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.
99. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Cambodia
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751H.00/2–2159. Secret; [distribution indicator not declassified]. Drafted by Askew, cleared by Kocher and Parsons, and approved by Cumming.
100. Letter From Prime Minister Sihanouk to President Eisenhower
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751H.00/2–2359. Confidential; Niact. Transmitted to the Department of State in telegram 1088, which noted that Son Sann requested transmission of the letter by cable and that a “reply be given with least possible delay.” Telegram 1088, which is the source text, was repeated priority to Saigon and Bangkok, niact to CINCPAC, and to Vientiane.
101. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Vietnam
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751H.00/2–2359. Secret; Niact; [distribution indicator not declassified]. Drafted by Kocher and Askew, cleared by Parsons and Robertson, and approved by Cumming. Also sent niact to Phnom Penh and repeated priority to Bangkok.
102. Memorandum From the Acting Secretary of State to the President
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751H.00/2–2559. No classification marking; Presidential Handling. Drafted by Askew.
103. Telegram From the Embassy in Cambodia to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751H.00/2–2559. Secret; Priority; Presidential Handling.
104. Telegram From the Embassy in Cambodia to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751H.00/2–2859. Secret; Limited Distribution. Repeated to Saigon and Bangkok.
105. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, March 3, 1959
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751H.00/3–359. Secret. Drafted by Askew, cleared by Kocher, and approved by Herter on March 12.
106. Telegram From the Embassy in Cambodia to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 651G.51H/3–359. Secret; Niact; Limited Distribution.
107. Memorandum From the Director of the Office of Southeast Asian Affairs (Kocher) to the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Robertson)
Source: Department of State, FE/SEA (Cambodia) Files: Lot 63 D 73, 16.6 U.S. Cambodian Relations. Secret. Drafted by Askew and sent through Parsons.
108. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Robertson) to the Acting Secretary of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751H.00/3–2759. Secret. Drafted by Askew and cleared by Kocher and Parsons.
109. Telegram From the Embassy in the Philippines to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751H.00/4–1559. Secret. Also sent to Saigon, Bangkok, and Phnom Penh. Parsons was attending the Far East Chiefs of Mission Conference in Baguio, April 16–17. He took a subsequent tour of the Far East which included a stay in Cambodia on April 28.
110. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Cambodia
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751H.00/4–2459. Confidential; Presidential Handling. Drafted by Askew, cleared with SEA and in draft at the White House by John Eisenhower, and approved by Robertson. Repeated to Bangkok, Saigon, and Vientiane for Parsons.
111. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751H.00/4–2759. Secret; Niact; Limit Distribution. Repeated niact to Phnom Penh and Bangkok.
112. Telegram From the Embassy in Korea to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 651G.51H3/5–559. Secret; Limit Distribution. Repeated to Saigon, Phnom Penh, Paris, Bangkok, and Vientiane.
113. Letter From President Eisenhower to Prime Minister Sihanouk
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751H.00/5–859. Confidential; Presidential Handling. Transmitted in telegram 969 to Phnom Penh, May 8, which indicated that the letter was delivered to Nong Kimny for forwarding to Prince Sihanouk in Paris. Telegram 969, which is the source text, was drafted by Askew and cleared by John Eisenhower in the White House, Kocher, Jenkins, and Herter.
The text of this letter, drafted by Askew, was approved by President Eisenhower on May 7. (Memorandum from Herter to Eisenhower, May 6; ibid., 751H.00/5–559) Telegram 969 also notes that a paraphrase of the letter was sent to Bangkok and Saigon.
114. Memorandum From the Director of the Office of Southeast Asian Affairs (Kocher) to the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Robertson)
Source: Department of State, FE Files: Lot 61 D 6, Vietnam. Secret; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Askew and Mendenhall, cleared by Jenkins, and sent through Parsons.
115. Memorandum of a Conversation Between Secretary of State Herter and Secretary-General Hammarskjöld, Palais des Nations, Geneva, May 10, 1959, 11:15 a.m.
Source: Department of State, Secretary’s Memoranda of Conversation: Lot 64 D 199. Secret. Drafted by Reinhardt on May 14 and approved by Herter. The source text indicates the meeting took place in Secretary Herter’s office. He was in Geneva for the Foreign Ministers Conference which began on May 11. Robertson prepared for Herter an extensive briefing memorandum, May 7, entitled “Alleged U.S. Involvement in Cambodian Coup Plots,” for use in the meeting with Hammarskjöld. (Ibid., Central Files, 751H.00/5–759; included in the microfiche supplement)
116. Telegram From the Embassy in Cambodia to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 651G.51H/5–2059. Secret; Limited Distribution. Repeated to Saigon, Bangkok, and CINCPAC for POLAD. Another copy of this telegram with handwritten marginal notes, apparently by Askew, is included in the microfiche supplement.
117. National Intelligence Estimate
Source: Department of State, INR–NIE Files. Secret. According to a note on the covering page, this estimate, prepared by the CIA, INR, and the intelligence organizations of the Departments of the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, and The Joint Staff, was submitted by the CIA to the U.S. Intelligence Board on May 26. All members of the USIB concurred with it with the exception of the representative of the AEC, the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Special Operations, the Director of the National Security Agency, and the representative of the FBI, all of whom abstained on the grounds that the subject was outside their jurisdiction.
118. Airgram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Cambodia
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 651G.51H/5–2359. Secret; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Askew and cleared by Mendenhall, Swezy, Kocher, Parsons, and Looram. Also sent to Saigon as G–113 and repeated to Bangkok, Paris, and CINCPAC for POLAD.
120. Telegram From the Embassy in Cambodia to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751H.11/9–1959. Secret; Priority; Limit Distribution. Repeated priority to Saigon and to CINCPAC, Bangkok, and Paris.
121. Memorandum of a Converation, Waldorf Astoria Hotel, New York, September 21, 1959, 10:30 a.m.
Source: Department of State, Secretary’s Memoranda of Conversation: Lot 64 D 199. Secret. Drafted by Parsons on September 21 and approved by Herter on September 24. The source text indicates the meeting took place in Suite 28–A. Both Herter and Son Sann were the heads of their countries’ delegations to the U.N. General Assembly.
122. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 651G.51H/9–2259. Secret; Limit Distribution. Also sent to Phnom Penh and CINCPAC for POLAD and repeated to Bangkok and Paris.
124. Memorandum From the Acting Director of the International Cooperation Administration (Saccio) to the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Parsons)
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751H.5–MSP/9–2859. Confidential.
125. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 84, Saigon Embassy Files: FRC 66 A 878, International Political Affairs, Vietnam (GVN/Cambodia, July to Dec. 1959). Secret; Limited Distribution. Drafted by Durbrow. Repeated to Phnom Penh, Bangkok, and CINCPAC for POLAD. No time of transmission appears on the source text.
126. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 851G.00A/10–1859. Secret; Limit Distribution. Repeated to Phnom Penh, Bangkok, CINCPAC for POLAD, and Vientiane.
127. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 120.1451G/12–1359. Secret; Limit Distribution. Repeated to Bangkok and Phnom Penh.
128. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Vietnam
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 120.1451G/12–1559. Secret; Limit Distribution. Also sent to Bangkok and Phnom Penh. Drafted by Askew; cleared by SEA, FE, and UNP; and approved by Parsons.