Office of the Historian

List of Sources

Unpublished Sources

  • Department of State
    • Indexed Central Files: The Department of State used the decimal central file system through January 1963 after which it began a new subject-numeric central filing system. The new subject-numeric system was divided into broad categories: Administration, Consular, Culture and Information, Economic, Political and Defense, Science, and Social. Within these categories were subcategories and then numerical subdivisions relating to specific topics. The subject-numeric system used an abbreviation rather than a number for a country, area, or topic. The decimal and subject-numeric central files were major sources for this volume. The following are the principal sources cited from both filing systems organized by compilation:
      • Southeast Asia Region
        • 033.9211: visits of Thai officials to the United States
        • 033.1100-JO: foreign visits and travel of Vice President Johnson
        • 033.1100-KE: foreign visits and travel of Attorney General Robert Kennedy
        • 379: SEATO affairs
        • 611.92: U.S.-Thai political relations
        • 751J.00: political developments in Laos
        • 790.00: political developments in the Far East
        • 790.5: national defense affairs in the Far East
        • DEF 4 SEATO: SEATO alliance
        • SEATO 3 FR (PA): Paris SEATO meeting
        • SEATO 8–5: SEATO rules of procedure
      • Burma
        • 033.90B11: visits of Burmese officials to the United States
        • 110.12-BO: foreign visits of Under Secretary of State Chester Bowles
        • 611.90B: U.S.-Burmese political relations
        • 690B.93: Burmese-Republic of China political relations
        • 751J.00: political developments in Laos
        • 790B.00: political developments in Burma
        • 790B.02: government recognition in Burma
        • 790B.13: cabinet and government ministries in Burma
        • 790B.5-MSP: military assistance program in Burma
        • 790B.551: military personnel in Burma
        • 793.551: KMT in Burma, Laos, and Thailand
        • POL BURMA: general policy and background
        • POL 1 BURMA: general policy and background
        • POL 26 BURMA: rebellions, coups, insurgencies
        • POL 27 BURMA: military operations
        • POL US-BURMA: general policy and background, U.S.-Burmese relations
        • POL 1 US-BURMA: general policy and background, U.S.-Burmese relations
        • DEF 19 US-BURMA: U.S. military assistance to Burma
        • DEF 19–2 US BURMA: U.S. advisory and training assistance to Burma
        • CSM 9–6 BURMA: Communist terrorism, kidnapping, and assassination
        • PER EVERTON, JOHN SCOTT: files relating to Ambassador Everton
      • Cambodia
        • 611.51H: U.S.-Cambodian political relations
        • 651H.00: international political relations of Cambodia
        • 651H.92: Cambodian-Thai political relations
        • 751H.00: political developments in Cambodia
        • 751H.51K: Cambodian-South Vietnamese political relations
        • 751J.00: political developments in Laos
        • 751K.00: political developments in South Vietnam
        • 811.0051H: U.S. investment in Cambodia
        • 851H.2612: roads and highways in Cambodia
        • 851H.47411: ceremonial communications to Cambodia from the United States
        • POL CAMB: general policy and background
        • POL 1 CAMB: general policy and background
        • POL 7 CAMB: visits and meetings
        • POL 15–1 CAMB: head of state, chief executive
        • POL 27 CAMB: military operations
        • POL 27–13 CAMB: neutrality
        • POL CAMB-CHICOM: general relations between Cambodia and the People’s Republic of China
        • POL 17 CAMB-S VIET: diplomatic relations between Cambodia and South Vietnam
        • POL CAMB-THAI: general relations between Cambodia and Thailand
        • POL CAMB-US: general relations between Cambodia and the United States
        • AID (FREE WORLD) CAMB: free world aid to Cambodia
        • AID (US) CAMB: U.S. aid to Cambodia
        • AID (US) 4 Thai: agreements on U.S. aid to Thailand
        • DEF 19 US-CAMB: U.S. military aid to Cambodia
      • Indonesia
        • 033.1100-KE: foreign travel of Attorney General Robert Kennedy
        • 033.4311: trips of Australian officials to the United States
        • 033.9811: trips of Indonesian officials to the United States
        • 033.9861: trips of Indonesian officials to the Soviet Union
        • 101.2: administrative files of the National Security Council
        • 298.1122 POPE, ALLAN LAWRENCE: welfare of Allan Pope
        • 611.98: U.S.-Indonesian political relations
        • 656.9813: transfer of territory from the Netherlands to Indonesia
        • 711.11-KE: files relating to President Kennedy
