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7. ENEMIES: A HISTORY OF THE FBI - CHAPTERS TWENTY-FIVE - TWENTY-EIGHT (202 - 229) ~ July 16th - July 22nd; No Spoilers, Please
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Chapter Overviews and SummariesChapter Twenty Five: "Don't trust anybody"
Hoover lived a rich life due to his book, honorariums, and FBI perks. The FBI got more intelligence from a Reino Hayhanen, a spy who defected. However, there were no charges stemming from Hayhanen's intell due to how the evidence was gathered. The Bureau's connections to the Communist Party of the United States was deeper, because their agents were beginning to talk to Moscow. Hoover learned Moscow and China did not get along, a fact the CIA missed, and the Kremlin wanted the Civil Rights Movement to be the newest fight in uprooted the old order.
Chapter Twenty Six: Immoral Conduct
Hoover ran a check on JFK. He was friends with his father, Joe, Sr., and knew RFK from his work on organized crime. The file proved to be filled with immoral conduct and affairs, one with Inga Arvad, who was a suspected Nazi spy during the war.
In October 1960, two NSA code breakers defect. The rumor was that the men were lovers and Eisenhower followed Hoover's thinking that connected Communism to homosexuality. In response, the president wanted Hoover to investigate alleged homosexuals in government.
Chapter Twenty Seven: "Murder was in style"
Hoover knew about the CIA backed plan of gangster, Sam Giancana's plot to kill Fidel Castro. Hoover knew about Castro's communist leanings before most people in government. The Mob was moving out of Cuba to Dominican Republic under Rafael Trujillo. Hoover knew the American ambassador, John Farland, and he helped uncover some of the huge corruption that Trujillo was involved with. This corruption included bribing congressmen. Eisenhower agreed to overthrowing Castro and Trujillo, but left it to JFK's administration.
Chapter Twenty Eight: Dangerous Man
Hoover and Attorney General Robert Kennedy did not get along. Hoover thought Kennedy was trying to take over the direction of the FBI, and disapproved of RFK's back-channel deals. RFK wanted Hoover to focus on organized crime, not Communist spies. RFK thought of firing Hoover, but he felt it was impossible. He knew Hoover had more power than the attorney general.
RFK approved the investigation of corruption with Trujillo, but once he found out that powerful congressmen were involved, he stopped the investigation. On May 30, 1961, Trujillo was assassinated. After the Bay of Pigs operation, RFK took over the Castro operations, and asked Hoover for information on the CIA in order to clean up the CIA after the failed operation.
The FBI passed information on the Freedom Riders to state and local police. In turn, they shared it with the Klu Klux Klan. It led to many brutal beatings of the Civil Rights workers. The White House fought over a leak at the State Department. Otto Otepka, who was in charge of vetting names for State, would send information to Senator Eastland and his Internal Security Commission, who in turn attacked Secretary of State Dean Rusk. For Hoover, it was not unusual for him and Eastman to share information.
I found it very interesting that (page 217) Hoover “shunned criminal investigations of congressman”; however knowing what I know about the man now I am not surprised. He certainly loved 3 P’s: paperwork, power and personal relationships at the highest level.
This section was depressing - I felt I needed a good shower after reading it. I was saddened by the abuse of power by so many players - Hoover, Congressman, Senators, Kennedy's affairs and high jinks.
It is interesting that JFK decoded not to fire Hoover
A note to Good Readers: I have returned from vacation and I'm ready to answer queries in the Q and A section.
I think these chapters proved Hoover had some sort of serious complex. I don't believe what he suffered from is all that rare either. He is a classic case of someone who feels the rules do not apply to them because of their overall value to society. When you see yourself as holding back all the evils at the wall then you are "entitled" to receive a lavish lifestyle for it. It's the least the country can do for him.Brian noted that felt like he needed a shower after reading the chapters. It was a great way to put it.
These chapters are hitting home for me because of the personality style Hoover displayed I see daily. For example, I know of one director of an agency earning over 220k on a 1 million budget and no one questions it because of the familiar "he's the only one that knows everything". Then in meetings he will tell you how evil you are for not funding his agency with more money because only he knows what needs to be done. I see this all over and it still amazes me how people can get away with it. As the monitoring data person I prove the numbers he turns in are false and again no one will attempt to address it because of his political connections. It becomes hard to go to work somedays.
In the case of Hoover, not confronting it affected every person in this country and continues to do so years later. I wish I had an answer for dealing with these types.
I was shocked to read that Hoover felt the Comunisits were backing the Civil Rights movement. And I was appalled to read that he refused to help protect the Freedom Riders. This is very personal to me, as I have a cousin that was a Freedom Rider. He was beaten by a mob in Alabama nearly to death. The hospital staff sedated him so heavily in case the mob got to him in the hospital. There was no protection offered to him or the others on the Freedom Rides from federal, state, or local officials.I knew that the Kennedy's must have talked of my cousin. His photo after he was beaten was published nationally. To also know Hoover denied help to him and his colleges and influanced those decisions just sickens me.
There was a great documentary done on the Freedom Riders last year on PBS...
