On question of the Pentagon reaction to JFK’s assassination, a reader writes that the story Gen. Maxwell Taylor took a nap is misleading, at least according to one journalist historian.
Peter writes:
“There’s a slightly different version of Taylor’s nap in A.J, Langguth’s book Our Vietnam: The War 1954-1975.
“Before Jack Kennedy recalled him to active duty, Taylor had been hired to oversee construction of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in Manhattan.During that civilian interlude, he had taken to napping every day after lunch. When he returned to the Pentagon, Taylor ordered his staff never to disturb him when his door was closed. He had barely stretched out on his sofa when a general disobeyed him and called from the military command center to say that the president was dying.”
“Taylor summoned the Chiefs to his office to discuss whether this was part of a plot to overthrow the US government. Orders went to the nine ranking commanders around the world to raise their level of readiness.”
Thanks Peter.
I do not know of any official or account of Taylor’s conversation with the Joint Chiefs on November 22, 1963. Is there one?
My original quote is from the perspective of the visiting Generals.
“The visiting German generals were a bit perplexed by the reactions of the American ChiefsG of Staff to the news of the assassination. General Maxwell Taylor the Chief of Staff, retired to his office to take a nap, while the others continued the meeting, – on topic, as if nothing had happened.”
That the General called the Joint Chiefs to his office clearly indicates that he responded in a totally appropriate fashion. This certainly shows that Taylor was aware of the gravity of the assasination, and proactively did his due dilligence.