        • 798.00: political developments in Indonesia
        • 798.5: defense affairs in Indonesia
        • 798.00: U.S.-Indonesia political developments
        • 798.11: Indonesian chief of state, chief executive
        • 798.5-MSP: U.S. military assistance program in Indonesia
        • 798.56: Indonesian-Dutch political developments
        • 898.2553: petroleum in Indonesia
        • POL 7 INDON: visits and meetings
        • POL 15–1 INDON: head of state, chief executive
        • POL 25–3 INDON: anti-foreign demonstrations, protests, and riots
        • POL 32–4 INDON: unification and merger of territories
        • POL AUST-INDON: general relations between Australia and Indonesia
        • POL INDON-MALAYSIA: general relations between Indonesia and Malaysia
        • POL 32–1 INDON-MALAYSIA: territorial disputes between Indonesia and Malaysia
        • POLINDO-US: general relations between Indonesia and the United States
        • AID (US) INDON: U.S. aid to Indonesia
        • AID (US) 15–8 INDON: U.S. commodities to Indonesia
        • E 1–1 INDON: economic stabilization
        • DEF 12 INDON: armaments
        • DEF 14 INDON: non-military activities of armed forces
        • PET 6 INDON: oil companies in Indonesia
        • PET 10 INDON: oil resources and fields
        • PET 15–2 INDON: nationalization and expropriation of petroleum
      • Malaysia (Malaya)
        • POL MALAYA: general political developments
        • POL 7 MALAYA: visits and meetings
        • POL 15–1 MALAYA: head of state, chief executive
        • POL 32–4 MALAYA: unification of territories
        • POL 3 MALAYSIA: organizations, alignments, and federations
        • POL 16 MALAYSIA: independence and recognition
        • POL 15–1 KENNEDY-US: files relating to President Kennedy
        • POL 2 INDON: general reports
        • POL INDON-MALAYSIA: general political relations between Indonesia and Malaysia
        • POL 32–1 INDON-MALAYSIA: territorial disputes between Indonesia and Malaysia
        • POL INDON-UK: general relations between Indonesia and the United Kingdom
        • POL INDON-US: general relations between Indonesia and the United States
        • DEF 4 ANZUS: Australia, New Zealand, United States collective defense pact
      • Philippines
        • 033.1100-JO: foreign visits of Vice President Johnson
        • 033.9611: visits of Filipino officials to the United States
        • 211.9641: World War II claims by Filipinos
        • 411.966: measures affecting import trade between the United States and the Philippines
        • 411.9641: trade relations between the United States and the Philippines
        • 611.96: U.S.-Philippines political relations
        • 796.00: political developments in the Philippines
        • 796.11: chief executive, head of state of the Philippines
        • 896.10: general financial matters of the Philippines
        • 896.13: monetary system of the Philippines
        • 896.235: sugar industry in the Philippines
        • POL 1 PHIL: general policy and background
        • POL 7 PHIL: visits and meetings
        • POL 15–1 PHIL: head of state, executive branch
        • POL PHIL-US: general U.S.-Philippines relations
        • DEF 6 PHIL: armed forces
        • DEF 7 PHIL-US: U.S.-Philippines visits and military missions
      • Thailand
        • 033.1100-JO: foreign visits and travel of Vice President Lyndon Johnson
        • 033.1100-KE: foreign visits and travel of Attorney General Robert Kennedy
        • 033.9211: visits of Thai officials to the United States
        • 379: SEATO affairs
        • 611.92: U.S.-Thai political relations
        • 711.551: U.S military personnel
        • 751J.00: general political developments in Laos
        • 792.00: political developments in Thailand
        • 792.13: Thailand’s cabinet
        • 792.5: national defense affairs of Thailand
        • 792.5-MSP: U.S. military assistance to Thailand
        • 792.56311: U.S. bases in Thailand
        • POL THAI: general policy and background
        • POL 15–1 THAI: head of state; chief executive
        • POL THAI-US: general Thai-U.S. relations
        • POL 27 LAOS: military operations in Laos
        • POL 7/US MANSFIELD: foreign visits of Senator Mike Mansfield
        • CSM 9–6 THAI: Communist infiltration and subversion
        • AID (US) 4 THAI: aid agreements
        • REF THAI: general policy and plans on refugees and migration
    • Lot Files: Documents from the central files have been supplemented by material from the decentralized files, the lot files, of the Department of State. The most important of the lot files used for this volume were:
      • Bundy Files: Lot 65 D 240
        • Files of William P. Bundy, Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern (later East Asian and Pacific) Affairs, 1963–1969.
