[Lục Tuyết Kỳ]

JFK files, released 3, 2025

June 8, 1961.

Deep inside a classified meeting, a select group of U.S. officials gathered to discuss how far America should go in controlling foreign governments from the shadows.

This “Secret – Eyes Only” document reveals a tense conversation about using the CIA to secretly fund and influence political parties in other countries—a strategy so controversial that even those in the room debated whether it should ever be put in writing.

CIA Director Allen Dulles, the mastermind behind countless Cold War covert ops, made his stance clear: these actions needed approval from the State Department and “higher authority.” 

But he also suggested something even more alarming—that the Special Group should have the power to greenlight these missions without seeking permission.

The discussion didn’t stop there. Reports from Vietnam were circulating, raising concerns about how the U.S. should escalate its influence. 

This was 1961—years before full-scale war broke out, but the foundations were already being laid. The meeting signaled that Vietnam was on the U.S. radar for deeper covert involvement.

Meanwhile, Gary Powers’ name surfaced. 

The U-2 spy plane pilot had been shot down over the Soviet Union the year before, exposing U.S. surveillance operations. His capture was a stark reminder of what could happen when secret missions went wrong—and yet, the U.S. was preparing for even riskier operations.

From manipulating foreign elections to shaping future conflicts, this four-page document shows how the U.S. was making decisions that would fuel the Cold War, escalate Vietnam, and entrench America in a world of espionage and political warfare.

What else was decided behind those closed doors?

File No. 176-10011-10152