Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, Africa, Volume XIV

135. Memorandum of Conference With President Eisenhower ⁰

Newport, Rhode Island, July 19, 1960, 3:15 p.m.

OTHERS PRESENT

• Secretary Herter, Mr. Bohlen, Mr. Kohler, Mr. Wilcox, Mr. Hagerty, General Goodpaster

[Here follows discussion of unrelated subjects.]

Mr. Herter then went on to report on the situation in the Congo. He said the Defense Department has done a superb job in bringing in food, troops, communications, etc.¹ He showed the President a list of the UN troops that have been brought into the Congo, and those now coming in. The President said the speed of action was most impressive. He commented on the fact that no combat aircraft are apparently being brought in. Mr. Herter confirmed this, and said that the UN forces are there in a “peace preservation role.” Secretary Herter said the carrier Wasp will be lying off shore beginning the same evening. It carries eight helicopters as well as other aircraft. In addition a fleet oiler will reach the Congo at the same time. Besides oil it is carrying medical and other supplies.

Mr. Herter said there had been a study of the legal aspects of our assistance.² The UN Participation Act of 1946 [1945]³ authorizes the President to provide aid short of combat troops on request of the UN. President Truman in 1951 delegated to the Secretary of State the authority to take action under this Act.⁴ Mr. Herter thought we should be reimbursed by the UN for part of our contribution, but felt we should furnish free of charge the transportation which we have been providing. He recommended seeking an appropriation from the Congress to defray these costs. The President appeared to agree with this.

Mr. Herter said the Congo question will be up in the Security Council again on Wednesday.⁵ There has been a request from the Soviets for a report by the Secretary General on this subject. The President commented that there might be some advantage in moving Belgian troops out of the Congo by our returning airlift. Mr. Herter said the Belgians do not want to leave until the UN provides security. He said they had worked out with Mr. Bunche agreements under which they will use their troops only to protect Belgians from violence. Mr. Herter said there had been one very recent untoward and, in fact, dangerous development. There is some evidence the Belgians are supporting the effort of the Katanga Province to achieve independence. He noted that the UN is supporting the Congo as an entity. He commented that the troops of the other African nations now in the Congo will be enraged if the Katanga Province is made independent, with Belgian collaboration. The President commented that if the Soviets tried to send in combat forces without a UN request, we should try to get Hammarskjold to say that no troops other than those requested by the United Nations will be allowed to come in. Mr. Herter commented that one measure of control that is being sought by the UN is to set up a staging area in Nigeria through which all incoming forces would have to pass. The President said he was concerned that the UN was getting into something that it could not bring to a conclusion, and asked where this operation would end in terms of the running of the country. Mr. Herter said that the UN is sending in technicians and administrative people to move into the government and help provide the administration of the country.

[Here follows discussion of unrelated subjects.]

G

0. Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, DDE Diaries. Secret. Drafted by Goodpaster.
1. Documentation on this subject, Situation Reports prepared by the Operations Directorate Joint Staff for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is ibid., Miscellaneous Records.
2. Reference is to a memorandum of July 19 from Department of State Legal Adviser Eric H. Hager to the Secretary. (Department of State, Central Files, 770G.00/7–1960)
3. P.L. 264, approved December 20, 1945 (59 Stat. 619), as amended by P.L. 341, approved October 10, 1949 (63 Stat. 734).
4. Executive Order 10206, January 19, 1951, authorized the Secretary of State to request the Secretary of Defense to furnish assistance to the United Nations. (Federal Register, vol. 16, p. 529) Herter made the request in a letter of July 20 to Gates. (Department of State, Central Files, 770G.00/7–2060)
5. July 20.