November 4, 1966

To: Professor Kissinger

From: Professor Neustadt

Re: Secretary McNamara's schedule

April 21, 1967

The Honorable Robert B. McNamara
Secretary of Defense
Department of Defense
Washington, D.C.

Dear Mr. Secretary:

I am writing about the news reports with re-
spect to John McNaughton's appearance before the
National Security Policy Seminar at Harvard. I
think the following facts would interest you:

1. John met with the Seminar under the same ground rules you did: the meeting was to be strictly off the record and only participants and auditors would be admitted

2. Before the beginning of the Seminar, John checked with me to make sure the ground rules applied; I assured him that this was the case

3. In the twelve-year history of the Seminar, there has never been a leak and I have told John this

4. The news reports were entirely incorrect.

Having admired John both as a human being and
as a public servant, I am distressed. He could not
have been more circumspect. If any activity which
he arranged out of friendship should have caused him
any embarrassment, I am to blame for having in good

such embarrassment. I am to plume for having in good
be arranged out of friendliness should have caused him
have been more circumspect. If any activity which
as a public servant, I am distinguished. He could not
Having admired John both as a human being and

4. The news webpages were entirely incorrect.

John this

abliged; I assured him that this was the case
checked with me to make sure the ground rules
3. Before the beginning of the Seminar, John

and auditors would be admitted
strictly off the record and only participants
dozing rules you did: the meeting was to be
I. John met with the Seminar under the same

think the following facts would interest you:
National Security Policy Seminar at Harvard. I
respect to John McNaughton's appearance before the
I am writing about the news reports with re-

Dear Mr. Secretary:

Washington, D.C.
Department of Defense
Secretary of Defense
The Honorable Robert B. McNamara

April 31, 1967

DEC 1 1967

November 30, 1967

Dear Bob,

The time has come, I take it, for me to re-emphasize how very much we would like to have you and Margie up in Cambridge for as long or short as we can keep you during the period when your Defense Department duties are behind you and immersion in the Bank is still ahead of you.

If you leave office at any time before next June, or after next Labor Day, my colleagues and I hope very much that you two would come up to Cambridge for some weeks or months of residence before you actually plunge into your new career.

We urge this on you partly in the thought that you might find it personally fun, and useful. On those scores Cambridge offers you a circle of good friends, good enough to lay off discussions of VietNam and eager to talk with you about anything and everything else under the sun. Simultaneously we offer you the largest concentration of authorities, advisors, and consultants on economic development available in any academic community. The concentration is not only large, but the quality is high and the points of view varied.

This means that if you spent some time with us, you'd at once have friends at hand from the "old days," and a lot of people to argue with about the new days. I think that's a good combination.

But I would be less than frank if I urged this upon you as though your presence here served primarily your interests. It also would serve the interests of our Institute and School, and indeed of a wider circle. We are trying hard, although it's slow and painful, to get a grip on political and governmental problems of development -- or at least on approaches to those problems which serve better than past efforts in suggesting guide-lines for viable policy. We also are trying to focus on talent which might be brought into our faculty circle with these concerns in mind. Dave Bell needs me from time to time on these scores, which he is right to do, and I in turn try deliberately to stir my colleagues in this community. Having you here even for a short while might well turn that slow stirring into a whirlwind and that without doing a thing besides asking hard questions for your own purposes. Questions for your

December 18, 1967

The Honorable Robert S. McNamara
Secretary of Defense
The Pentagon
Washington, D.C.

My dear Mr. Secretary:

I do not want to let any more time pass without telling you with what sadness I learned of your resignation. In the interval you have received much acclaim for the reforms in the administration of the Pentagon and the technical efficiency of your conduct of office. Those of us who have been privileged to work with you, however peripherally, will miss you very much for these reasons, but even more deeply for your human qualities. It was America's good fortune that while its power threatened to dwarf any human scale, its Defense Department became the focus of moral concern in the government as well. At a time when technicians of power tend to be opposed by technicians of morality--more concerned with striking a pose than developing a program--you symbolized how the greatness of a society depends on the fusion between values and power. The only consolation is that the period of your greatest service to our country is still ahead of you. Washington will not be the same without you.

On a more personal plane, let me thank you for the privilege of being permitted occasionally to be of marginal assistance to a great man.

With every good wish.

Henry A. Klaasen

Sincerely yours,

With every good wish.

mitted occasionally to be of marginal assistance to a great man.
On a more personal plane, let me thank you for the privilege of being per-

without you.

service to our country is still ahead of you. Washington will not be the same
values and power. The only consolation is that the period of your greatest
you emphasized how the greatness of a society depends on the union between
of morality--more concerned with striking a blow than developing a program--
sa well. At a time when technicians of power tend to be opposed by technicians
Defense Department became the focus of moral concern in the government
good fortune that while its power threatened to dwindle any human scale, its
reasons, but even more deeply for your human qualities. It was America's
work with you, however, peripherally, will miss you very much for these
efficiency of your conduct of office. Those of us who have been privileged to
for the reforms in the administration of the Pentagon and the technical
I learned of your resignation. In the interval you have received much socialism
I do not want to let any more time pass without telling you with what pleasure
I did not want to let any more time pass without telling you with what pleasure
My dear Mr. Secretary:

Washington, D.C.
The Pentagon
Secretary of Defense
The Honorsble Robert B. McNamara

December 18, 1967