Office of the Historian

Congo, 1960–1968

391. Memorandum From Robert W. Komer of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)

Washington, January 26, 1965.

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Congo, Vol. X, Cables, Memos & Miscellaneous, 12/64. Secret.

392. Memorandum for the Record

Washington, January 26, 1965.

Source: Central Intelligence Agency Files, DCI/McCone Files, Job 80B01285A, Box 2, DCI (McCone) Memos for the Record, 01 Jan.-28 Feb. 65. Secret; Eyes Only. Drafted by McCone on January 28.

393. Memorandum of Conversation

London, January 29, 1965.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 23–9 THE CONGO. Secret; Limited Distribution. Drafted by William L. Eagleton, Jr., First Secretary of Embassy. Approved in M on February 3 and approved in S on February 8. The conversation was held at the Ambassador’s residence.

394. Telegram From the Station in the Congo to the Central Intelligence Agency

Leopoldville, February 1, 1965.

Source: Central Intelligence Agency Files, Job 78–00435R, DDO/ISS Files, Box 2, Folder 11, [cryptonym not declassified] Operations. Secret; [cryptonym not declassified]. No time of receipt appears on the message.

395. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Belgium

Washington, February 6, 1965.

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Congo, Vol. XI, Memos & Miscellaneous, 1/65–9/65. Secret; Priority. Repeated to Leopoldville. The telegram is attached to a February 8 memorandum from Komer to Bundy. Komer stated that this was the outline plan he had stimulated for a political settlement of the Congo issue which protected the essential position of the GDRC, although many aspects would be painful to Tshombe and Kasavubu. He noted that the important thing was to find a way to close out this affair without letting it escalate or the United States get over-committed.

396. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy) to President Johnson

Washington, February 10, 1965.

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Congo, Vol. XI, Memos & Miscellaneous, 1/65–9/65. Secret.

397. Memorandum for the Record

Washington, February 11, 1965.

Source: Central Intelligence Agency Files, Job 78–03805R, DO/IMS Files, Box 4, Folder 14, U.S. Govt.—Special Group CI & 303. Secret. Drafted on February 12.

398. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Congo

Washington, February 17, 1965, 1:05 p.m.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 23–9 THE CONGO. Confidential; Immediate. Drafted by McIlvaine; cleared by Trimble, AFE Director Jesse M. MacKnight, Davis, and Amitay; and approved by Harriman. Repeated to Nairobi, Kampala, Dar es Salaam, Lagos, Abidjan, Addis Ababa, Dakar, Monrovia, Paris, London, Brussels, USUN, DOD, CINCSTRIKE for Ramsey.

399. Memorandum for the Record

Washington, February 18, 1965.

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Congo, Vol. XI, Memos & Miscellaneous, 1/65–9/65. Secret. Prepared by Komer. Copies were sent to McGeorge Bundy, Fredericks, McIlvaine, and Lang.

400. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Belgium

Washington, February 18, 1965, 7:08 p.m.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 23–9 THE CONGO. Confidential. Drafted by McIlvaine, cleared by O’Sullivan and McKillop, and approved by Harriman. Also sent to Leopoldville, and repeated to Paris, London, Bujumbura, and CINCSTRIKE for POLAD Tampa.

401. Memorandum for the Record

Washington, February 24, 1965.

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Congo, Vol. XI, Memos & Miscellaneous, 1/65–9/65. Top Secret. Prepared by Harold Saunders. Copies were sent to McGeorge Bundy and Fredericks.

402. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Uganda

Washington, February 24, 1965, 8 p.m.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 31–1 THE CONGO–UGANDA. Confidential; Immediate. Drafted by McElhiney, cleared by McIlvaine and MacKnight, and approved by Tasca. Also sent to Leopoldville and repeated to Nairobi, Addis Ababa, Brussels, Paris, Lusaka, Dar es Salaam, and London.

403. Memorandum From Harold H. Saunders of the National Security Council Staff to President Johnson

Washington, February 25, 1965.

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Congo, Vol. XI, Memos & Miscellaneous, 1/65–9/65. Secret.

404. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Israel

Washington, February 28, 1965, 1:14 p.m.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 23–9 THE CONGO. Secret; Priority. Drafted by Alan D. Berlind and approved by McIlvaine.

