85. Paper Prepared by the Assistant White House Staff Secretary (Eisenhower)1

SYNOPSIS OF STATE AND INTELLIGENCE MATERIAL REPORTED TO THE PRESIDENT

[Here follows material unrelated to Cambodia.]

South Vietnam-Cambodia

South Vietnam feels its security is jeopardized by expanding Communist influence in neighboring Cambodia under the guidance of Crown Prince Sihanouk. Saigon hopes to engineer Sihanouk’s abdication or otherwise arrange his removal from power and is prepared to [Page 257] work with anti-Communist elements within Cambodia to this end.2 Sihanouk recently made a trip to the U.S. He was former King and stepped down to be Premier.

John S.D. Eisenhower
  1. Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Eisenhower Diaries. No classification marking.
  2. An exchange of letters between Strom and Robertson, October 20 and 30, respectively, on the need to discourage the Diem government from attempting to overthrow Sihanouk is in Department of State, FE Files: Lot 60 D 90, Strom, and Saigon Embassy Files: Lot 65 F 98, 320 Vietnam–Cambodia 1958, Classified Aug–Dec; both included in the microfiche supplement.