      • Conference Files: Lot 66 D 110
        • Files of visits of foreign leaders to the United States and of international conferences abroad attended by the President, Secretary of State, and other U.S. officials, 1961–1964.
      • EA/BUC Files: Lot 66 D 483
        • Files of the Office of Burma Union and Cambodia Affairs for 1963.
      • EA/BUC Files: Lot 66 D 492
        • Cambodia files for 1963 of the Office of Burma Union and Cambodia Affairs.
      • EA/MS Files: Lot 66 D 462
        • Files of the Office of Malyasia and Singapore Affairs, 1963–1964. Also includes Borneo files for 1963.
      • EA/PHL Files: Lot 66 D 502
        • Philippine desk files for 1963.
      • EA/RA (SEATO) Files: Lot 67 D 143
        • Office of Regional Affairs of the Bureau of East Asian Affairs, SEATO files for 1955–1964 (subsequently retired to WNRC in RG 59, as FRC 71 A 6682).
      • EA/Thailand Files: Lot 66 D 500
        • Thailand desk files for 1963.
      • EA/Thailand Files: Lot 67 D 320
        • Files of the Office of Thailand Affairs, November 1963–1964.
      • FE Files: Lot 64 D 25
        • Official letters filed by sender and memoranda of conversation filed by country, and country-subject files for the Bureau of Far Eastern Affairs, 1962.
      • FE/SEA (Burma) Files: Lot 65 D 439
        • Burma desk files for 1961.
      • FE/SEA (Burma) Files: Lot 65 D 440
        • Burma desk files for 1962.
      • FE/SEA (Cambodia) Files: Lot 65 D 55
        • Cambodia desk files for 1961–1962.
      • FE/SEA (Laos) Files: Lot 65 D 169
        • Laos desk files for 1961.
      • FE/SEA (Thailand) Files: Lot 66 D 298
        • Thailand desk files for 1961–1962.
      • FE/SPA Files: Lot 64 D 500
        • Economic files for Indonesia, Malaya, Malaysia, and Singapore for 1962–1963.
      • FE/SPA Files: Lot 64 D 523
        • Philippine desk files for 1961–1962, relating mostly to economics.
      • FE/SPA Files: Lot 65 D 542
        • Malaya and Singapore desk files for 1961–1962, and files for British Borneo for 1962.
      • FE/SPA (Indonesia) Files: Lot 65 D 553
        • Indonesia desk political files for 1961–1962.
      • FE/SPA (Indonesia) Files: Lot 66 D 484
        • Indonesia desk political and economic files for 1963–1964.
      • FE/SPA (Philippines) Files: Lot 65 D 179
        • Philippine desk files for 1963 related to economic issues.
      • FE/SPA (Philippines) Files: Lot 66 D 16
        • Philippine desk files for 1962.
      • FE/SPA/E Files: Lot 63 D 214
        • Economic files for Indonesia, Malaya, and Singapore for 1960–1961.
      • INR/EAP Files: Lot 90 D 165
        • NIEs and SNIEs on East Asia and the Pacific, 1952–1985, maintained by the Bureau of Intelligence and Research.
      • INR/EAP Files: Lot 90 D 110
        • NIEs and SNIEs on East Asia and the Pacific, 1952–1985, maintained by the Bureau of Intelligence and Research.
      • OCB Files: Lot 62 D 430
        • Master files of the Operations Coordinating Board for 1953-January 1961, maintained by the Executive Secretariat.
      • Secretary’s Memoranda of Conversation: Lot 65 D 330
        • Memoranda of the Secretary of State and Under Secretary of State, 1961–1964.
      • S/P Files: Lot 69 D 121
        • Files of the Policy Planning Staff, 1962.
      • S/S Files: Lot 66 D 147
        • Chronologies, minutes, and briefings used by the Secretary of State and Under Secretaries of State, 1961–1963. Includes records of the Secretary of State’s staff meetings and the telephone conversations of Under Secretary of State Ball.
      • S/S-NSAM Files: Lot 72 D 316
        • Master file of National Security Action Memoranda (NSAMs), 1961–1968, maintained by the Executive Secretariat.
  • Central Intelligence Agency
    • DCI (McCone) Files
      • Files of Director John A. McCone, 1962–1965.
