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The Politics of Deception: JFK's Secret Decisions on Vietnam, Civil Rights, and Cuba
Beneath the myths of Camelot lies the truth of the presidency of John F. Kennedy.
Patrick J. Sloyan, a young wire-service reporter during the Kennedy administration, revisits the last year of JFK's presidency to reveal a ruthless politician.
As the president prepared for his 1964 reelection bid that never was, he buried the truth and manipulated public opinion. Using Kennedy's secret recordings of crucial White House meetings and interviews with key inside players, Sloyan reveals:
President Kennedy's complicity in the overthrow and assassination of South Vietnamese president Ngo Dinh Diem, an event that planted the seed for a decade of jungle warfare and a nation dividedThe secret deal to resolve the Cuban missile crisis that contradicts the popularized "eyeball-to-eyeball" account of Kennedy's dramatic showdown with Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev, who outfoxed the American president.Kennedy's hostile interactions with Martin Luther King, Jr., and the president's attempts to undermine the civil rights movement, which he viewed as destroying his reelection chances in the South
The Politics of Deception is a revelatory look into a JFK that few will recognize. Pulitzer Prize winner Sloyan reveals an iconic president and the often startling ways he attempted to manage world events, control public opinion, and forge his legacy.
Patrick J. Sloyan, a young wire-service reporter during the Kennedy administration, revisits the last year of JFK's presidency to reveal a ruthless politician.
As the president prepared for his 1964 reelection bid that never was, he buried the truth and manipulated public opinion. Using Kennedy's secret recordings of crucial White House meetings and interviews with key inside players, Sloyan reveals:
President Kennedy's complicity in the overthrow and assassination of South Vietnamese president Ngo Dinh Diem, an event that planted the seed for a decade of jungle warfare and a nation dividedThe secret deal to resolve the Cuban missile crisis that contradicts the popularized "eyeball-to-eyeball" account of Kennedy's dramatic showdown with Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev, who outfoxed the American president.Kennedy's hostile interactions with Martin Luther King, Jr., and the president's attempts to undermine the civil rights movement, which he viewed as destroying his reelection chances in the South
The Politics of Deception is a revelatory look into a JFK that few will recognize. Pulitzer Prize winner Sloyan reveals an iconic president and the often startling ways he attempted to manage world events, control public opinion, and forge his legacy.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published February 10, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
March 15, 2015
This book deals with what the author calls deception in the kennedy administration. He talks about three main topics: the Cuban missile crisis, Vietnam , and civil rights.
He feels the public was deceived in the Cuban crisis because JFK agreed to remove missiles out of turkey in exchange for Cuba missiles. The missiles in turkey were considered obsolete and posed the same threat to Russia as the missiles in Cuba did to us. I don't think any president reveals all in crisis negotiations.
The second topic was civil rights. I don't feel there was much deception there. Kennedy was not that committed to civil rights. He felt that he needed southern democrats to pass his legislation. The surveillance of Dr King was mainly the work of Hoover and the FBI. Bobby Kennedy did authorize wire taps based on hoover's charges of communist influence in king's movement.
The last area of deception was Vietnam. This section deals mainly with the events that led to the ouster of Diem and his brother Nhu. This in turn led to their assasination. The author gives valuable facts that lead up to this event. JFK,in my opinion, never intended for them to be killed. The conflicting opinions from different advisors plus the fact that some intentionally misled to achieve what they wanted done. All in all the book was a worthy read.
He feels the public was deceived in the Cuban crisis because JFK agreed to remove missiles out of turkey in exchange for Cuba missiles. The missiles in turkey were considered obsolete and posed the same threat to Russia as the missiles in Cuba did to us. I don't think any president reveals all in crisis negotiations.
The second topic was civil rights. I don't feel there was much deception there. Kennedy was not that committed to civil rights. He felt that he needed southern democrats to pass his legislation. The surveillance of Dr King was mainly the work of Hoover and the FBI. Bobby Kennedy did authorize wire taps based on hoover's charges of communist influence in king's movement.
