Office of the Historian

241. Message From the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Robertson) to the Ambassador in Indonesia (Allison)1

Washington, August 2, 1957.

1. … Dept … at high level have been devoting considerable attention over a period of months to what appears to us to be a steadily deteriorating situation in Indonesia (for example … despatch 17, 10 July2) and the prospect that through inadequate action on our part Communists may soon be in a position to play a determinant role in the organized political life of that country. It seems clear that the net effect of the course of action Sukarno is (deliberately or unwittingly) taking is to greatly bolster PKI. We also feel that Djuanda does not have the political strength and backing to [Page 403] stem the tide of what appears from here to be a snowballing Communist trend, or to prevent the ascendancy of the National Council over the Cabinet. Communist infiltration of Indonesian Govt and society bears some unpleasant similarities to situation which pertained in Guatemala under Arbenz.3 …

. . . . . . .

  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 756D.00/8–257. Top Secret.↩
  2. Despatch 17 reported a number of indications that Communist influence in Indonesia had “increased markedly” in recent months. (Ibid., 756D.00/7–1057)↩
  3. Jacobo Arbenz Guzman, President of Guatemala, March 1951–June 1954.↩