January–August 1961: The Problem of Lumumba and the Gizenga Regime
31. Telegram From the Department of State to the Consulate in Elisabethville
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 770G.00/2–1661. Confidential. Drafted by Ferguson, cleared by Wallner, and approved by Penfield. Also sent to Brussels, Léopoldville, and USUN.
32. Memorandum by the Deputy Representative-Designate to the United Nations Security Council (Yost)
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 770G.00/2–1761. Secret. Sent to Rusk with a covering memorandum from Penfield endorsing Yost’s views. An attached note from the Secretary’s Special Assistant Charles E. Bohlen to Wallner commenting on Yost’s memorandum stated that the issue was not the establishment of a Communist regime in the Congo but the establishment of a Soviet-oriented regime in Stanleyville which might spread to the rest of the country. He concluded: “If, by holding Mobutu [from a military offensive in Orientale], we can prevent foreign intervention and the resulting consolidation of Gizenga’s position, I would entirely agree, and I certainly support reinforced U.N. action in the Congo.”
33. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Department of State, Secretary’s Memoranda of Conversation: Lot 65 D 330. Confidential. Drafted by McBride and approved in S on March 5. The time of the meeting is taken from Rusk’s appointment book. (Johnson Library)
35. Telegram From the Mission to the United Nations to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 770G.00/2–2261. Confidential.
36. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Congo
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 770G.00/2–2261. Confidential; Priority. Drafted by Woodruff; cleared by Sisco and in draft by Ferguson, United Nations Adviser for African Affairs Donald Dumont, and Jerome Lavallee of the Bureau of African Affairs; and approved by Penfield. Repeated to Paris, Elisabethville, Brussels, USUN, Brazzaville, Yaounde, Abidjan, Tananarive, and Dar es Salaam for Williams, who was visiting several African countries.
37. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Belgium
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 770G.00/2–2361. Confidential; Priority. Drafted by Chadbourn and Robert H. Miller of the Office of Western European Affairs; cleared by Wallner, Penfield, and Kohler; and approved and signed by Rusk. Also sent to USUN and repeated to Léopoldville and Paris.
38. Telegram From the Mission to the United Nations to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 770G.00/2–2461. Confidential.
39. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Belgium
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 770G.00/3–161. Secret. Drafted by McBride, cleared by Easum, and approved by Cleveland. Also sent to USUN and repeated to Léopoldville and Paris.
40. Telegram From the Embassy in the Congo to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 770G.00/3–261. Confidential; Niact. Repeated to Brussels, Paris, USUN, London, and Tunis.
42. Telegram From the Embassy in the Congo to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 770G.00/3–461. Confidential; Priority. Repeated to Brussels, USUN, and Lagos.
44. Memorandum Prepared in the Central Intelligence Agency
Source: Central Intelligence Agency, Office of Congressional Affairs, Review Staff Files. Secret. The memorandum, unsigned and undated, is filed with a March 7 covering note to Dulles, which reads as follows: “You were asking that the Division get together in a memorandum our best estimate of the actual facts and circumstances surrounding the death of Patrice Lumumba. This memorandum is attached and I am not sure whether you intended to send it to the President or not. FMC” The note was initialed by Dulles, but the document bears no indication that it was sent to the President. It is filed with a routing slip of June 19, 1975, which states that it was located in an AF/DDP (Africa Division of the Directorate of Plans) file.
45. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Ghana. Secret. Drafted by Penfield on March 9 and sent to the White House for approval under cover of a March 13 memorandum from Department of State Executive Secretary Lucius D. Battle to Ralph A. Dungan of the NSC Staff. The time of the meeting, which was held at the White House, is taken from the President’s appointment book. (Kennedy Library)
46. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Congo
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 770G.00/3–861. Confidential; Priority. Drafted by Buffum, cleared by Wallner and Ferguson, and approved by Penfield. Repeated to USUN.
47. Telegram From the Embassy in the Soviet Union to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 770G.00/3–1061. Confidential; Priority; Limit Distribution.
48. Telegram From the Embassy in the Congo to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 770G.00/3–1261. Limited Official Use; Niact. Repeated to Brussels and USUN.
49. Telegram From the Mission to the United Nations to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 770G.00/3–1361. Confidential; Priority.
50. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Congo
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 770G.49/3–1661. Confidential; Priority. Drafted by Ferguson and Buffum, cleared by Wallner, and approved by Penfield. Repeated to USUN and Brussels.
51. Telegram From the Mission to the United Nations to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 770G.00/3–2261. Secret; Niact. Repeated to Léopoldville, London, Paris, and Brussels.
52. Telegram From the Department of State to the Mission to the United Nations
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 770G.00/3–2461. Secret. Drafted by Buffum; cleared by Williams, Wallner (in draft), and Deputy Executive Secretary William H. Brubeck; and approved by Bowles. Also sent to Léopoldville.
54. Memorandum of Conversation Between Prime Minister Nehru and Secretary of State Rusk
Source: Department of State, Secretary’s Memoranda of Conversation: Lot 65 D 330. Secret. Dictated by Rusk, according to a handwritten notation by Swank. Except for the reference to Minister-Counselor Edward P. Maffitt, the source text does not indicate others who may have been present. Secretary Rusk visited New Delhi briefly on his return from a visit to Bangkok, where he attended the SEATO Council Meeting March 27–29.
55. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Department of State, Conference Files: Lot 65 D 366. Secret; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Director of the Office of British Commonwealth and Northern European Affairs William C. Burdett, Jr., and approved in S on April 11. The time of the meeting is taken from the Secretary’s appointment book. (Johnson Library) Other topics discussed were recorded in separate memoranda of conversation. (Ibid.) Those present not previously identified include Ambassador to the United Kingdom David K.E. Bruce, Deputy Assistant Secretary for European Affairs Ivan B. White, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Far Eastern Affairs John M. Steeves, and Officer in Charge of United Kingdom and Ireland Affairs James W. Swihart.
57. Telegram From the Embassy in the Congo to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 770G.00/4–661. Confidential; Priority. Received at 2:23 p.m. and repeated to Brussels, Elisabethville, and USUN.
58. Telegram From the Department of State to the Mission to the United Nations
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 310/4–661. Confidential. Drafted by Woodruff; cleared by Ferguson, Wallner, Dumont, Penfield (in substance), Stoessel, and Williams; and approved by Rusk. Repeated to Léopoldville, Brussels, Paris, and London.
60. Telegram From the Mission to the United Nations to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 770G.00/4–2261. Secret; Limited Distribution. Repeated to Léopoldville.