The last area of deception was Vietnam. This section deals mainly with the events that led to the ouster of Diem and his brother Nhu. This in turn led to their assasination. The author gives valuable facts that lead up to this event. JFK,in my opinion, never intended for them to be killed. The conflicting opinions from different advisors plus the fact that some intentionally misled to achieve what they wanted done. All in all the book was a worthy read.
February 4, 2015
This advanced copy from Good Reads giveaway, was an interesting book about JFK's Presidency. Taken from White House tapes, author Patrick J. Sloyan discusses how JFK was every much a politician as some others (perhaps more so) who have held the office.
The book discusses how JFK tried to avoid many of the Civil Rights Issues , in fear of offending the Southern voters that helped get him into office, including tales of him and Brother Bobby approving wiretaps on Martin Luther King Jr, and delaying promised bills that took years to be brought about.
The book also discusses attempts to hire the mob to take care of Castro and coverups on decisions about Cuba.
This was a very detailed book. The author really dig deep into the events and gives a good background of the people and staff involved in case the reader is not familiar with the names.
This is a good book for history fans, and even those that like political backstabbing and what goes on behind closed doors.
The book discusses how JFK tried to avoid many of the Civil Rights Issues , in fear of offending the Southern voters that helped get him into office, including tales of him and Brother Bobby approving wiretaps on Martin Luther King Jr, and delaying promised bills that took years to be brought about.
The book also discusses attempts to hire the mob to take care of Castro and coverups on decisions about Cuba.
This was a very detailed book. The author really dig deep into the events and gives a good background of the people and staff involved in case the reader is not familiar with the names.
This is a good book for history fans, and even those that like political backstabbing and what goes on behind closed doors.
August 24, 2023
Why can I only see two of the reviews on this App?
Hmmm.
I had started John M. NEWMANS jFK and Vietnam and read Sloyans thin volume, and now back to Newman's thicker book.
I went from not liking JFK to really respecting what he tried to do in keeping us out of Nam. Sloyan points out that darker side of Camelot like Hersh did, but despite that it pretty much confirms what JFK was thinking on Nam. JFK was a politician so in gearing up for a 1964 reelection campaign of course he tried to delay Civil Rights legislation and pulling out of Nam.
Somebody like Goldwater may have torn him apart in 1964 America over those things. No LBJ landslide in my opinion.
Hmmm.
I had started John M. NEWMANS jFK and Vietnam and read Sloyans thin volume, and now back to Newman's thicker book.
I went from not liking JFK to really respecting what he tried to do in keeping us out of Nam. Sloyan points out that darker side of Camelot like Hersh did, but despite that it pretty much confirms what JFK was thinking on Nam. JFK was a politician so in gearing up for a 1964 reelection campaign of course he tried to delay Civil Rights legislation and pulling out of Nam.
Somebody like Goldwater may have torn him apart in 1964 America over those things. No LBJ landslide in my opinion.
April 27, 2021
The book is filled with extreme details of historical events that gives the reader "ahh ha" moments. Fascination for me was the perspective and coverup.. This book gave me a new perspective on JFK.. History buffs will love this book!
June 29, 2021
Great detail on the conflicting ideas and competing personalities JFK faced regarding what to do in Vietnam in late 1963. JFK’s decision to finally support a coup no doubt led to the ten year long disaster in Vietnam.
December 17, 2018
“The Politics of Deception”? The only ones deceived are those who believe that politicians are idealists always guided by their moral compass. John Kennedy was not a trickster; he was a practical politician. As such, his reelection was always uppermost in his mind. JFK had sympathy for the Civil Rights Movement, but he was also wary of it. How to balance support without alienating voters who were not supportive was his primary concern.
The book devotes the most space to the Kennedy administration’s Vietnam policy. Sloyan provides a good but brief account of America’s relationship with President Diem of South Vietnam, who went from anti-Communist hero to fall guy for US policy failures. It’s interesting to speculate what might have been if America had let Diem be.
Sloyan makes good use of the secret recordings Kennedy made in his office. Using his journalist background, the author also sketches the personalities of the American reporters who shaped the public’s image of Vietnam.
