3. Circular Telegram From the Department of State to Certain Diplomatic Missions1
560. For Ambassador. Re Depcirtel 559.2 Problem of combatting Communist attempts subvert friendly governments has already received considerable preliminary study here in OCB, as result NSC decision arising from President’s personal interest this subject. Reftel followed OCB approval of preliminary study completed by high level State–Defense–CIA–FOA Working Group.3 Similar inquiries addressed to nineteen other selected Missions for response by “country teams”.
Since recommendations from you and other members “country team” will carry great weight, and ultimate NSC decision can have profound effect on US foreign and defense policy for many years to come, important that: 1) best officers your Mission be assigned task preparing reply; 2) disagreements, if any, among members “country team” be spelled out clearly rather than compromised in ambiguous terms; and 3) reports be submitted on schedule.
In your discretion you may advise selected officers your Mission of contents of this message.
- Source: Department of State, S/S–NSC (Miscellaneous) Files: Lot 66 D 95, Working Group on NSC 1290d. Top Secret; Limit Distribution. Sent to Tehran, Athens, Manila, Seoul, Baghdad, Damascus, Kabul, Karachi, Saigon, Phnom Penh, Bangkok, Rangoon, Djakarta, Vientiane, and pouched to Rio de Janeiro, La Paz, Guatemala City, Santiago, Caracas, and San Jose. Drafted by E.V. McAuliffe, cleared by Douglas MacArthur II, and approved by Frederick E. Nolting.↩
- Circular telegram 559, March 23, informed recipients of OCB approval of the February 16 working paper. It requested Chiefs of Mission to prepare reports, due May 1, 1955, on how U.S. assistance might increase the effectiveness of their host country’s forces in combating Communist subversion. The distribution list is identical to that for circular telegram 560.↩
- OCB Working Group.↩