III. the Political Crisis and the December 1959 Coup, July–December 1959


233. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the United Kingdom

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/7–3159. Secret. Drafted by Marshall Green and Corcoran; cleared by SEA, SOA, and BNA; and approved by Parsons. Repeated to Vientiane, Paris, New Delhi, CINCPAC for POLAD, and Geneva for the Secretary.


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

Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Eisenhower Diaries. Top Secret.


235. Telegram From the Secretary of State to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/8–459. Secret. Repeated to London, Paris, Vientiane, New Delhi, Ottawa, and USUN.


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

Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Eisenhower Diaries. Top Secret.


238. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Laos

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/8–859. Secret. Drafted by Usher; cleared by SEA, FE, IO, BNA, SOA, and UNP; and approved by Parsons. Also sent to London, Paris, New Delhi, USUN, CINCPAC, Bangkok, Saigon, and Phnom Penh.


239. Telegram from the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/8–959. Secret; Niact. Repeated priority to Paris, London, New Delhi, Saigon, Bangkok, Phnom Penh, and CINCPAC for POLAD.


240. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Laos

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/8–959. Secret; Niact. Drafted by Usher; cleared with SEA, FE, and UNP; and approved by Parsons. Repeated priority to London, Moscow, New Delhi, Bangkok, Paris, Ottawa, Saigon, Phnom Penh, and CINCPAC for POLAD.


241. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Laos

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/8–1459. Secret; Niact. Drafted by Usher and Michael H. Newlin of UNP, cleared with SEA, and approved by Green. Repeated priority to London and to Paris, New Delhi, Ottawa, Bangkok, Saigon, Phnom Penh, USUN, and CINCPAC for POLAD.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/8–1759. Secret. Drafted by Chapman and cleared with FE and SEA. Murphy was Acting Secretary.


244. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Laos

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.5–MSP/8–1959. Secret; Niact; Limited Distribution. Drafted by Chapman, cleared by SEA and FE, and approved by Green.


245. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Laos

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.5/8–2159. Secret; Niact; Limited Distribution; No Distribution Outside Department. Drafted by Green, cleared with SEA and FE, and approved by Murphy.


246. Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.5–MSP/8–2259. Secret; Niact; Limited Distribution.


247. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, August 24, 1959, 5:15 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/8–2459. Secret. Drafted by Chapman. At the Secretary of State’s Staff Meeting earlier in the day, Assistant Secretary Wilcox raised the issue of the Lao request for a U.N. mediator. Parsons and Murphy expressed surprise at the request since it gave the Pathet Lao equal status in the dispute. There was a long discussion on the Laos situation resulting in a a decision to hold this meeting. (Notes by Calhoun, August 24; ibid., Secretary’s Staff Meetings: Lot 63 D 75)


248. Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751G.00/8–2459. Secret; Niact; Limit Distribution.


249. Memorandum of a Meeting, Chequers, United Kingdom, August 29, 1959, 3:30 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Secretary’s Memoranda of Conversation: Lot 64 D 199. Secret; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Berding. President Eisenhower and Secretary Herter visited Bonn, London, and Paris, August 26–September 4, for talks with European leaders. They were in the United Kingdom August 27–September 2.


250. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Laos

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/8–2759. Secret; Niact. Drafted by Michael H. Newlin of UNP, cleared with SEA, and approved by Parsons. Repeated to USUN, London, Paris, New Delhi, Ottawa, and CINCPAC for POLAD.


251. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Parsons) to the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Murphy)

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/9–159. Secret. Drafted by Green.


252. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Laos

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/9–359. Secret; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Green, cleared by Parsons, and approved by Murphy.


253. Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/9–359. Secret; Niact. Also sent to CINCPAC and Seoul and repeated to Bangkok, Canberra, Colombo, Hong Kong, Karachi, Kuala Lumpur, London, Manila, New Delhi, Ottawa, Phnom Penh, Paris, Rangoon, Saigon, Singapore, Taipei, Tokyo, and Wellington. Received at 9:44 p.m.


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

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD/ISA Files: FRC 63 A 1672, 381 Laos. Secret. A note on the source text reads: “noted by Mr. Knight.”


256. Memorandum From the Secretary’s of State’s Special Assistant (Scranton) to the Acting Secretary of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/9–459. Secret.


257. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, September 4, 1959, 4:30 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/9–459. Top Secret; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Jenkins and Askew.


258. Telegram From the Acting Secretary of State to the President, at Prestwick, Scotland

Source: Eisenhower Library, White House Office Files, Staff Secretary’s Records, Laos. Top Secret. There is no number on the source text, but a note on the Department of State copy indicates that this message was cited as DTG 050501Z. This copy also indicates that the telegram was drafted by Jenkins and Askew, cleared with FE and IO, and approved by Dillon. (Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/9–559)


259. Memorandum From the Director of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research (Cumming) to the Acting Secretary of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/9–559. Secret. This memorandum was originally to go to Parsons, but Cumming changed the addressee by hand. A handwritten note on the source text indicates that Dillon saw this memorandum on September 5.


260. Telegram From the Acting Secretary of State to the President, at Prestwick, Scotland

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/9–659. Top Secret; Niact. Drafted by Askew; cleared with FE, IO, and SEA; and approved by Dillon. Passed to the Department of Defense exclusive for McElroy, Irwin, Knight, and Burke.