The book devotes the most space to the Kennedy administration’s Vietnam policy. Sloyan provides a good but brief account of America’s relationship with President Diem of South Vietnam, who went from anti-Communist hero to fall guy for US policy failures. It’s interesting to speculate what might have been if America had let Diem be.
Sloyan makes good use of the secret recordings Kennedy made in his office. Using his journalist background, the author also sketches the personalities of the American reporters who shaped the public’s image of Vietnam.
April 17, 2025
A side of JFK not everyone is aware of. Which makes it a necessary read for everyone.
September 16, 2015
The assassination of a president is a tragic and hurtful event and our country has suffered through several in its relatively short history. However, an unfortunate by-product of such events is often the near-deification of the victim and in this book, Sloyan sets out to shed light on JFK's decisions on the civil rights movement, Cuba and Vietnam during his presidency. Having read the book, I can say that the three topics are not discussed equally; Vietnam dominates the book, with civil rights a distant second and Cuba only being mentioned in the first couple of chapters (though its ghost can be seen in the Vietnam debacle).
Whether it was Cuba or Vietnam, Sloyan shows us a president that acts rashly and doesn't seem to learn from his mistakes. The Bay of Pigs invasion is a perfect example of this, and though the secret tapes JFK kept (yes, it wasn't just Richard Nixon that recorded conversations at the White House) seem to indicate that he wanted his administration to learn from past mistakes, the same rashness and lack of forethought seemed to haunt his decisions regarding Vietnam. Contrasted with the rashness of these foreign policy decisions was his painfully slow and timid response to the emerging civil rights movement. If JFK is seen as some sort of champion of the civil rights movement that walked hand-in-hand with Martin Luther King, Jr., it's due to revisionist thinking, not fact. Yes, the civil rights movement eventually threw their lot in with JFK and the Democrats, but only because the Republicans did a masterful job of collectively shooting themselves in the foot at this critical moment in American history. Sloyan shows us a Back Bay aristocrat who wasn't against sharing an off-color joke about African-Americans on occasion and a president who supported civil rights only insofar as they did not lose him too many votes. It appears that JFK's reelection campaign of 1964 began approximately two days after his inauguration in 1961 and nowhere was this more evident than in his wishy-washy handling of the civil rights movement.
However, it is in his dealing with the emerging crisis in Vietnam that JFK is shown to be not only rash but duplicitous and just plain ignorant of the situation on the ground. Even worse, JFK seemed to have a problem bringing together capable advisers and was easily swayed by the most vociferous of the bunch. Sloyan reminds us of Kennedy's personal affection for the duly elected President of South Vietnam, Ngo Dinh Diem, but when Diem's ability to lead is called into question and eventually outright denied by rather odious figures such as Averell Harriman and Henry Cabot Lodge, Kennedy acquiesces. The resulting disassociation from Diem's government by the U.S. leads to an eventual (and bumbling) coup, a total destruction of South Vietnamese resistance against the communist-backed forces of the Viet Cong and full on U.S. intervention in Southeast Asia (at a terrible cost to our country). Make no mistake about it, LBJ and Nixon may get the brunt of the blame for our involvement in Vietnam, but JFK deserves a good deal of the blame.
A sobering view of a much-lauded president and a necessary antidote of truth against the pervasive myth of Camelot.
Whether it was Cuba or Vietnam, Sloyan shows us a president that acts rashly and doesn't seem to learn from his mistakes. The Bay of Pigs invasion is a perfect example of this, and though the secret tapes JFK kept (yes, it wasn't just Richard Nixon that recorded conversations at the White House) seem to indicate that he wanted his administration to learn from past mistakes, the same rashness and lack of forethought seemed to haunt his decisions regarding Vietnam. Contrasted with the rashness of these foreign policy decisions was his painfully slow and timid response to the emerging civil rights movement. If JFK is seen as some sort of champion of the civil rights movement that walked hand-in-hand with Martin Luther King, Jr., it's due to revisionist thinking, not fact. Yes, the civil rights movement eventually threw their lot in with JFK and the Democrats, but only because the Republicans did a masterful job of collectively shooting themselves in the foot at this critical moment in American history. Sloyan shows us a Back Bay aristocrat who wasn't against sharing an off-color joke about African-Americans on occasion and a president who supported civil rights only insofar as they did not lose him too many votes. It appears that JFK's reelection campaign of 1964 began approximately two days after his inauguration in 1961 and nowhere was this more evident than in his wishy-washy handling of the civil rights movement.
