Die by the Sword Offical Strategies & Secrets: Strategies & Secrets (Strategies & Secrets)

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Summary: Pro-Warren book saying RFK's secret Castro plots backfired
Review: This book breaks new ground in exposing much of the framework of plots against Fidel Castro and much background on covert operations dealing with Cuba. Relying on the thesis that secret operations within the CIA pre-Bay of Pigs, and RFK's secret plan outside of the Agency were miserable failures, this book attempts to prove that both plans were riddled with flaws in secrecy and effectiveness. This, along with profiles of many of the operatives and Cubans RFK had enlisted tend to show that at almost every turn, Castro had infiltrated the plans, ultimately causing their failure, and indirectly causing the death of the President, his brother John F. Kennedy. While attempting to show that no conspiracy was involved, and that Lee Harvey Oswald had infiltrated various groups of Cubans, and in attempting to recreate his activities in the Mexico City trip, the author creates in this reader's opinion, more doubts than soloutions to the questions raised. One such instance is in attempting to show Oswald as the lover of Cuban consulate secretary Sylvia Duran during his time there. As is often the case in revelations like these, the more sensational they are, the more likely they are advanced by the author. Obviously, Mendoza is trying to prove his thesis but to this reader, there are still many questions left unanswered, while at the same time providing much interesting new insights into the clandestine activities of the Cuban exiles, elements of organized crime, and the secret machinations of government, whether through agencies or in groups not sanctioned by the government. In reviewing the prior official investigations relating to JFK's assassination and the secrets behind them, two things come clear: one, that for whatever its shortcomings, the author supports the basic premise of the Warren Reportto the exclusion of questions regarding the authenticity of its findings, and two, that government agencies still have much to hide from the people concerning its activities, and even though much has been declassified, we are not likely to get the full story. This book fills in some of the gaps, but the reader will have to decide for himself how many questions it will answer for him.