U.S. Involvement in the Suez Committee; the Anderson Mission to Saudi Arabia; the Menzies Mission to Egypt, August 24–September 9
158. Telegram From the Embassy in the United Kingdom to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 974.7301/9–156. Top Secret; Limit Distribution—Suez Canal. Received at 9:44 a.m. Repeated to Paris. A copy of this telegram is in the Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Dulles–Herter Series.
159. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, September 1, 1956
Source: Department of State, NEA Files: Lot 58 D 722, Saudi Arabia—General. Confidential. Drafted by Wilkins on September 5.
160. Telegram From the Department of State to Certain Diplomatic Missions
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 684A.86/9–256. Top Secret; Niact. Drafted and approved by Hoover. Sent to London, Paris, Cairo, Rome, Amman, Baghdad, Damascus, Jidda, Beirut, and Tel Aviv. It was separately repeated to Moscow on September 2. (Ibid., 974.7301/9–256) A copy in the Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, International File, is initialed by Eisenhower with the comment: “Sent at my direction. D. File with Make cross reference on this file to my letter to Eden. D” The letter to Eden is Document 163.
161. Memorandum by the Secretary of State
Source: Department of State, Conference Files: Lot 62 D 181, CF 772. Top Secret. The source text, which contains Dulles’ first thoughts on creating an association of Suez Canal users, was initialed by Dulles and bears his handwritten revisions. A retyped copy is ibid., Central Files, 974.7301/9–256.
According to Dulles’ Appointment Book, on September 2 the Secretary met with Fraser Wilkins “re Suez” between 9:30 and 11 a.m. at Duck Island. (Princeton University Library, Dulles Papers) Presumably, Wilkins conveyed the contents of the memorandum back to the Department of State and discussed the proposed response to Lloyd. See Document 163.
162. Telegram From the Embassy in France to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 974.7301/9–256. Top Secret; Niact. Received at 2:52 p.m. Repeated Priority to London, Cairo, Rome, Amman, Baghdad, Damascus, Jidda, Beirut, and Tel Aviv. A copy in the Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Dulles–Herter Series is initialed by Eisenhower.
163. Message From President Eisenhower to Prime Minister Eden
Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, International File. Top Secret. Transmitted Priority to London in telegram 1593, September 2, 5:37 p.m., which is the source text. At President Eisenhower’s request, copies were also sent on September 2 for background purposes to Ambassador Dillon (telegram 827 to Paris; Department of State, Central Files, 711.11–EI/9–256) and to Henderson (telegram 623 to Cairo; ibid., 974.7301/9–256). Barbour reported that the message was delivered at 12:15 p.m., London time, September 3. (Telegram 1266 from London, September 3; Eisenhower Library, Whitman File)
Late in the afternoon of August 31, Hoover forwarded to President Eisenhower a suggested reply to Eden, which Dulles apparently had drafted while en route to Duck Island. (Note from Hoover to Eisenhower with attachments; Department of State, Central Files, 974.7301/8–3156 and Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Dulles–Herter Series) Eisenhower made, in his own hand, extensive changes on this draft reply. (Ibid.) A clean version of the text, which incorporated Eisenhower’s revisions, was typed on September 1. (Department of State, Central Files, 974.7301/8–3156 and Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, International File) After that, Dulles and Hoover made a few additional changes, which were added by hand to both copies of the September 1 draft. The major revisions, which Eisenhower made to Dulles’ original draft, are indicated in footnotes below.
164. Telegram From the Embassy in France to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 974.7301/9–356. Top Secret; Priority. Received at 11:37 a.m. Repeated Priority to London, Cairo, Rome, Amman, Baghdad, Damascus, Jidda, Beirut, and Tel Aviv. A copy in the Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Dulles–Herter Series is initialed by Eisenhower.
165. Telegram From the Embassy in the United Kingdom to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 974.7301/9–356. Top Secret; Priority. Received at 5 p.m. Repeated to Paris, Amman, Jidda, Cairo, Baghdad, Beirut, Rome, Damascus, and Tel Aviv. A copy in the Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Dulles–Herter Series is initialed by Eisenhower.
167. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern, South Asian, and African Affairs (Rountree) to the Secretary of State
Source: Department of State, NEA Files: Lot 58 D 545, Egypt. Top Secret. The source text also indicates Raymond, Armstrong, Ludlow, and Wilkins as drafting officers. No indication has been found that the memorandum was forwarded to Dulles.
169. Report Prepared in the Executive Secretariat of the Department of State
Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, International File. Top Secret; Eyes Only for Designated Recipient. The source text is initialed “DE.”
On September 4, Hoover forwarded this report to Goodpaster under cover of a memorandum which reads: “I thought it would be helpful for you to have each day for use with the President a brief summary of the most important cables received and despatched on the Suez situation. I also plan to send such summaries on an ‘Eyes Only’ basis to the following: Treasury—Secretary Humphrey; Defense—Secretary Wilson; White House—Mr. William Jackson; JCS—Admiral Radford; ODM—Dr. Flemming; CIA—General Cabell. A copy of the first of these summaries is enclosed. Subsequent summaries should be shorter than this first summary which covers the cable traffic over the holiday weekend [Labor Day, September 1–3].” (Department of State, Central Files, 974.7301/9–456)
Between September 4 and November 1, 41 of these reports, all entitled “Summary of Developments in Suez Situation” were forwarded to the White House for Goodpaster’s use in briefing President Eisenhower. Copies of the report were also sent to the individuals mentioned above. The series was officially discontinued as of November 5 “in view of the changed Middle East situation.” (Memorandum from Howe to William Jackson, November 5; ibid., 974.7301/11–556) The reports were prepared by the Reports and Operations Staff of the Executive Secretariat of the Department of State. They are filed in the Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, International File under a covering sheet entitled “Special Suez Summary”.
170. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Egypt
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 974.7301/9–456. Top Secret; Niact. Drafted by Rountree; cleared in draft by Dulles, Hoover, Wilcox, and Raymond; approved by Rountree who signed for Dulles. Repeated Niact to London.
172. Memorandum of a Conversation Between the British Chargé (Coulson) and the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern, South Asian, and African Affairs (Rountree), Department of State, Washington, September 5, 1956
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 974.7301/9–556. Top Secret. Drafted by Stuart W. Rockwell, Deputy Director of the Office of Near Eastern Affairs, on September 6 and Rountree on September 8.
173. Report Prepared in the Executive Secretariat of the Department of State
Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, International File. Top Secret; Eyes Only for Designated Recipient. At the top of the source text Eisenhower wrote: “File/D”.
174. Annex to Watch Committee Report No. 318
Source: CIA Files. Top Secret; Noforn; Limited Distribution. The Watch Committee was composed of senior representatives from the Department of State, the Department of the Army, the Department of the Navy, the Department of the Air Force, the Joint Intelligence Group, the Central Intelligence Agency, the Atomic Energy Commission, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Watch Committee of the Intelligence Advisory Committee was chaired by the Deputy Director of the CIA and met regularly on Wednesday of each week as well as being on call for emergency sessions. Its mission was to provide the United States Government with the earliest possible warning of hostile action on the part of the Soviet Union and its allies. The Watch Committee analyzed and evaluated information and intelligence, furnished by agencies represented on the IAC, relating to the imminence of hostilities and developed conclusions concerning Soviet/Communist intentions to initiate hostilities and other developments susceptible to direct exploitation by Communist countries that would jeopardize the security of the United States. A more detailed description of the Watch Committee is in CA–7918, May 14, 1955; Department of State, Central Files, 101.2/5–1455.
This is the first of several annexes dealing with the Suez Canal situation attached to the regular Watch Committee Report.
