259. Letter From the Deputy Secretary of Defense (Douglas) to Secretary of
State Herter0
Dear Chris: From reports available to us it
appears that, in his 21 October conversation with Secretary General
Hammarskjold,1 Ambassador Bohlen made a forcefully
clear presentation of the United States position on the present
situation in the Congo. Defense is in complete agreement with the
conclusions reached by Ambassador Bohlen as a result of this conference.
Additionally, we concur with the three courses of action which the U.S.
Delegation to the United Nations suggests be taken within the UN framework.
We are concerned, however, because the reasons offered by the Secretary
General for the present inactivity of the UN in a rapidly deteriorating situation in the Congo ignore
the pressing requirement for immediate restoration of law and order. The
prestige of the United Nations itself is deeply involved in successful
solution of the Congo problem. In view of this and the interest shown by
Secretary General Hammarskjold in definite ideas about “where to go
next”, Defense believes that the United States should take full
advantage of this opportunity to influence UN actions and regain the initiative.
Accordingly, I am enclosing a list of recommended courses of action which
Defense believes will assist us toward our common goal of:
- a.
- Establishment of law and order in the Congo and creation of
stable conditions for UN
operations; and
- b.
- Establishment of a legally recognized and responsible
Congolese Government.
Because of the initial momentum achieved by Ambassador Bohlen and the
instability within the Congo, I hope that these courses of action will
receive early review and, as appropriate, will be brought to the
attention of the Secretary General at an early date.
Sincerely yours,
[Page 572]
[Enclosure]
2
RECOMMENDED COURSES OF ACTION
A. Basic Objectives in the
Republic of the Congo
- 1.
- Establishment of law and order in the Congo and creation of
stable conditions for UN
operations.
- 2.
- Establishment of a legally recognized and responsible
Congolese Government.
B. Establish Law and
Order
- 1.
- Representations to the United Nations.
- a.
- Provide the UN
Representative in the Congo and the Commanding General,
UN Forces, with
directives clearly defining their mission and
responsibilities so as to stimulate them to take
positive action to restore law and order and to maintain
public safety.
- b.
- Neutralize Lumumba by denying him UN protection not in fact
accorded members of the Ileo government, removing him
from the Prime Minister’s residence and ultimately
removing him from Leopoldville.
- c.
- Transfer Dayal,
UN Special
Representative, and General Von Horn, Commanding General
of UN Forces in the
Congo, to UN Headquarters
to be advisers to the Secretary-General.
- d.
- Replace Dayal
and General Von Horn in the Congo with more dynamic and
effective leaders.
- e.
- Achieve more effective UN assistance and advice looking to control
of the Congolese national army excluding military
advisers from Ghana, Guinea, UAR, and Morocco. This would require a
reassignment of General Kettani.
- f.
- Cause UN forces to
exercise more effective control of all major ports and
airports of entry in order to minimize and restrict
introduction of arms, ammunition and unauthorized
personnel into the Congo.
- g.
- Assure that members of Parliament, College of
Commissioners and other government officials are
provided full protection by UN troops.
- h.
- Assure and assert centralized, positive command and
control of all UN troops
to include their redeployment as necessary.
- i.
- Through UN Special
Representative:
- (1)
- Assume control of traffic in and around
Leopoldville.
- (2)
- Establish curfew in Leopoldville and other
major cities.
- (3)
- Establish control of radio, press, public
health and medical facilities, public utilities,
and civilian public transportation.
- (4)
- Establish widely separated points for
emergency distribution of food to avoid the
assembly of large numbers of people.
- 2.
- Unilateral U.S. Action.
- a.
- Take all feasible means to discredit or eliminate
Lumumba as an
effective political force to include support of
anti-Lumumba
factions financially and by propaganda
activities.
- b.
- Undertake vigorous diplomatic campaign to induce other
nations, especially African and Asian, to provide
positive, active support of the UN efforts.
- c.
- Take necessary steps, overtly and covertly, to
identify unauthorized foreign agents, particularly
Communist Bloc personnel currently in the Congo and
initiate propaganda looking to their expulsion from the
country.
- d.
- Keep informed of activities of other nations in the
Congo and seek to ensure that their actions are in best
interests of the Congo.
- e.
- Be prepared to implement plans for direct intervention
in the event of failure of UN efforts to restore order or to prevent
resumption of power by Lumumba.
C. Establish Competent
Government
- 1.
- Representations to the United Nations.
- a.
- Foster the formation of a new caretaker government
with Kasavubu as
Chief of State, Bomboko as Prime Minister, and Mobutu as Chief of
Staff or Defense Minister.
- b.
- Enhance prestige of the Kasavubu Government by seating of its
delegation in the General Assembly.
- c.
- Develop a basic plan of action for the new government
which can be discussed with the political leaders and
members of Parliament by UN representatives.
- d.
- Provide technical, political, economic and military
advisers who are fully informed of basic UN policy and able to work
effectively with counterparts in Congolese
Government.
- e.
- Provide counsel and support for members of government
including legislative elements in an effort to establish
a capable, stable government.
- f.
- Establish and support a judiciary.
- g.
- Reorganize, train and administer the National
Congolese Army and Gendarmérie under the supervision of
the UN.
- h.
- Induce Congolese provincial leaders to support de
facto government pending determination of future
structure of government.
- 2.
- Unilateral U.S. Action.
- a.
- Continue efforts to guide and stimulate Kasavubu, Bomboko and Mobutu to develop
positive plans and programs.
- b.
- Enhance position of Kasavubu through positive public
relations program and by direct grant of “prestige”
accouterments such as automobile and airplane.
- c.
- Send in modest numbers of U.S. personnel, [less than 1 line of source text not
declassified] to provide counsel and assistance
at all levels.
- d.
- Provide grant aid assistance in economic and social
fields as required.
