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General Shoup: Absolutely not. Question: Did you understand that the President and his advisors were looking to you for your military evaluation of this plan? General Shoup: The thing that we were asked to do was determine which of the three alternatives was the best. Question: But then after that, did you understand that during that period of time that the President was looking to you, the JCS for the military evaluation of the operation? General Shoup: I would have to presume that in accordance with his title of Commander-in-Chief he would be thinking about the military part. Question: But you understand that he wanted to get your advice and ideas also? General Shoup: That was never stated. Question: What I am getting at is that if you feel that you didn't have full knowledge and information on the plan and at the same time the President was looking to you for advice, it seems to me that it would be almost impossible for you to give him the military evaluation. General Shoup: Well, you had to look at it in the context of what the Agency said about the uprisings. I had.no possible way to know or evaluate them. That in itself was a particularly important factor. Statement: There was a general impression that the Joint Chiefs of Staff had approved this operation. I don't think that there is any doubt but what they went ahead thinking that you and the other Joint Chiefs had approved the plan, but you now say you didn't have full knowledge and information in order to evaluate the plan. That in itself is of some significance for the future. 118