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexper...
In chapter 25 (p 204 hardcover) Mr. Weiner says "The power of the FBI (under Hoover - my comment) depended on having a great enemy." I do 'admire' Hoover not for his zeal, but for his persistence. I can't help but feel that if you turn over enough stones, you'll eventually find a worm. The sheer volume of his stone turning had to lead somewhere, and Morris Childs was a big fat juicy worm. The Civil Rights era is still painful to remember for those of us who were old enough to realize what was happening. Unfortunately, the CR leaders were just another target of Hoover's outrageous vitriol.
"American Intelligence walks in baby shoes". Colonel Rudolph Abel AKA Willie Fisher. The quote really stood out to me after nearly all of Hoover's life was spent pursuing the scourge of communism in the US.
Rodney wrote: "I think these chapters proved Hoover had some sort of serious complex. I don't believe what he suffered from is all that rare either. He is a classic case of someone who feels the rules do not app..."Interesting perspective, Rodney. Your descriptions do seem true to what Hoover is thinking: he knows best.
Karolyn wrote: "I was shocked to read that Hoover felt the Comunisits were backing the Civil Rights movement. And I was appalled to read that he refused to help protect the Freedom Riders. This is very personal to..."Thank you for sharing, Karolyn. Wow, yes, I knew the FBI did nothing, but I didn't appreciate what Hoover was coming from. It is horrible. These incidents helped RFK and JFK move on civil rights, finally.
G wrote: "In chapter 25 (p 204 hardcover) Mr. Weiner says "The power of the FBI (under Hoover - my comment) depended on having a great enemy." I do 'admire' Hoover not for his zeal, but for his persistence...."It seems Hoover used the shotgun approach because he believed Communists were everywhere. You turn over each stone and you might not see a worm, but a beetle that he thinks will lead to the another rock where the worm lives!
David wrote: ""American Intelligence walks in baby shoes". Colonel Rudolph Abel AKA Willie Fisher. The quote really stood out to me after nearly all of Hoover's life was spent pursuing the scourge of communism ..."Thanks, David. I believe our intelligence community was outclassed by the Soviets in this period.
You wonder if Tim would argue it is because were are a democracy, while Russia had many years to practice these tactics.
Eisenhower's 1957 Stroke:While speaking to his secretary on November 25, 1957, Eisenhower found he could not complete his sentences. When examined he had neither motor nor sensory impairment. The diagnosis was occlusion of the left middle cerebral artery. Eisenhower, who was 67 years old and had three years remaining in his second term of office, was already taking coumadin at this time [6a].
After remaining in seclusion for 3 days, Eisenhower returned to work, his speech not yet back to normal. To some, the press coverage of his difficulties in this period seemed "unnecessarily savage and sadistic," since some reporters seemed to be counting the number of goofs Eisenhower made during a press conference. But unlike the 1955 heart attack and the 1956 abdominal operation, the 1957 stroke occurred at a time when important presidential meetings were scheduled.
(Source: http://www.doctorzebra.com/prez/z_x34...)
More:
http://1957timecapsule.wordpress.com/...
Wow, I knew that Trujillo had absolute power in the Dominican Republic, but I had no idea he had so many memberrs of the U.S. Congress on his payroll.
Phil wrote: "Wow, I knew that Trujillo had absolute power in the Dominican Republic, but I had no idea he had so many memberrs of the U.S. Congress on his payroll."Neither did I. I suspect it was like that in Cuba with Batista.
Bryan wrote: "I suspect it was like that in Cuba with Batista."When I read about the Senator who brushed off Farland's misgivings about Trujillo, and was only there to party on the dictator's dime (pp. 219-220), it reminded me of Senator Geary, in The Godfather Part II, going down to Havana with Michael Corleone to meet with Batista. I wouldn't be surprised if that part of the movie was inspired by real-life events.
Indeed, Phil, it most likely was. Great reference.
Welcome to the seventh week of discussion for Enemies: A History of the FBI.
The seventh week's reading assignment is:
Week Seven - July 16th - July 22nd :
Chapters TWENTY-FIVE, TWENTY-SIX, TWENTY-SEVEN, TWENTY-EIGHT p. 202 - 229
TWENTY-FIVE - "Don't trust anybody", TWENTY-SIX - Immoral Conduct, TWENTY-SEVEN - "Murder was in style", and TWENTY-EIGHT - Dangerous Man
We will open up a thread for each week's reading. Please make sure to post in the particular thread dedicated to those specific chapters and page numbers to avoid spoilers. We will also open up supplemental threads as we did for other spotlighted books.
This book kicked off on June 4th. We look forward to your participation. Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Borders and other noted on line booksellers do have copies of the book and shipment can be expedited. The book can also be obtained easily at your local library, or on your Kindle/Nook. We offer a special thank you to Random House for their generosity.
There is no rush and we are thrilled to have you join us. It is never too late to get started and/or to post.
Bryan will be leading this discussion.
Welcome,
~Bentley & Bryan
TO ALWAYS SEE ALL WEEKS' THREADS SELECT VIEW ALL
Notes:
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Q&A with Tim
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