Khrushchev’s Downfall and Its Consequences: October 1964


51. Intelligence Note From the Director of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research (Hughes) to Secretary of State Rusk

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, S/P Files: Lot 71 D 273, USSR. Confidential. Initialed by Hughes.


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

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 15 USSR. Confidential; Flash. Received in the Department of State at 11:04 p.m. on October 15.


53. Memorandum for the Record

Source: Central Intelligence Agency, DCI (McCone) Files: Job 80–B01285A, DCI Meetings with the President. Top Secret. For another account of the meeting, see Document 54. The memorandum is dated October 17.


54. Memorandum for the Record

Source: Central Intelligence Agency, DCI (McCone) Files: Job 80–B01285A, DCI Meetings with the President. Secret. The memorandum was drafted by McCone on October 16. A typed note at the top of page 1 reads: “(Mr. Cline will furnish M/R on the 10:30 meeting in Cabinet Room this date) (Following is DCI’s M/R covering period Cline not in the meeting).” Cline’s memorandum for the record is Document 53.


55. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Bundy Files, Memos of Conversation. Secret. Drafted and initialed by Thompson. The time of the meeting is from the President’s Daily Diary. (Ibid.) For the President’s brief account of the conversation, see The Vantage Point, p. 469. For Dobrynin’s account, see In Confidence, pp. 128–129. A summary of the conversation was transmitted to Moscow in telegram 1131, October 16 at 6:59 p.m. (National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 15 USSR)


56. Memorandum From David Klein of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, USSR, Vol. VI. Secret.


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

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 15 USSR. Confidential; Priority. Repeated to Bonn, London, and Paris.


58. Memorandum From the Executive Secretary of the Department of State (Read) to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, USSR, Vol. VI. Confidential. No drafting information appears on the source text, but according to the Department of State copy it was drafted by Owen on October 16 and cleared by Davis and Thompson. (National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 15–1 USSR)


59. Intelligence Memorandum

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, USSR, Vol. VI. Secret. Prepared in the Office of Current Intelligence of the Central Intelligence Agency.


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

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 15 USSR. Confidential; Immediate. Repeated to London, Bonn, and Paris.


61. Paper Prepared by the Ambassador at Large (Thompson)

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Bundy Files, President’s Meeting with Congressional Leadership, 1/19/64. Confidential. Attached to McGeorge Bundy’s memorandum for the record of the President’s meeting with the Congressional leadership on October 19. In the memorandum Bundy states that “Ambassador Thompson discussed the developments in the Soviet Union, along the lines of the attached memo of his talking points.” The meeting took place in the Cabinet Room from 1:34 to 4:05 p.m. and was attended by 10 Senators and 7 House members. (Ibid., President’s Daily Diary)


62. Memorandum Prepared in the Central Intelligence Agency

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, USSR, Vol. VI. Secret. A cover sheet, not printed, indicates that the memorandum was prepared by the Directorate of Intelligence. A one-paragraph summary is not printed.


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

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 15 USSR. Confidential; Flash; Limdis. A summary of this conversation was sent to Paris for the Embassy and USRO, London, Bonn, and Tokyo and was pouched to all other U.S. diplomatic posts in circular telegram 746, October 27. (Ibid.)


64. Telegram From the Embassy in Austria to the Department of State

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 15 USSR. Confidential.


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

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 15 USSR. Confidential. Repeated to London, Paris, and Bonn.


66. Memorandum From the Ambassador at Large (Thompson) to Secretary of State Rusk

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 15 USSR. Secret. Initialed by Thompson and Rusk. Copies were also sent to Ball, Tyler, Rostow, and Hughes.