RFK’s account of the crisis begins with his initial meeting with President Kennedy on October 19, 1962 and chronicles through to the situation’s resolution. At the outset, President Kennedy immediately began assembling the EXCOMM, which included leaders of the various departments of the Intelligence Community. Kennedy also included personal advisors and diplomats with an experienced understanding of Soviet government and culture. At multiple points in the book, RFK pauses to point out that the president was careful to surround himself with “dedicated, intelligent men, disagreeing and fighting about the future of their country, and of mankind.” In several circumstances, he recounts how the president encouraged disagreement and a broad development of multiple opinions. The president wanted to know every option available to him, and he wanted every plan, speech and timeline developed beforehand so it could be easily deployed if he chose. Additionally, he often hesitated to share his own opinions to avoid others becoming submissive or obedient to his ideas. He remained largely cautious of citing his own views, preferring instead to ask questions and flesh out all of the options presented to him.
Thirteen Days is an impressive case study of the handling of one of the most potentially disastrous crises to face the United States in the past century. Unlike the readings for the average crisis communications class, RFK’s memoir doesn’t stop to put the situation in public relations-friendly terms. He speaks frankly and emphasizes how every potential worst-case scenario was prepared for with a thorough strategy that had been hashed out by the nation’s greatest minds. Thirteen Days tells the story of exemplary national leadership at the height of an impending catastrophe through a first-hand account of patient, scrupulous and deliberate decision-making and would serve as a historically insightful read for a crisis communications class.
Nazneen Ahmed
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill