◆ SpookStack

1"e)P SELkE I in case of an attack on the naval base. Herter indicated two extreme possibilities: one, that in case of an attack, the United States respond with only sufficient military force to protect the base itself; and another, that the United states decide that an attack on the base was in fact an act of war and apply such military power as necessary. Herter also suggested, of course, that there would be possi- ble responses between the two extremes, with activities in the OAS or the UN possibly having some bearing on the us response -- the sort of contention that undoubt- edly must have raised the hackles on Mr. Stanulis again. The Secretary of State did specify, however, that the us response to an attack on Guantanamo would be the result of a decision made by the President of the Unite~ States. As will be pointed out subsequently, the Cubans \ . \ would make charges about Guantanamo be1ng the center for anti-Castro activities, and there would be a few instances where anti-Castro Cubans were able to find refuge within the confines of the base. Overall, however, there was a surprising degree of neutrality with respect to the naval installation during the course of the Bay of Pigs operation. - 123 -