Office of the Historian

U.S. Military Assistance to Cambodia; South Vietnamese-Cambodian Relations; Lao-Cambodian Relations; Cambodia’s Recognition of the People’s Republic of China and Sihanouk’s Visit to Beijing; Sihanouk’s Visit to the United States1

1. For previous documentation, see Foreign Relations, 1955–1957, vol. xxi, pp. 403 ff. A combined microfiche supplement to this volume and to volume xv will be published covering the East Asia-Pacific region, Cambodia, Laos, Burma, and Malaya.

69. Despatch From the Embassy in Cambodia to the Department of State

Phnom Penh, March 18, 1958.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751H.00/3–1858. Secret. Copies were sent to Bangkok, Saigon, and Vientiane. Sent to Robertson under cover of a memorandum by Floyd L. Whittington, March 31, in which Whittington stated that SEA agreed with the views of the Embassy. Parsons wrote the following note on the memorandum: “I fully agree, Cambodia is currently neutral in favor of the US (not neutralist) and events since the despatch was written make it even more certain that an effort to align Cambodia with us would hurt, not help us. I think we might write and tell Strom we agree with him. J.G.P.” Robertson added the following note: “I agree too, WSR.”

70. Memorandum From the Deputy Director of the Office of Southeast Asian Affairs (Whittington) to the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Robertson)

Washington, April 4, 1958.

Source: Department of State, FE/SEA Files: Lot 63 D 73, 16.2 CPR Communist China, 1958–1960. Confidential. The memorandum and summary were drafted by C. Hoyt Price and cleared by J. Graham Parsons and Gardner Palmer.

72. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Cambodia

Washington, July 1, 1958—1 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 651G.51H/6–2758. Secret; Priority. Drafted by Price, cleared by SEA, and approved by Robertson. Also sent priority to Saigon and repeated to CINCPAC for POLAD.

73. Telegram From the Embassy in Cambodia to the Department of State

Phnom Penh, July 7, 1958—5 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 651G.51H/7–758. Secret; Niact. Repeated to Saigon, London, Paris, CINCPAC for POLAD, Bangkok, and Vientiane.

74. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State

Saigon, July 9, 1958—7 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 651G.51H/7–958. Secret; Priority. Also sent to Phnom Penh and repeated to London, CINCPAC, Paris, Bangkok, and Vientiane.

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

Washington, July 10, 1958—9:47 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 651G.51H/7–1058. Secret; Niact; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Parsons.

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

Washington, July 21, 1958—8:22 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 793.02/7–2158. Secret; Niact. Drafted by Parsons, cleared by SEA, and approved by Robertson. Repeated niact to Saigon, priority to CINCPAC for POLAD, and to Bangkok, Vientiane, Hong Kong, and Taipei.

77. Telegram From the Embassy in Cambodia to the Department of State

Phnom Penh, July 25, 1958—4 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 793.02/7–2458. Confidential; Priority. Repeated priority to Saigon and CINCPAC, to Taipei, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Vientiane, Tokyo, London, and Paris.

78. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, August 5, 1958

Washington, August 5, 1958

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 793.02/8–558. Secret. Drafted by Mendenhall on August 8 and cleared by Kocher and Robertson.

79. Memorandum From the Deputy Director of the Office of Southeast Asian Affairs (Jenkins) to the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Robertson)

Washington, August 21, 1958.

Source: Department of State, FE/SEA (Cambodia) Files: Lot 63 D 73, Coup (1958) 14.5. Secret. Drafted by Price and cleared by Mendenhall and Parsons.

80. Memorandum From the Joint Chiefs of Staff to the Secretary of Defense (McElroy)

Washington, August 22, 1958.

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, JCS Records, CCS 092 Asia (6–25–48 (2)). Secret.

81. Memorandum From the Director of the Office of Southeast Asian Affairs (Kocher) to the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Robertson)

Washington, September 3, 1958.

Source: Department of State, FE/SEA (Cambodia) Files: Lot 63 D 73, Sihanouk Visit to U.S., 22.2, 1958. Confidential. Drafted by Mendenhall.

82. Letter From the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Robertson) to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs (Sprague)

Washington, September 26, 1958.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751H.5–MSP/9–2658. Secret. Drafted by Mendenhall and cleared by SEA, FE, and W/MSC.

83. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Robertson) to the Acting Secretary of State

Washington, September 26, 1958.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751H.5–MSP/9–2658. Confidential. Drafted by Robert G. Cleveland and cleared by SEA, W/MSC, and FE. In a covering memorandum for Executive Secretary Fisher Howe, Palmer asked for quick action on this memorandum in light of Sihanouk’s visit to Washington next week. Howe should inform Herter that Secretary Dulles had expressed the view that the United States might use the lower aid level figure to negotiate lower military aid with the Cambodians. The covering memorandum is included in the microfiche supplement.

84. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, September 30, 1958, 4:15 p.m.

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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751H.11/9–3058. Confidential. Drafted by Mendenhall and cleared by Kocher and Robertson. A briefing memorandum from Robertson to Dulles, September 29, is ibid., FE/SEA (Cambodia) Files: Lot 63 D 73, Sihanouk 1958 Visit to U.S. 22.2; included in the microfiche supplement) Earlier in the day, Sihanouk met with Eisenhower from 12:45 to 12:57 p.m. They exchanged gifts and pleasantries. (Eisenhower Library, President’s Daily Appointment Book, and telegram 263 to Phnom Penh, October 1; Department of State, Central Files, 033.51H11/10–158) Briefing material for the President on Sihanouk’s visit is included in the microfiche supplement.

85. Paper Prepared by the Assistant White House Staff Secretary (Eisenhower)

Washington, November 5, 1958.

Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Eisenhower Diaries. No classification marking.

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

Phnom Penh, November 8, 1958—8 a.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751H.11/11–858. Secret; Limit Distribution; [distribution indicator not declassified]. Repeated to Saigon and Bangkok.

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

Washington, November 19, 1958—7:50 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751H.00/11–1958. Confidential. Drafted by Mendenhall, cleared by Kocher and Jenkins, and approved by Robertson. Also sent to Saigon and repeated to CINCPAC for POLAD.

88. Letter From the Ambassador in Vietnam (Durbrow) to the Director of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research (Cumming)

Saigon, November 20, 1958.

Source: Department of State, Saigon Embassy Files: Lot 62 F 52, 320 Cambodia, 1956. Secret; Official–Informal; [distribution indicator not declassified].

89. Telegram From the Embassy in Cambodia to the Department of State

Washington, November 21, 1958—6 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751G.00/11–2158. Secret; Limited Distribution; Noforn Continued Control; [distribution indicator not declassified]. Repeated to Saigon, Bangkok, and CINCPAC for POLAD.

90. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, December 1, 1958

Washington, December 1, 1958

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 601.51H92/12–158. Confidential. Drafted by Corcoran and approved by Kocher and Parsons.

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

Saigon, December 12, 1958—10 a.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 651G.51H/12–1258. Secret; Limited Distribution; Noforn Continued Control; [distribution indicator not declassified]. Repeated to Bangkok and Phnom Penh.

92. Letter From the Director of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research (Cumming) to the Ambassador in Vietnam (Durbrow)

Washington, December 19, 1958.

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 84, Cambodia Embassy Files, FRC 66 A 878, 350 Cambodia 1956–58, Classified. Secret; Official/Informal.

93. Telegram From the Embassy in Cambodia to the Department of State

Phnom Penh, January 12, 1959—5 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751H.00/1–1259. Secret; Niact; [distribution indicator not declassified]. Also sent niact to CINCPAC and to Vientiane and repeated priority to Bangkok and Saigon.

94. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, January 26, 1959

Washington, January 26, 1959

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751H.11/1–2059. Confidential. Drafted by Laurin B. Askew and approved by Kocher and Robertson.

95. Telegram From the Embassy in Cambodia to the Department of State

Phnom Penh, February 16, 1959—4 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751H.00/2–1659. Secret; Priority; [distribution indicator not declassified].

96. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Cambodia

Washington, February 18, 1959—5:21 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751H.00/2–1659. Secret; [distribution indicator not declassified]. Drafted by Askew, cleared by Kocher and by Robertson and Parsons in draft, and approved by Cumming.

98. Telegram From the Embassy in Cambodia to the Department of State

Phnom Penh, February 21, 1959—2 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751H.00/2–2159. Secret; [distribution indicator not declassified].