Today’s post was written by David Langbart, archivist in Research Services at the National Archives at College Park, MD.
By late December 1960 and early January 1961, the last 30 days of the Eisenhower presidency, the U.S. relationship with Fidel Castro-led Cuba had deteriorated to the point where formal relations were about to be severed. On December 31, 1960, the U.S. embassy in Havana reported that the Cuban “revolutionary press” was carrying stories that U.S. Marines were getting ready to invade the island.
Very early in the afternoon on January 2, 1961, James Hagerty, President Eisenhower’s Press Secretary, spoke on the telephone with Under Secretary of State Livingston Merchant about two matters, the second of which was Cuba. Both men had just returned from a meeting at the White House, the subject of which was the crisis in Laos. During the phone call, the rumors of U.S. invasion came up. This time, the source was Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev. Hagerty indicated what his reply would be if asked about that.
Clearly, Hagerty was thinking back about 16 years to a famous incident from World War II. During the Battle of the Bulge, the 101st Airborne Division and associated troops became surrounded in the strategic crossroads town of Bastogne. On December 22, 1944, when the commander of German troops demanded the surrender of the U.S. forces in Bastogne, acting division commander General Anthony McAuliffe rejected the demand, responding, “Nuts.” When that became known to the public, the reply instantly became famous and the word “nuts” became a noted retort to impertinent or impudent questions or comments.
While U.S. officials may not have had plans for American troops to invade Cuba, planning was well under way for the U.S. to train a force of Cuban exiles to do so. That effort culminated 3-1/2 months later in the Bay of Pigs fiasco.
The U.S. broke diplomatic relations with Cuba on January 3, 1961. For more on that, see The End of the Beginning: The United States Breaks Relations with Cuba, 1961.
Source: Notes on telephone conversation, Livingston T. Merchant and James Hagerty, January 2, 1961, file 110.102/1-261, 1960-63 Central Decimal File, RG 59: General Records of the Department of State.
For documentation on U.S.-Cuba relations during that period, see:
●Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, Cuba, Volume VI – Office of the Historian
Useful secondary sources are:
- Peter Caddick-Adams, SNOW & STEEL: THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE, 1944-1945
- Thomas G. Paterson, CONTESTING CASTRO: THE UNITED STATES AND THE TRIUMPH OF THE CUBAN REVOLUTION
- Martin J. Sherwin, GAMBLING WITH ARMAGEDDON: NUCLEAR ROULETTE FROM HIROSHIMA TO THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS
If one visits the Battle of the Bulge area – which I highly recommend – be sure not to skip the Bastogne Barracks, which served as McAuliffe’s headquarters. Definitely a worthwhile stop – among many throughout the Ardennes!
Reading about this critical period in history, it’s fascinating to see how the echoes of past events, like General McAuliffe’s iconic ‘Nuts’ response during the Battle of the Bulge, influenced decision-making during the Cold War. The intricate dance between the U.S. and Cuba, particularly the breakdown in diplomatic relations in 1961, reveals the complex geopolitical landscape of the time. The Bay of Pigs fiasco that followed underscores the high stakes and miscalculations inherent in such delicate situations. These historical events continue to serve as valuable lessons in understanding the dynamics of international relations and the enduring impact of decisive moments on the global stage.
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