◆ SpookStack

TOP ~@CRE'T were both anti-Castro and anti-Batista. What WH hoped to accomplish, presumably, was that they could organize these anti-Batista and anti-Castro dissidents and get them armed in time so that they could prevent Castro from taking over the government if Batista should suddenly resign or decide to flee the country~ 22/ On 31 December 1958, Paramilitary Division reported to WH Division that a Helio Courier was already in place in Key West with a backup Helio in Washington; a sterile C-54 had been requested from Europe; and the Office of Logistics would have an arms load rigged for a drop by 2 January 1959. 23/ It was not until the last week of December 1958 that President Eisenhower became actively involved in discussions and decisions affecting US policy toward Cuba. His interest was precipitated by a 23 December .- 1958 Memorandum on Cuba which had been prepared by the Acting,Secretary of State and sent to Eisenhower's National Security Adviser, Gordon Gray, who discussed .. the memorandum with Eisenhower and the DCI on 26 Decem- ber. The President apparently indicated that he had not been fully aware of the positions of State and CIA - 14 - -r-op SECRET