Deterioration in Relations Between the United States and Syria; Syria’s Response to the Baghdad Pact and the Formation of the Egyptian-Syrian-Saudi Arabian Pact; Questions of Economic and Military Assistance; the Syrian Crisis of 19571

1. For previous documentation, see Foreign Relations, 1952–1954, vol. IX, Part 1, pp. 875 ff.


318. Telegram From the Embassy in Syria to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 783.00/1–856. Top Secret; Priority; Limited Distribution.


319. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Syria

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 682.83/1–1356. Top Secret; Priority; Eyes Only. Drafted by Wilkins and approved by Allen who signed for Dulles.


320. Telegram From the Embassy in Syria to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 783.5–MSP/1–2456. Confidential. Repeated to Cairo, London, Amman, Baghdad, Beirut, and Paris.


321. Memorandum of a Conversation, White House, Washington, January 30, 1956, 2:15 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Conference Files: Lot 62 D 181, CF 648. Secret. Drafted on February 7. No other drafting information is given on the source text. The meeting concluded at 4 p.m. Prime Minister Eden visited Washington January 30–February 3, 1956.


322. Despatch From the Embassy in Syria to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 101.21 NIS/2–1556. Top Secret. Drafted by Waggoner.


323. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Syria

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 783.5–MSP/2–2456. Secret. Drafted by Wilkins and approved by Rountree who signed for Dulles. Repeated to Amman, Baghdad, Beirut, Cairo, Jidda, Tel Aviv, Ankara, and Tripoli, and pouched to London and Paris.


325. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, May 7, 1956

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 883.3932/5–756. Confidential. Drafted by Roberts on May 9.


326. Letter From the Ambassador in Syria (Moose) to the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern, South Asian, and African Affairs (Allen)

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 886B.00/6–756. Secret; Official–Informal.


328. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern, South Asian, and African Affairs (Allen) to the Secretary of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 660.83/6–2556. Secret. Drafted by Boardman, initialed by Allen, and sent through S/S. A marginal notation on the source text by Bernau indicates that Dulles saw the memorandum and its enclosures.


329. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern, South Asian, and African Affairs (Allen) to the Secretary of State

Source: Department of State, NEA Files: Lot 59 D 518, Omega-Syria, Miscl.: 1956. Top Secret. Drafted by Boardman; cleared with Wilkins and Rountree; initialed by Allen; and sent through S/S. The source text contains no indication that Dulles saw the memorandum. Attached to a copy of the memorandum, Ibid., S/SNEA Files: Lot 61 D 417, is a note from Howe to Dulles, which summarizes Allen’s memorandum and advises that “This memorandum is being handled with extreme care.”


330. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern, South Asian, and African Affairs (Allen) to the Under Secretary of State (Hoover)

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 883.3932/7–1656. Secret. Drafted by Burdett and initialed by Allen and concurred in by Kalijarvi.


331. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern, South Asian, and African Affairs (Allen) to the Deputy Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Murphy)

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 601.8311/7–3056. Confidential. Drafted by Burdett and Boardman on July 27 and concurred in by H.


332. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern, South Asian, and African Affairs (Rountree) to the Acting Secretary of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 883.2553/8–3156. Top Secret. Drafted by Newsom, initialed by Wilkins and Rountree, and sent through S/S.


333. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern, South Asian, and African Affairs (Rountree) to the Acting Secretary of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 883.2553/9–1756. Secret. Drafted by Shaw and concurred in by ICA and E.


334. Instruction From the Department of State to the Embassy in Syria

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 783.00/9–2156. Secret. Drafted by Waggoner and Wilkins, cleared by Williams, and approved by Rountree.


336. Telegram From the Embassy in Syria to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 883.2553/11–356. Confidential; Niact. Also sent niact to Beirut, Baghdad, London, Paris, Amman, Cairo, and Ankara.


337. Telegram From the Embassy in Syria to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 683.00/11–856. Confidential. Repeated to Amman, Baghdad, Cairo, Beirut, Jidda, London, Paris, Ankara, and Tel Aviv. Eisenhower initialed the copy of the telegram in the Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Dulles-Herter Series.


338. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, November 10, 1956

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 661.83/11–1056. Top Secret. Drafted by Murphy. A note attached to the source text from Kirk to Hoover reads: “Mr. Murphy thought you might be interested in the attached memorandum reporting his conversation with Admiral Radford and Assistant Secretary Gordon Gray on the current situation in Syria.”

Dulles had entered Walter Reed Hospital on November 3 for surgery and remained on leave from the Department of State until early December.


339. Telegram From the Embassy in Syria to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 880.2553/11–1456. Secret. Repeated to Beirut, Jidda, Paris, London, and Rome.


340. Special National Intelligence Estimate

Source: Department of State, INRNIE Files. Secret. According to a note on the cover sheet, “The following intelligence organizations participated in the preparation of this estimate: The Central Intelligence Agency and the intelligence organizations of the Departments of State, the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, and The Joint Staff.” This estimate was concurred in by the Intelligence Advisory Committee on November 16. “Concurring were the Special Assistant, Intelligence, Department of State; the Assistant Chief of Staff, Intelligence, Department of the Army; the Director of Naval Intelligence; the Director of Intelligence, USAF; and the Deputy Director for Intelligence, The Joint Staff. The Atomic Energy Commission Representative to the IAC, and the Assistant Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation, abstained, the subject being outside of their jurisdiction.”

The notes for the November 16 meeting of the IAC indicate the following concerning this special intelligence estimate: “After considerable discussion in which Mr. Armstrong, among other points, expressed the view that this paper as drafted did not adequately reflect the concern felt by the Turks under present circumstances, the paper was approved as amended.” (Ibid., INR Files: Lot 58 D 776) No copy of the unamended version of the paper has been found.


341. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, November 17, 1956

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.51/11–1756. Confidential. Drafted by Tyler.


342. Memorandum of Discussion at the 305th Meeting of the National Security Council, Washington, November 30, 1956

Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, NSC Records. Top Secret. Drafted by Gleason.


343. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Syria

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 883.2553/12–1156. Secret; Priority. Drafted by Rockwell; cleared with Wilkins; and approved by Rountree who signed for Hoover. Repeated to Cairo, London, Paris (priority), and USUN.


344. Telegram From the Embassy in Syria to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.80/1–1157. Priority. The source text does not indicate a time of transmission.


345. Telegram From the Embassy in Syria to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 683.87/1–2657. Secret; Priority. Repeated to Baghdad, Beirut, Cairo, Ankara, London, and Paris.