Oral history transcript, Clark M. Clifford, interview 5 (V), 12/15/1969, by Joe B. Frantz

Secretary of Defense appointment; hosted Inaugural Day luncheon for Johnson’s; associations with Department of Defense; inheritance of McNamara team; programs to eliminate racism in services; discrimination at bases; domestic contributions by Defense Department; Middle East tension; U.S.-limited partner in regional associations of nations; balance of power in South America; beginning of arms limitation talks; U.S.-U.S.S.R summit meeting; invasion of Czechoslovakia; role of National Security Council; Walt Rostow; CIA creation; Kennedy’s appointment of board to investigate foreign operations of CIA; Defense Intelligence Agency; National Security Agency; My Lai massacre; LBJ’s opinion of Rusk; Secretaries Gardner, Wirtz, Katzenback; Congressional leadership; LBJ’s relationship with Dirksen.