The war in Vietnam is going well and will succeed.

It is true that at the time [1962] we had a strategic nuclear force of approximately five thousand warheads compared to the Soviet's three hundred.

One cannot fashion a credible deterrent out of an incredible action.

Action should be founded on contemplation, and those of us who act don't put enough time, don't give enough emphasis, to contemplation.

General, you don't have a war plan! All you have is a kind of horrible spasm!

At my age, 85, I'm at age where I can look back and derive some conclusions about my actions. My rule has been try to learn, try to understand what happened. Develop the lessons and pass them on.

It was a perfectly beautiful night, as fall nights are in Washington. I walked out of the president's Oval Office, and as I walked out, I thought I might never live to see another Saturday night.