Office of the Historian

II. The Decision to Introduce U.S. Forces Into Lebanon, June 10–July 17, 1958: Establishment of the U.N. Observation Group; Chamoun’s Rejection of Nasser’s Formula for Settlement; Lebanon’s Request for Military Intervention; The U.S.–U.K. Decision to Intervene; Introduction of U.S. Forces

67. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Lebanon

Washington, June 11, 1958—12:26 a.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 783A.00/6–1158. Top Secret; Niact; Limit Distribution. Drafted on June 10 by Rountree and cleared by Dulles. Repeated to Cairo. Dulles sent a copy of this telegram to President Eisenhower on June 11 with a covering note that indicated that he had worked out the text of the message with Macmillan. Dulles added that he felt the message reflected Eisenhower’s observations on a preliminary draft, “which was too long and somewhat ambiguous.” (Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, International Series) The initial draft cited by Dulles has not been found.

68. Memorandum of a Telephone Conversation Between the Secretary of State and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Twining), Washington, June 11, 1958, 8:59 a.m.

Washington, June 11, 1958, 8:59 a.m.

Source: Eisenhower Library, Dulles Papers, General Telephone Conversations. Transcribed in Dulles’ office by Phyllis D. Bernau.

69. Telegram From the Embassy in Lebanon to the Department of State

Beirut, June 11, 1958—8 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 783A.00/6–1158. Top Secret; Niact. Repeated to Cairo.

70. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Egypt

Washington, June 12, 1958—4:56 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 783A.00/6–758. Top Secret; Niact; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Dulles and cleared by Rockwell. Repeated to Beirut, London, Paris, and USUN.

71. Telegram From the Embassy in Lebanon to the Department of State

Beirut, June 13, 1958—6 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 783A.00/6–1358. Top Secret; Priority; Limit Distribution. Repeated to London and Cairo.

73. Memorandum of a Telephone Conversation Between the President in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and the Secretary of State in Washington, June 14, 1958, 3:41 p.m.

Washington, June 14, 1958, 3:41 p.m.

Source: Eisenhower Library, Dulles Papers, White House Telephone Conversations. Transcribed in Dulles’ office by Jane Morris. The call was in response to a call from the President a half hour earlier in which he indicated that he had just received a message from the White House concerning Lebanon and asked whether Dulles thought it was necessary for him to return to Washington. Dulles replied that he did not think it was necessary unless the Chamoun government made a formal request for support from U.S. troops. (Memorandum of a telephone conversation, June 14, 3:24 p.m.; ibid.; included in the microfiche supplement)

74. Memorandum of a Telephone Conversation Between the Secretary of State and the Deputy Secretary of Defense (Quarles), Washington, June 14, 1958, 4:50 p.m.

Washington, June 14, 1958, 4:50 p.m.

Source: Eisenhower Library, Dulles Papers, General Telephone Conversations. Transcribed in Dulles’ office by Jane Morris.

75. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Lebanon

Washington, June 14, 1958—6:53 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 783A.00/6–1458. Top Secret; Niact. Drafted by Dulles.

76. Telegram From the Embassy in Lebanon to the Department of State

Beirut, June 14, 1958—9 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 783A.00/6–1458. Top Secret; Niact. Repeated to London, Rome, Cairo, Damascus, Paris, Baghdad, Amman, Tel Aviv, and USUN. Received at 7:04 p.m. A note on the source text indicates that Rountree was informed at 9:50 p.m.

77. Special National Intelligence Estimate

Washington, June 14, 1958.

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.” All members of the Intelligence Advisory Committee concurred in the estimate on June 14, except for the Atomic Energy Commission representative and the Assistant Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, who abstained because the subject was outside of their jurisdiction.

78. Memorandum of a Conversation Between the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern, South Asian, and African Affairs (Rountree) and Foreign Minister Malik, Washington, June 15, 1958, 8 a.m.

Washington, June 15, 1958, 8 a.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 783A.00/6–1558. Secret; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Rountree on June 16.

79. Memorandum of a Telephone Conversation Between the Secretary of State and the Representative at the United Nations (Lodge), Washington, June 15, 1958, 9:35 a.m.

Washington, June 15, 1958, 9:35 a.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 783A.00/6–1558. Top Secret. Drafted by Dulles.

