Office of the Historian

25. Memorandum From William G. Bowdler of the National Security Council Staff to the Presidentʼs Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)1

Washington, April 27, 1965.

SUBJECT

  • Dominican Situation as of 2:30 PM
1.
State reports that the bombardment of Santo Domingo by loyalist forces has begun in several areas of the city. So far the bombardment has not affected the evacuation, in line with earlier pledges given to the Embassy.2
2.
State has received word that the evacuation of people from the Hotel Embajador area to Haina is virtually completed. The timing was fortuitous because the Embassy has received a report that rumors are circulating around Santo Domingo that U.S. planes are doing the bombing and that people are being urged to move against the Hotel Embajador and the Embassy.
3.
Ambassador Bennett is in Santo Domingo and has taken charge. He has personally checked on the evacuation program.
4.
A message (copy attached)3 has gone [less than 1 line of source text not declassified] concurred in by State, stating:
a.
Today appears to be Wessinʼs last chance to take military action to dominate the situation.
b.
Nothing should be done to discourage or impede Wessinʼs reported moves and consideration should be given to any Embassy actions or expressions which could assist Wessin without actually siding with him openly or intervening actively.
c.
Consideration should be given to passing to appropriate rebel leaders data on the identities, activities, arms caches, strong points and plans of communist leaders and groups, with a view to getting them to take strong action at once against communist elements.
WGB
  1. Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Dominican Republic, Memos and Miscellaneous, Vol. II, 1/64–4/65. Confidential.↩
  2. See Document 23.↩
  3. Telegram 271723Z, April 27, was repeated to the Department of State and the White House for McGeorge Bundy who received it at 5:34 p.m. This telegram was not found attached. (Johnson Library, National Security File, Dominican Republic, Cables, Vol. 1, 6/64–4/65)↩