405. Memorandum From Harold H. Saunders of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)

Washington, March 3, 1965.

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Congo, Vol. XI, Memos & Miscellaneous, 1/65–9/65. Secret.

406. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in India

Washington, March 4, 1965, 5:56 p.m.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 23–9 THE CONGO. Secret; Priority; Limdis. Drafted by Berlind, cleared by Franklin J. Crawford in SOA, and approved by McIlvaine.

408. Memorandum From the Joint Chiefs of Staff to Secretary of Defense McNamara

Washington, March 16, 1965.

Source: National Archives, RG 218, JCS Files, 9111 (18 Feb. 65). Secret.

409. Memorandum From Robert W. Komer of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)

Washington, March 16, 1965.

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Congo, Vol. XI, Memos & Miscellaneous, 1/65–9/65. Secret.

410. Memorandum From Harold H. Sanders of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)

Washington, March 24, 1965.

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Congo, Vol. XI, Memos & Miscellaneous, 1/65–9/65. Confidential.

411. Memorandum From Robert W. Komer of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)

Washington, March 26, 1965.

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Congo, Vol. XI, Memos & Miscellaneous, 1/65-9/65. Secret.

412. Telegram From the Central Intelligence Agency to the Station in the Congo

Washington, April 1, 1965.

Source: Central Intelligence Agency Files, [text not declassified], Fiche 44, Row 5, Frames 1–2, [text not declassified]. Secret; Immediate; [cryptonym not declassified]. Drafted by [name not declassified] (AF/S), authenticated and coordinated with C/AF, and released by McCone.

413. Memorandum From Robert W. Komer of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)

Washington, April 3, 1965.

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Name File, Komer Memos, Vol. I (2). Secret.

414. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Congo

Washington, April 12, 1965, 12:29 p.m.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 15–1 THE CONGO. Secret; Immediate; Limdis. Drafted by Frank C. Carlucci in AF/CWG; cleared by Davis, McIlvaine, Judd, Williams, and Fredericks; and approved by McElhiney. Repeated to Brussels and London.

415. Memorandum From the Chief of the Africa Division, Directorate of Plans, Central Intelligence Agency (Fields) to the Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs (Williams)

Washington, April 28, 1965.

Source: Central Intelligence Agency Files, Job 76–00366R, DDO/ISO Files, Box 1, Folder 8, Congo, 1960–1969, Part II. Secret. This memorandum was sent via backchannel.

416. Telegram From the Embassy in the Congo to the Department of State

Leopoldville, June 30, 1965, 1539Z.2

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 15–1 THE CONGO. Confidential; Priority. Repeated to Brussels, Elisabethville, and Bukavu.

417. Telegram From the Central Intelligence Agency to the Station in the Congo

Washington, July 8, 1965, 2027Z.

Source: Central Intelligence Agency Files, Job 78–00435R, DDO/ISS Files, Box 2, Folder 11, [cryptonym not declassified] Operations. Secret; [2 cryptonyms not declassified]. Drafted by [name not declassified], authenticated by [text not declassified], and released by Fields (C/AF).

418. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Congo

Washington, July 10, 1965, 12:40 p.m.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 15–1 THE CONGO. Secret; Limdis. Drafted by McIlvaine and approved by Williams. Repeated to Brussels, London, and CINCSTRIKE.

419. Telegram From the Station in the Congo to the Central Intelligence Agency

Leopoldville, July 20, 1965.

Source: Central Intelligence Agency Files, [text not declassified], Fiche 47, Row 1, Frames 6–10, [text not declassified]. Secret; Rybat; [2 cryptonyms not declassified]; Priority. Received at 1750Z.

420. Telegram From the Central Intelligence Agency to the Station in the Congo

Leopoldville, July 22, 1965, 2242Z.

Source: Central Intelligence Agency Files, Job 78–00435R, DDO/ISS Files, Box 2, Folder 11, [cryptonym not declassified] Operations. Secret; Rybat; [cryptonym not declassified]. Drafted by [name not declassified] authenticated by [text not declassified], and released by Fields (C/AF).

  1. Beginning in spring 1965, the dates and transmission times of all incoming Department of State telegrams were in 6-figure date-time-groups. The “Z” refers to Greenwich mean time.↩