80. Telegram From the Embassy in Lebanon to the Department of State

Beirut, June 15, 1958—2 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 783A.00/6–1558. Top Secret; Niact. Received at 10:10 a.m.

81. Memorandum of a Telephone Conversation Between the President and the Secretary of State, Washington, June 15, 1958, 11:56 a.m.

Washington, June 15, 1958, 11:56 a.m.

Source: Eisenhower Library, Dulles Papers, White House Telephone Conversations. Transcribed in Dulles’ office by Carolyn J. Proctor, with a notation that the conversation was “one-sided,” indicating that she heard only the Secretary’s side of the conversation.

82. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Lebanon

Washington, June 15, 1958—12:54 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 783A.00/6–1558. Top Secret; Niact; limit Distribution. Drafted by Rountree and Dulles and approved by Dulles.

83. Memorandum of a Conversation, Washington, June 15, 1958, 4:30 p.m.

Washington, June 15, 1958, 4:30 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 783A.00/6–1558. Secret; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Rountree. The source text indicates that the meeting took place in the Secretary’s home.

84. Memorandum of a Conversation, White House, Washington, June 15, 1958, 5:10–6:45 p.m.

Washington, June 15, 1958, 5:10–6:45 p.m.

Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Eisenhower Diaries. Top Secret. Drafted on June 17 by Hanes. Another memorandum of this conversation was prepared by Minnich. (Ibid.; included in the microfiche supplement)

85. Telegram From the Embassy in Lebanon to the Department of State

Beirut, June 15, 1958—8 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 783A.00/6–1558. Top Secret; Niact. Repeated to London. Received at 6:24 p.m.

86. Telegram From the Embassy in Lebanon to the Department of State

Beirut, June 16, 1958—2 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 783A.00/6–1658. Top Secret; Niact; Limited Distribution. Received at 10:19 a.m.

87. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Lebanon

Washington, June 16, 1958—9:02 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 783A.00/6–1658. Top Secret; Niact; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Rockwell and cleared by Wilcox in draft and by Dulles. Repeated to London and USUN.

88. Telegram From the Embassy in Lebanon to the Department of State

Beirut, June 17, 1958—1 a.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 783A.00/6–1758. Top Secret; Niact; Limited Distribution. Repeated to London. Received at 8:01 p.m., June 16.

89. Telegram From the Chief of Naval Operations (Burke) to the Commander in Chief, United States Naval Forces, Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean (Holloway)

Washington, June 17, 1958—12:45 a.m.

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OASD/ISA Files: FRC 62 A 1698, 092 Lebanon TS Sensitive. Top Secret; Emergency. Drafted by Burke. Also sent to COMSIXFLT, COMDESRON 36. Repeated to Alusna Beirut, U.S.S. Rich, and U.S.S. New.

90. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Lebanon

Washington, June 17, 1958—1:28 a.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 783A.00/6–1758. Top Secret; Niact; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Rountree and cleared by Dulles in draft. The substance of paragraph 4 was cleared with Admiral Burke. Repeated to London and USUN for Lodge.

91. Telegram From the Embassy in Lebanon to the Department of State

Beirut, June 17, 1958—2 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 783A.00/6–1758. Top Secret; Niact; Limit Distribution. Repeated to London and USUN.

92. Memorandum for the Record by the Secretary of State’s Special Assistant (Greene)

Washington, June 17, 1958.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 783A.00/6–1758. Secret. This memorandum records a meeting that took place in the Secretary’s office. Participants included Dulles, Herter, Rountree, Rockwell, Wilcox, Sisco, Macomber, and Greene from the Department of State; Allen Dulles and Norman Paul from CIA; and Quarles and Generals Twining and Picher from the Department of Defense.

93. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern, South Asian, and African Affairs (Rountree) to the Secretary of State

Washington, June 17, 1958.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 783A.00/6–1758. Top Secret; Limit Distribution; Eyes Only. Drafted on June 16 by Special Assistant Harrison M. Symmes. Sent to Dulles through Herter.

94. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, June 18, 1958

Washington, June 18, 1958

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 783A.00/6–1858. Top Secret; Limited Distribution. Drafted by Rockwell.