations: T hat the Central Intellig ence Ag ency be authorized to
prog ram of covert action undertake the above outlined prog ram [2 lines not declassified].
ag ains t the Cas tro
g overnment, J anuary–April
T ab B
1960
(Documents 424-498)
PROPAGANDA 4
Inaug uration by the U.S.
Government of a policy to
1. [paragraph (8 lines) not declassified]
weaken the Cuban economy,
April–J uly 1960 (Documents
499-548) 2. As the major voice of the opposition, it is proposed to establish at least one “g ray”

Res pons e by the United

States and the Org anization
of American States to s ig ns
of increas ed Soviet s upport
for the Cuban g overnment,
J uly–September 1960
(Documents 549-580)
Cons ideration by the U.S.
Government of pos s ible
s everance of diplomatic
relations with Cuba,
September–December 1960
(Documents 581-629)
Index
Errata
U.S.-controlled station. T his will probably be on Swan Island and will employ both hig h
frequency and broadcast band equipment of substantial power. T he preparation of
scripts will be done in the U.S. and these will be transmitted electronically to the site
for broadcasting . After some experience and as the operation prog resses, it may be
desirable to supplement the Swan Island station with at least one other to ensure fully
adequate coverag e of all parts of Cuba, most especially the Havana reg ion. [21/2
lines not declassified]
[3 paragraphs (19 lines) not declassified]
1
S o urce : E ise nho we r Library, Pro je ct “C le an Up” Re co rds, C uba. S e cre t; E ye s Only. An
undate d, unsig ne d no te attache d to the so urce te xt re ads: “T his do cume nt is o ur basic po licy
pape r. It was appro ve d by the Pre side nt at a me e ting in the White Ho use o n 17 March 19 6 0. “
Fo r a re co rd o f this me e ting , se e Do cume nt 486 . Also publishe d, in part, in Declassified
Documents, 19 85, 1537.
2 T ab A was no t de classifie d.
3 T ab C was no t de classifie d.
4 S e cre t; E ye s Only.

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