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80. McCone, Memorandum for the File, “Leadership Meeting on October 22nd at 5:00 p.m.,”" 24 October 1962 MEMORANDUM FOR THE FILE SUBJECT: Leadership meeting on October 22nd at 5:00 p.m. ATTENDED BY: The Leadership, except for Senator Hayden, The President, Rusk, McNamara, McCone and Ambassador Thompson McCone read a summary of the situation, copy of which is attached. This statement had been discussed with the President, Attorney General and Bundy and had been modified to conform to their views. There were a few questions of a substantive nature, Hickenlooper asking when missilea would be in operational status. McCone replied with the existing figures as reported in the morning report. Hickenlooper then asked if the Cuban situation is tied in to the China/India confrontation. McCone replied that we have no information one way or the other. Thompson ak thore probable that Cuba may force a showdown on Berlin. Secretary Rusk then reviewed bis current appraisal of the Soviet Union indicating there had been some radical moves within the USSR which were indicating a tougher line. It appeared the hard-liners are coming in to ascendency and the soft co-existent line seems to be disappearing. Peiping seems somewhat more satisfied with Moscow now. Rusk stated that he did not wish to underestimate the gravity of the situation; the Soviets were taking avery serious risk, but this in his opinion represents the philosophy of the “hard-liners. Russell questioned the Secretary as to whether things will get better in the future, whether we will have a more propitious time to act than now, the thrust af his questioning being, “Why wait". Rusk answered that he saw no opportunity for improvement. The President then reviewed the chronology of the situation, starting on Tuesday, October léth, when the first information was received from the photographic flight of October l4th. He stated 275