In the six hours that President Eisenhower lay unconscious during and after his operation for ileitis in June 1956, the Pentagon was seriously concerned about who could give the order to retaliate in the event of an enemy attack. The President's staff patched up a workable but probably extralegal procedureĀCabinet members stood by their telephones; air strike forces put on special alertsĀand it was agreed that if the enemy did attack, the retaliation order would be given by a presidential standin, presumably Vice President Richard Nixon.
When President Eisenhower got well, he...
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