Recall of Ambassador Bonsal and formulation within the U.S. Government of a program of covert action against the Castro government, January–April 1960


424. Telegram From the Embassy in Cuba to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.37/1–1960. Confidential; Priority.


425. Memorandum of Discussion at the 433d Meeting of the National Security Council, Washington, January 21, 1960, 9:07–10:55 a.m.

Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, NSC Records. Top Secret; Eyes Only. Prepared by Boggs. The time of the meeting is taken from the President’s Appointment Book. (ibid.)


426. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Cuba

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.37/1–2160. Secret; Niact. Drafted by Vallon, cleared with Mallory, and approved by Wieland who signed for Herter.


427. Draft Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs (Rubottom) to the Secretary of State

Source: Department of State, CCA Files: Lot 70 D 149, Cuba. Secret. Drafted by Stevenson and initialed by Rubottom. The source text indicates the memorandum was to be sent to L, SCA, and P for concurrence and routed to the Secretary through Merchant, but there is no indication that L, P, or Merchant saw the draft. An undated, marginal notation in an unidentified hand reads: “Not sent. Sec’y rec’d info by other means.”


428. Memorandum From the Administrator of the Bureau of Security and Consular Affairs (Hanes) to the Secretary of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 737.00/1–2160. Secret. Drafted and initialed by Hanes.


429. Telegram From the Embassy in Cuba to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.37/1–2160. Secret; Niact; Limit Distribution. Received at 1:28 p.m.


430. Telegram From the Embassy in Cuba to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.37/1–2160. Official Use Only; Niact. Received at 5:53 p.m.


431. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Cuba

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.37/1–2160. Secret; Niact; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Rubottom and Stevenson and approved by Wieland who signed for Herter.


432. Despatch From the Embassy in Cuba to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.37/1–2260. Confidential; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Bonsal.


434. Memorandum of a Conference With the President, White House, Washington, January 23, 1960, 8:27–9:50 a.m.

Source: Eisenhower Library, Project “Clean Up” Records, Cuban Situation. Secret. Prepared by Goodpaster on January 25. The time of the meeting is taken from the President’s Appointment Book. (Ibid.) A note on the source text indicates that a copy was sent to Herter on January 25. Published in part in Declassified Documents, 1981, 123B.


435. Telegram From the Embassy in Mexico to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.37/1–2460. Confidential; Priority; Limit Distribution.


436. Memorandum of a Conference With the President, White House, Washington, January 25, 1960, 11:15–11:55 a.m.

Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, DDE Diaries. Secret. Drafted by Goodpaster on January 26. The time of the meeting is taken from the President’s Appointment Book. (Ibid.) Also published in Declassified Documents, 1981, 123 C.


437. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Cuba

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.37/1–2560. Confidential; Niact. Drafted by Bonsal, cleared with Calhoun and Mallory, approved by Rubottom, and signed by Mallory for Herter.


439. Telegram From the Embassy in Cuba to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.37/1–2660. Confidential; Niact.


441. Memorandum of a Telephone Conversation Between Senator James O. Eastland and the Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs (Rubottom), Washington, January 28, 1960

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 737. 00/1–2860. Confidential. Drafted by Rubottom.


442. Memorandum From the Acting Director of the Office of Inter-American Regional Political Affairs (Dreier) to the Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs (Rubottom)

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 737. 00/1–2860. Secret. Drafted and initialed by Dreier. Copies were sent to Mallory, Edward A. Jamison, Wieland, and John C. Hill. Rubottom wrote on the source text: “A good paper. Many thanks.”


443. Memorandum From the Deputy Director of the United States Information Agency (Washburn) to the Ambassador to Cuba (Bonsal)

Source: Department of State, Rubottom–Mann Files: Lot 62 D 418, Cuba (Jan.–Mar.) 1960. Secret. Drafted by Washburn. Attached to a note of February 1 from Washburn to Rubottom, in which Washburn explained that the memorandum was the result of discussions he had the previous week with Bonsal, McKnight, Cushing, and Jack Williams. Washburn noted that USIA Director Allen “approves the concept and approach it presents. “He also noted that the recommendations were “confined strictly to expanded information effort within Cuba to be undertaken by USIA Washington and USIS Cuba with the assistance of your staff here and the Embassy staff in Habana.”


444. Telegram From the Embassy in Cuba to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611. 37/1–3160. Secret; Priority; Limit Distribution.


445. Telegram From the Embassy in Cuba to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611. 37/2–160. Confidential; Priority.


446. Telegram From the Embassy in Cuba to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 737. 5400/2–160. Confidential; Priority.


447. Memorandum of a Conference With the President, White House, Washington, February 2, 1960, 2:30–2:39 p.m.

Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, DDE Diaries. Secret. Prepared by Goodpaster on February 8. The time of the meeting is taken from the President’s Appointment Book. (Ibid.)


448. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Cuba

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611. 37/1–3160. Confidential; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Stevenson and Bonsal; cleared with Rubottom and in substance with Berding and Whiteman; approved by Herter; and cleared in draft by Herter with President.


449. Telegram From the Embassy in Cuba to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611. 37/2–460. Confidential; Limit Distribution; Niact. The time of transmission and receipt are not given on the source text.


450. Telegram From the Embassy in Cuba to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611. 37/2–560. Confidential; Priority. Repeated to Santiago de Cuba.


451. Telegram From the Embassy in Cuba to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611. 37/2–860. Official Use Only; Priority.


452. Letter From the Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs (Rubottom) to the Deputy Director of the United States Information Agency (Washburn)

Source: Department of State, Rubottom–Mann Files: Lot 62 D 418, Cuba (Jan.–Mar.) 1960. Confidential. Drafted by Cushing and cleared with Wieland and Ross and in draft with the CIA and Hill.


453. Memorandum of a Conference With the President, White House, Washington, February 15, 1960, 10:05–10:55 a.m.

Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, DDE Diaries. Secret. Prepared by Goodpaster on February 19. The time of the meeting is taken from the President’s Appointment Book. (Ibid.)