January–March 1961: Transition from the Eisenhower to the Kennedy Administration


1. Memorandum of Conference With President Eisenhower

Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Diaries. Secret. Drafted by Goodpaster. The conference took place at the White House. The time of the meeting is from the President’s Daily Appointments, 1960–1961. (Ibid.)


2. Memorandum of Conference With President Eisenhower

Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, DDE Diaries. Top Secret. Drafted by Goodpaster on January 7. The conference took place at the White House. The time of the meeting is from the President’s Daily Appointments, 1960–1961. (Ibid.)


3. Memorandum of Discussion at the 473d Meeting of the National Security Council

Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, NSC Records. Top Secret; Eyes Only. Drafted by Boggs on January 5.


4. Paper Prepared by the President’s Assistant Staff Secretary (Eisenhower)

Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, DDE Diaries. Top Secret.


5. Memorandum of Conference With President Eisenhower

Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, DDE Diaries. Secret. Drafted by Goodpaster. The conference took place at the White House.


6. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/1–1761. Top Secret. Drafted by Christian Chapman and approved in Herter’s office on January 25 and in Rusk’s office on February 3.


7. Notes of Conversation Between President-Elect Kennedy and President Eisenhower

Source: Kennedy Library, President’s Office Files, Special Correspondence, Dwight D. Eisenhower. Secret. Dictated by Kennedy to Evelyn Lincoln.


8. Memorandum for the Record

Source: Eisenhower Library, Post-Presidential Papers, 1961–1969, John F. Kennedy, 1960–1961 (2). No classification marking. Prepared by Persons, Assistant to the President.


9. Memorandum for the Record

Source: Eisenhower Library, Post-Presidential Papers, Laos. Secret. Drafted by Herter. Also published in Declassified Documents, 1984, 002513.


10. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs (Nitze) to Secretary of Defense McNamara

Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Laos: General, 1/3/61–1/31/61. Top Secret.


11. Memorandum From Secretary of Defense McNamara to President Kennedy

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD Files: FRC 65 A 3464, 381. Top Secret.


12. Memorandum of Conference With President Kennedy

Source: Kennedy Library, Chester V. Clifton Series, JCS Conferences with the President, Vol. I. Top Secret. Drafted by Goodpaster on January 27.


13. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: Washington National Records Center, Bangkok Embassy Files: FRC 68 A 5612, 350 Political Affairs—Laos (C), 1961. Secret; Limited Distribution. Drafted by Brown, who was in Washington for consultations. The conversation took place at the White House. The time of the conversation is from Kennedy’s appointment book. (Kennedy Library, President’s Appointment Book)


14. Summary Record of Meeting

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/2–861. Secret. Drafted by Parsons. The meeting took place at the White House.


15. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Laos

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/2–1061. Confidential; Limited Distribution. Drafted by Steeves; cleared by SEA, FE, L, IO, and by Nitze of Defense; and approved by Rusk. Also sent to Bangkok as telegram 1182.


16. Memorandum From the President’s Deputy Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Rostow) to President Kennedy

Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Laos General, 2/8/61–2/15/61. Top Secret.


17. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/2–2061. Confidential. Drafted by Chapman and approved in S on March 3. The conversation took place at the Department of State.


18. Memorandum From the Director for Intelligence, The Joint Staff (Breitweiser) to Secretary of Defense McNamara

Source: Washington National Records Center, OASD/ISA Files: FRC 64 A 2382, Laos ′61, 121. Top Secret.


19. Memorandum From the President’s Deputy Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Rostow) to President Kennedy

Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Laos: General, 2/20/61–2/28/61. Secret.


20. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/2–2861. Confidential. Drafted by Chapman and approved in S on March 13. The conversation took place at the Department of State.


21. Memorandum From Secretary of State Rusk to President Kennedy

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/3–161. Secret. Drafted by Erickson on February 27 and cleared with SEA, EUR/SOV, and by Steeves and Parsons.


22. Memorandum From the Counselor and Chairman of the Policy Planning Council (McGhee) to Secretary of State Rusk

Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Laos: General, 3/2/61–3/12/61. Secret. According to the President’s appointment book, the President met with Vice President Johnson, Rusk, McGhee, McNamara, Lemnitzer, Dulles, McGeorge Bundy, Rostow, and others at this meeting which lasted from 3:15 to 5:15 p.m. (Ibid., President’s Appointment Book)


23. Memorandum of Meeting

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/3–961. Top Secret. Drafted on March 8. A note on the transmittal memorandum, drafted by Chapman, indicates that Rusk read the memorandum.


24. Memorandum From the President’s Deputy Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Rostow) to President Kennedy

Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Laos: General, 3/2/61–3/12/61. Secret. A note on the source text indicates that this memorandum was delivered verbally at 9:30 a.m.


25. Memorandum of Conference With President Kennedy

Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Laos: General, 3/25/61–3/31/61. Top Secret. Drafted by Clifton on March 29.


26. Memorandum of Meeting

[Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Laos: General, 3/2/61–3/12/61. Top Secret. 1–1/2 pages of source text not declassified.]


27. Telegram From the Embassy in the Soviet Union to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/3–1061. Confidential; Priority; Limit Distribution. Received at 8:21 a.m.


28. Memorandum From the President’s Deputy Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Rostow) to President Kennedy

Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Laos: General, 3/2/61–3/12/61. Confidential.


29. Memorandum From the President’s Military Aide (Clifton) to President Kennedy

Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Laos: General, 3/2/61–3/13/61. Secret. Clifton noted on this memorandum that the President saw it. McGeorge Bundy wrote on it “very interesting.”


30. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Laos

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/3–1161. Secret; Priority. Drafted by Chapman and Usher, cleared by Steeves and in substance with Anderson and Parsons, and approved by Rusk.

  1. According to President Eisenhower’s appointment book, he met with Kennedy from 9 to 11:10 a.m. The President and the President-elect met alone from 9 to 9:45 a.m. and then joined members of Eisenhower’s and Kennedy’s cabinets including Secretary of State Christian Herter, Secretary of the Treasury Robert B. Anderson, Secretary of Defense Thomas S. Gates, Jr., Secretary of State-designate Dean Rusk, and Secretary of Defense-designate Robert McNamara. Clark Clifford also attended, but he is not listed as a participant in Eisenhower’s appointment book. (Ibid., President’s Daily Appointments)