Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, Southeast Asia, Volume XXII

United States Relations With Indonesia; United States Concern With Political Developments in Indonesia; United States Interest in the Question of Western New Guinea (West Irian)¹

^1.For previous documentation on this subject, see Foreign Relations, 1952–1954, vol. XII, Part 2, pp. 245 ff.

319. Telegram From the Embassy in the Netherlands to the Department of State

The Hague, December 10, 1957—7 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 656.56D13/12–1057. Secret. Repeated to Djakarta and Canberra.

320. Telegram From the Embassy in Indonesia to the Department of State

Djakarta, December 11, 1957—8 a.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 756D.00/12–1157. Secret.

322. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, December 12, 1957

Washington, December 12, 1957

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 756D.00/12–1257. Secret. Drafted by Jones.

323. Telegram From the Commander in Chief, Pacific (Stump), to the Chief of Naval Operations (Burke)

Honolulu, December 12, 1957—6:33 p.m.

Source: Department of Defense Files. Top Secret; Routine; Limited Distribution.

324. Telegram From the Embassy in Indonesia to the Department of State

Djakarta, December 14, 1957—3 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 256D.1122/12–1457. Confidential; Priority. Repeated to The Hague, Canberra, and Manila.

325. Telegram From the Embassy in Indonesia to the Department of State

Djakarta, December 16, 1957—6 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 656.56D/12–1657. Confidential. Repeated to The Hague, Canberra, and Manila.

327. Memorandum From the Director of Intelligence and Research (Cumming) to the Acting Secretary of State

Washington, December 19, 1957.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 756C.00/12–2357. Secret.

328. Telegram From the Embassy in Indonesia to the Department of State

Djakarta, December 20, 1957—3 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 756D.00/12–2057. Secret; Priority; Limit Distribution.

329. Message From the Ambassador in Indonesia (Allison) to the Under Secretary of State (Herter)

Djakarta, December 20, 1957.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 756D.00/12–2057. Secret. Summarized in Ambassador From the Prairie, pp. 336–337.

330. Telegram From the Army Attaché in Indonesia (Collier) to the Department of the Army

Djakarta, December 21, 1957—11:22 a.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 756D.56/12–2157. Secret; Priority; Noforn. Sent through Department of State communications facilities.

331. Telegram From the Embassy in Indonesia to the Department of State

Djakarta, December 21, 1957—noon.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 756D.00/12–2157. Secret. Repeated to The Hague, Canberra, Singapore, and Bangkok.

333. Telegram From the Army Attaché in Indonesia (Collier) to the Department of the Army

Djakarta, December 23, 1957—2:51 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 756D.00/12–2357. Secret; Priority; Noforn. Sent through Department of State communications facilities.

334. Telegram From the Embassy in Indonesia to the Department of State

Djakarta, December 23, 1957—6 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 656.56D13/12–2357. Secret. Repeated to The Hague, Manila, Canberra, Bangkok, and Singapore.

335. Letter From the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs (Irwin) to the Secretary of State

Washington, December 26, 1957.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 756D.5–MSP/12–2657. Top Secret.

336. Telegram From the Commander in Chief, Pacific (Stump), to the Chief of Naval Operations (Burke)

Honolulu, December 26, 1957—3:49 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 756D.00/12–3057. Top Secret. Sent to Under Secretary Herter with a covering memorandum of December 30 from Deputy Secretary of Defense Quarles. A handwritten note on Quarles’ memorandum by Max V. Krebs, Special Assistant to the Under Secretary, notes that Admiral Stump’s proposal was discussed at a meeting in the Secretary’s office on January 3, 1958, at which Sprague was present.

337. Memorandum From the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Jones) to the Secretary of State

Washington, December 27, 1957.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 856.56D/12–2757. Secret. Two attachments are listed on the memorandum, but neither was filed with the source text. Tab A is Irwin’s letter to Secretary Dulles, Document 335. Tab B is a memorandum by Herter of a telephone conversation on December 20 with Assistant Secretary of Defense Sprague, during which Sprague expressed interest in undertaking preliminary planning for possible military assistance to Indonesia. He stated that “in view of the shifting situation in Indonesia and the possibility that Soekarno might pull out, Defense would like to be in a position to move rapidly should a subsequent decision in the light of changed circumstances be made to give military assistance”. Herter agreed that such preliminary planning would be desirable. (Department of State, Central Files, 756D.5–MSP/12–2057)