175. Special National Intelligence Estimate
Source: Department of State, INR–NIE Files. Top Secret. According to a note on the cover sheet, “The following intelligence organizations participated in the preparation of this estimate: The Central Intelligence Agency and the intelligence organizations of the Departments of State, the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, and The Joint Staff.” This estimate was concurred in by the Intelligence Advisory Committee on September 5, 1956. “Concurring were the Special Assistant, Intelligence, Department of State; the Assistant Chief of Staff, Intelligence, Department of the Army; the Director of Naval Intelligence; the Director of Intelligence, USAF; and the Deputy Director for Intelligence, the Joint Staff. The Atomic Energy Commission Representative to the IAC, and the Assistant Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation, abstained, the subject being outside of their jurisdiction.”
176. Telegram From the Office of the Permanent Representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 974.7301/9–556. Secret; Limit Distribution. Received at 6:13 p.m. Repeated to London.
177. Memorandum of a Conversation Among the President, the Secretary of State, and the Under Secretary of State (Hoover), White House, Washington, September 6, 1956
Source: Eisenhower Library, Dulles Papers, Meetings with the President. Secret; Personal and Private. The source text indicates the meeting took place after the September 6 NSC meeting.
178. Report Prepared in the Executive Secretariat of the Department of State
Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, International File. Top Secret; Eyes Only for Designated Recipient. The source text bears Eisenhower’s initials.
179. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, September 6, 1956, 2:30 p.m.
Source: Eisenhower Library, Dulles Papers. Top Secret; Personal and Private. Drafted by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Congressional Relations O’Connor.
180. Telegram From the Embassy in Egypt to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 974.7301/9–656. Top Secret; Niact. Received at 11:57 p.m. Repeated to London.
181. Message From Prime Minister Eden to President Eisenhower
Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, International File. Secret. Delivered to the White House on September 6 under cover of a note from Coulson to President Eisenhower which reads: “I have been asked by the Prime Minister to convey to you the enclosed message about the Suez Canal.” Coulson also delivered a copy of the message to the Department of State on September 6.(Department of State, Presidential Correspondence: Lot 66 D Eden to Eisenhower Correspondence 1955–1956 Vol. I)
182. Memorandum of a Telephone Conversation Between the President and the Secretary of State, Washington, September 7, 1956, 8:40 a.m.
Source: Eisenhower Library, Dulles Papers, White House Telephone Conversations. Transcribed by Asbjornson. Another memorandum of this conversation, transcribed at the White House presumably by Whitman, is ibid., Whitman File, Eisenhower Diaries. The two memoranda differ in detail. The memorandum printed here appears to contain a more complete version of the conversation.
183. Memorandum of a Telephone Conversation Between the President and the Secretary of State, Washington, September 7, 1956, 9:40 a.m.
Source: Eisenhower Library, Dulles Papers, White House Telephone Conversations. Transcribed by Asbjornson. Another memorandum of this conversation, transcribed at the White House presumably by Whitman, is ibid., Whitman File, Eisenhower Diaries. The two memoranda differ in detail. The memorandum printed here appears to contain a more complete version of the conversation.
184. Messages From Foreign Secretary Lloyd to Secretary of State Dulles
Source: Department of State, Presidential Correspondence: Lot 66 D 204, UK official corres. with Secretary Dulles/Herter 7/54 thru 3/57 Vol I. Secret. The six messages printed here were delivered to the Department of State under cover of a note from British Chargé Coulson to Secretary Dulles which reads: “I have been asked to deliver to you the enclosed six messages from Mr. Selwyn Lloyd.” This note is dated September 6; but the memorandum of conversation with Coulson, infra, indicates that these messages were delivered on the morning of September 7.
185. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 974.7301/9–756. Secret. Drafted by Wilkins. The time of the meeting is from Dulles’ Appointment Book. (Princeton University Library, Dulles Papers)
186. Report Prepared in the Executive Secretariat of the Department of State
Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, International File. Top Secret; Eyes Only for Designated Recipient.
187. Memorandum of a Telephone Conversation Between the President and the Secretary of State
Source: Eisenhower Library, Dulles Papers, White House Telephone Conversations. Transcribed by Asbjornson. Another memorandum of this conversation, transcribed at the White House presumably by Whitman, is ibid., Whitman File, Eisenhower Diaries. The two memoranda differ in detail. The memorandum printed here appears to contain a more complete version of the conversation.