U.S. Efforts to Obtain a Settlement Between Egypt and Israel; the Beginnings of Operation Alpha, January 1–August 26, 1955 1
1. For previous documentation, see Foreign Relations, 1952–1954, vol. IX, Part 1, pp. 875 ff.
151. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, July 11, 1955
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 684A.86/7–1155. Top Secret; Alpha; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Burdett.
152. Telegram From the Embassy in Egypt to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 684a.86/7–1155. Top Secret; Priority; Alpha. Received at 7:29 p.m. Repeated priority to London eyes only Ambassador and Russell. An attached chit forwarded the telegram to the Secretary; a handwritten note reads: “Sec saw.” The chit also indicates Hoover,Murphy, and Allen received copies of the telegram.
153. Telegram From the Embassy in the United Kingdom to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 684A.86/7–1255. Top Secret;Niact; Alpha; Limit Distribution. Received at 2:33 p.m.
154. Telegram From the Embassy in the United Kingdom to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 684A.86/7–2155. Top Secret;Niact; Alpha; Limited Distribution.
155. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Lebanon
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 120.1580/7–1255. Confidential. Drafted by Troxel; cleared with Burdett,Ludlow, and Barnes; and approved by Burdett. Also sent to Amman, Damascus, Cairo, and Tel Aviv. Repeated to Jidda and Jerusalem, and pouched to London, Baghdad, and Haifa.
156. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern, South Asian, and African Affairs (Allen) to the Secretary of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 684A.86/7–1355. Top Secret; Alpha. Drafted by Troxel.
157. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern, South Asian, and African Affairs (Allen) to the Secretary of State
Source: Department of State,NEA Files: Lot 59 D 518, Alpha—Memos & corres., July l–Aug. 26 (day of Secy’s speech). Top Secret; Alpha.Burdett forwarded a copy to Russell on July 13. (Ibid.)
158. Memorandum of a Conversation, Ambassador’s Residence, Paris, July 14, 1955, 10 p.m.
Source: Department of State, Conference Files: Lot 63 D 123,CF 494. Top Secret. Drafted by Shuckburgh.
159. Memorandum by Francis H. Russell and the Assistant Under Secretary of State in the British Foreign Office (Shuckburgh)
Source: Department of State,NEA Files: Lot 59 D 518, Alpha: 1) Paris: Memo of Conv. betw.S and Macmillan, July 14; 2) Paris: Memo on Procedure, July 15, signed by Shuckburgh and FSR. Top Secret; Alpha.
160. Telegram From the Consulate General at Jerusalem to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 674.84A/7–1655. Confidential; Priority. Received at 11:26 a.m. Repeated priority to Cairo, Tel Aviv, Amman, London, Paris,USUN, Beirut, and Damascus.
161. Telegram From the Consulate General at Geneva to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 684A.86/7–1755. Top Secret; Alpha; Limited Distribution. Received at 8:15 p.m.
163. Telegram From the Department of State to the Secretary of State, at Geneva
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 684a.86/7–1955. Top Secret; Limited Distribution. Drafted, approved, and signed by Hoover.
165. Telegram From the Embassy in Egypt to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 674.84A/7–2055. Top Secret; Priority; Received at 1:26 p.m.
166. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Syria
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 120.1580/7–1455. Confidential; Priority. Drafted by Troxel; cleared with Barnes; and approved by Burdett, who signed for Hoover. Also sent priority to Cairo, Amman, Beirut, and Tel Aviv.
167. Letter From the Acting Secretary of State to the Secretary of Defense (Wilson)
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 774.5–MSP/7–2155. Drafted by Burdett.
168. Telegram From the Department of State to the Secretary of State in Geneva
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 684A.86/7–1755. Top Secret; Alpha; Limited Distribution. Drafted by Burdett; cleared with Allen; and approved and signed by Hoover. Repeated to London.
169. Circular Letter From Francis H. Russell to Certain American Ambassadors
Source: Department of State,NEA Files: Lot 59 D 518, Alpha. Secretary’s Statement: Letr of 7/22 to NE Chiefs of Mission, with 4 attachments re. Top Secret; Alpha; Official–Informal. The source text is a carbon copy of a letter sent to Ambassador Lawson in Tel Aviv. According to typewritten notations on it,Russell and Burdett were the drafting officers. In a memorandum dated July 26,Jernegan informed Dulles that Russell’s letter and its enclosures had been sent eyes only to the American Ambassadors in Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Egypt, Syria, and Israel. Information copies were sent to Ankara, London, and Paris. (Ibid., Alpha—Memos & corres., July 1–Aug. 26 (day of Secy’s speech)) On August 1,Russell, under cover of a separate letter, sent the same enclosures to Ambassador Wadsworth in Saudi Arabia. (Ibid., Alpha. Secretary’s Statement: Letr of 7/22 to NE Chiefs of Mission, with 4 attachments re)
170. Telegram From the Consulate General at Jerusalem to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 674.84A/7–2355. Confidential; Priority. Received at 9:51 a.m. Repeated priority to Cairo, Tel Aviv, London, Paris,USUN, Amman, Beirut, and Damascus.
171. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Anderson) to the Under Secretary of State (Hoover)
Source: Department of State,S/S–NEA Files: Lot 61 D 417, Alpha Volume 5. Top Secret. Addressed also to Deputy Secretary of Defense Anderson, JCS Chairman Radford, and ICA Director Hollister.
172. Memorandum of a Conversation, Washington, July 27, 1955
Source: Department of State,S/S–NEA Files. Lot 61 D 417, Alpha Volume 5. Top Secret. No drafting information is given on the source text.
173. Memorandum From the Director of the Office of Near Eastern Affairs (Wilkins) to the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern, South Asian, and African Affairs (Allen)
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 784A.00/7–2755. Top Secret.
174. Telegram From the Embassy in Egypt to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 661.74/7–2755. Secret. Received at 4:26 p.m.
175. Telegram From the Embassy in Egypt to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 033.7411/7–2855. Top Secret; Priority; Alpha; Limit Distribution. Received at 4:03 p.m.
176. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Israel
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 601.0084A/7–2255. Confidential. Drafted by Wilkins and Burdett and approved by Allen, who signed for Dulles. Repeated to Jerusalem and Amman, and pouched to London and Paris.
177. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Jordan
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 120.1580/7–2455. Confidential. Drafted by Troxel; cleared with Barnes,Ludlow,Wilkins, and Allen; and approved by Burdett, who signed for Dulles. Repeated to Beirut, Cairo, Damascus, and Tel Aviv, and pouched to Jidda, Baghdad, and London.
178. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, July 29, 1955
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 774.5/7–2955. Secret. Drafted by Allen on August 3.
179. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Jordan
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 120.1580/8–255. Official Use Only. Drafted by Troxel; cleared with Barnes,Bergus, and Boardman; and approved by Wilkins, who signed for Dulles. Also sent to Beirut, Damascus, and Cairo. Repeated to Tel Aviv, Jidda, and Baghdad, and pouched to London, Paris, and Jerusalem.
180. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, August 3, 1955
Source: Department of State,S/S–NEA Files: Lot 61 D 417, Alpha Volume 6. Top Secret; Alpha; Limited Distribution. Drafted by Barbour.