  • Department of Defense (see also entries under Washington National Records Center)
    • Office of the Secretary of Defense, Historian’s Office, Secretary of Defense’s Cable files
      • Telegrams to and from the Secretary of Defense maintained by the Historian’s Office, Department of Defense.
  • Lyndon B. Johnson Library, Austin, Texas
    • Rusk Appointment Book
    • Papers of Lyndon B. Johnson, Presidential Papers
      • National Security File, Country File, Cambodia
      • Vice Presidential Security File, Memoranda to the Vice President
  • John F. Kennedy Library, Boston, Massachusetts
    • George W. Ball Papers
      • Transcripts of Under Secretary of State Ball’s telephone conversations.
    • Roger Hilsman Papers
      • Official papers of Director of Intelligence and Research and then Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs Hilsman, 1961–1964.
    • Papers of Johnson F. Kennedy, Presidential Papers
      • National Security File
      • Country Series: Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaya and Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, West New Guinea
      • Files of McGeorge Bundy (cited as Aides Files, McGeorge Bundy) Meetings and Memoranda Series: NSC, NSAMS, Staff Memos Regional Series, Southeast Asia
      • Trips and Conference Series, Proposed trip to the Far East
    • President’s Appointment Book
    • President’s Office Files
      • Countries: Laos Security, Indonesia Security, Thailand Security
    • Thompson Papers, Southeast Asia
  • National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
    • Taylor Papers
      • Papers of General Maxwell D. Taylor, Military Adviser to the President, 1961–1962, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, 1962–1964.
  • Library of Congress
    • Manuscript Division, Harriman Papers
      • Special files of W. Averell Harriman, Kennedy and Johnson administrations.
  • Washington National Records Center, Suitland, Maryland
    • Record Group 330, Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense
    • Lansdale Files: FRC 63 D 1803
      • Files of Edward G. Lansdale, Deputy Assistant and Assistant to the Secretary of Defense (Special Operations), 1957–1961.
    • OASD/ISA Files: FRC 64 A 2382
      • Files of the Assistant Secretary of Defense, International Security Affairs, 1961.
    • OASD/ISA Files: FRC 65 A 3501
      • Files of the Assistant Secretary of Defense, International Security Affairs, 1962.
    • OASD/ISA Files: FRC 67 A 4565
      • Files of the Assistant Secretary of Defense, International Security Affairs, 1963.
    • OASD/ISA Files: FRC 67 A 5464
      • Files of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense, International Security Affairs, 1962–1963.
    • OSD Files: FRC 66 A 3542
      • Official files of the Secretary of Defense and Deputy Secretary of Defense for 1962.
    • OSD/A Files: FRC 71 A 6489
      • Miscellaneous files of the Secretary of Defense and Under Secretary of Defense and their assistants, 1951–1966.

Published Sources

  • Documentaries and Congressional Documents
    • Department of Defense. United States–Vietnam Relations, 1945–1967 [The Pentagon Papers]. 12 vols. Washington, U.S. Government Printing Office, 1971.
    • Department of State. American Foreign Policy, 1950–1955: Basic Documents. 2 vols. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1957.
    • ——————. American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1961, 1962, 1963. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1965, 1966, 1967.
    • National Archives and Records Administration. Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: John F. Kennedy, 1961. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1962.
    • U.S. Senate. Executive Sessions of the Senate Foreign Relations Committeee Together With Joint Sessions of the Armed Services Committee (Historical Series), Vol. XIV, 88th Congress, 2d session, 1962. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1986.
  • Memoirs
    • Note: The Department of State takes no responsibility for the accuracy of these memoirs nor does it endorse their interpretation of events.
    • Ball, George. The Past Has Another Pattern: Memoirs. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 1982.
    • Hilsman, Roger. To Move a Nation. Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Co., 1967.
    • Johnson, U. Alexis. The Right Hand of Power. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 1987.
    • Jones, Howard P. Indonesia: The Impossible Dream. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1971.
    • Rusk, Dean (as told to Richard Rusk). As I Saw It. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 1990.
    • Salinger, Pierre. With Kennedy. Garden City, NY: Doubleday and Co., 1966.
    • Schlesinger, Arthur M. Jr. A Thousand Days: John F. Kennedy in the White House. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1965.
    • Sorenson, Theodore C. Kennedy. New York: Harper & Row, 1965.
    • Taylor, Maxwell D. Swords and Plowshares: A Memoir. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 1972.