135. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Dominican Republic1
431. For Bunker. We share your view2—also repeatedly expressed by Garcia Godoy—that most pressing problem confronting PG is reopening of downtown and that the longer this is delayed, the greater the erosion in public support for and authority of PG.
What we do not see clearly is how he plans to achieve this objective. He moved resolutely against Wessin but he has not acted with same determination in arms collection and reintegration of rebel zone. In our judgment further concessions to the rebels at expense of military will not do the trick without upsetting delicate balance of forces essential to his maintaining moderate, middle-of-the-road position. If he looks upon prior reintegration of rebel military into regular units as key to dismantling of downtown area, we think he is following mistaken course. Probably most of rebel enlisted men, non-coms and junior officers could be put back into their units without major difficulties. But trying to reintegrate 20–25 key officers into their regular units is a most difficult, if not impossible, enterprise given deep-seated animosity which exists between two camps at this level. We wonder whether with respect to key officer groups some quick solution might not be found which will permit prompt reopening of downtown area. It would be preferable, of course, to give these officers foreign duty or training assignments, both for their own security and to get them out of country until passions cool. If they want training maybe we could help. If they are unwilling to accept such assignments, would it be possible to place them in some appropriate installation outside rebel zone or disperse them individually in garrisons around country, with personal security guaranteed, until Garcia Godoy can work out with each officer and military services appropriate assignment? Request that you explore this matter thoroughly with Garcia Godoy in effort break impasse on dismantling rebel zone.
Another matter which is of deep concern to us is failure of Garcia Godoy to strike more of balance between right and left. Image which he is projecting is one of greater and greater concessions to rebels at expense of moderate and conservative elements. If he is to maintain his authority throughout country, it seems to us that he must move [Page 327] with equal energy against both extremes when they get out of line. In failing to act decisively (as he did in Wessin case) against strong-arm methods of extremists at government offices, business enterprises and university, he is running serious risk of undermining public confidence in his impartiality and ability to steer middle course against pressures from both extremes. Request that you discuss this matter again with Garcia Godoy and stress importance of his redressing balance both from domestic and international standpoint.
We understand his desire to bring about basic changes in military establishment as rapidly as possible. We think it would be serious mistake, however, to take any further action along this line until situation downtown resolved. Once this is accomplished, we believe political and economic picture will be substantially improved and his hand strengthened to take further steps in dealing with military problem. Request you also convey foregoing to him, pointing out that he can count on our support in his subsequent efforts to reorganize military establishment.
We will be interested in what you bring back on these points when you return Friday.3
- Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 15–1 DOM REP. Confidential; Immediate. Drafted by C. Allen Stewart, cleared by Bundy, and approved by Sayre.↩
- See Document 134.↩
- October 1. Bunker was scheduled to meet with President Johnson at the White House on Wednesday, September 29. (Memorandum from Bowdler to Bundy, September 28; Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Dominican Republic, Vol. XI, 9/65–10/65) Bunker, however, remained in Santo Domingo to monitor the situation.↩