However, it is in his dealing with the emerging crisis in Vietnam that JFK is shown to be not only rash but duplicitous and just plain ignorant of the situation on the ground. Even worse, JFK seemed to have a problem bringing together capable advisers and was easily swayed by the most vociferous of the bunch. Sloyan reminds us of Kennedy's personal affection for the duly elected President of South Vietnam, Ngo Dinh Diem, but when Diem's ability to lead is called into question and eventually outright denied by rather odious figures such as Averell Harriman and Henry Cabot Lodge, Kennedy acquiesces. The resulting disassociation from Diem's government by the U.S. leads to an eventual (and bumbling) coup, a total destruction of South Vietnamese resistance against the communist-backed forces of the Viet Cong and full on U.S. intervention in Southeast Asia (at a terrible cost to our country). Make no mistake about it, LBJ and Nixon may get the brunt of the blame for our involvement in Vietnam, but JFK deserves a good deal of the blame.
A sobering view of a much-lauded president and a necessary antidote of truth against the pervasive myth of Camelot.
May 11, 2015
I received this advanced reader's copy through Goodreads FirstReads in exchange for an honest review
The Politics of Deception may very well shock some readers, while some may not believe any of it. Having said that, Sloyan has furnished citations, and official documents along with first hand knowledge to build another level to the Kennedy Bibliography. The writing is concise, and fast-moving; Sloyan has constructed a compact, yet highly detailed account of the back-room deals that went on within the Kennedy White House. After a half century, it is a reckoning of the truth in many ways. I highly recommend The Politics of Deception.
Read the complete review in The Thugbrarian Review @ http://wp.me/p4pAFB-tJ
The Politics of Deception may very well shock some readers, while some may not believe any of it. Having said that, Sloyan has furnished citations, and official documents along with first hand knowledge to build another level to the Kennedy Bibliography. The writing is concise, and fast-moving; Sloyan has constructed a compact, yet highly detailed account of the back-room deals that went on within the Kennedy White House. After a half century, it is a reckoning of the truth in many ways. I highly recommend The Politics of Deception.
Read the complete review in The Thugbrarian Review @ http://wp.me/p4pAFB-tJ
March 21, 2015
I really wavered back and forth between a 3 and a 3. This should have been such an interesting book, the topic would but ally be fascinating, but in truth it was full. That's perhaps due to my lack on interest in the Vietnam War, but I thought maybe the underhanded and two facedness might help engage my brain a bit more. It got to the point where I was skimming the Saigon chapters by the end. And there's was barely anything about the Civil Rights Movement. Had potential but fell short for me. Perhaps those with more if a vested interest in Vietnam would enjoy this more, as that was the primary focus. Even Cuba didn't get much attention, despite the sub title.
March 22, 2015
This is a very interesting look into the behind the scenes deceptions of the Kennedy presidency. and how they manipulated the public's perceptions in their favor. Kennedy looks like a hero after the Cuban missile crisis but actually was accepting an arms exchange suggested by Khrushchev months before. Other lines pursued are his administrations shabby treatment of Martin Luther King and his role in the assassination of Diem in Viet Nam which will totally destabilize the situation there while appearing to keep his hands. Very well researched taking the shine off the president.
November 29, 2015
An interesting and in depth look into politics, and how JFK handled the big events in his presidency. It taught me a lot, and it once again reminded me of the fact that if we solely rely on the news, we don't know everything.
December 7, 2015
Quite interesting. I'm not qualified to judge the author's accounts of the various incidents, but they seemed believable and illuminating to me.
March 26, 2018
Must read for those that want a historic reference to Vietnam era and presidential myths and truths.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews