36. Editorial Note
On March 13 at the 358th meeting of the National Security Council, Allen Dulles discussed Indonesian developments during his intelligence briefing. The following exchange took place:
“Turning to Indonesia, Mr. Dulles stated that the Sukarno government had moved with unexpected rapidity in its military operations against the rebels. He thereafter described current military operations. He pointed out that the dissidents had not planned their defense around the Pakanbaru area because of the threat to the civilian operatives in the oil installations, and furthermore, that neither side wished to be deprived of the revenues which flowed from the oil installations.
“Meanwhile, said Mr. Dulles, there had been apparently no progress toward a settlement of the civil strife in Indonesia. Not only was there no agreement between Sukarno and Hatta; he had a recent report that Hatta had been put under house surveillance.
“There was no doubt that the military action of the Djakarta Government had been positive and vigorous. The position of the dissidents, while precarious, was not yet hopeless. The Djakarta Government’s control of the air above Sumatra might prove to be crucial. Moreover, the Air Force of the Djakarta Government was the branch of the armed forces most heavily infiltrated by the Communists.
“The Djakarta Government, said Mr. Dulles, had recently issued a statement from the Indonesian Army which indicated awareness of weapons and ammunition drops, although the foreign country which was the source of these weapons had not been specified.
“Mr. Dulles repeated that the situation for the dissidents was critical. If Sukarno succeeded in knocking them out quickly, it would be a feather in Sukarno’s cap and in that of the Communists. While Sukarno himself was almost certainly not a Communist, he was becoming more and more a prisoner of the Communist Party.
“The President inquired whether the United States would have a lawful right to intervene with force in Sumatra if the Djakarta forces seized the oil installations. Secretary Herter replied that if these installations were seized by the Djakarta Government with a promise of compensation, there would be no right under international law for U.S. intervention. On the other hand, if the lives of American citizens were threatened, we could lawfully intervene. Mr. Dulles commented that the lives of American citizens do not seem to be in any immediate danger in this area.” (Memorandum of discussion by Gleason, March 14; Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, NSC Records)