Office of the Historian

292. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Congo1

Washington, September 23, 1962, 7:48 p.m.

488. Eyes only Ambassador. President and Secretary have decided send Under Secretary McGhee to Congo to review situation with you and get firsthand impression prospects Katanga negotiations through discussions local officials.2 Public statement re trip would be along these lines. After visit Léopoldville McGhee will convey to Tshombe US Government determination see through UN Reconciliation Plan as agreed with UK and Belgium. McGhee will seek support Gardiner mediation effort, not usurp or undercut his functions. Exact timing trip not yet decided but should take place as soon as appropriate, possibly next few days. McGhee, together with Stevenson and Secretary, will consult tomorrow with U Thant and Spaak. Your views on timing appreciated. [Page 579] FYI. Decision corresponds to longstanding proposal Senator Dodd3 who will be consulted by McGhee prior to his departure. Utmost secrecy should be maintained trip until announcement made.

Ball
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 110.12–McG/9–2362. Secret; Priority. Drafted and approved by McGhee and cleared by Williams, Wallner, and Burdett. Repeated to USUN and Brussels.↩
  2. Senator Dodd urged sending McGhee to the Congo in a September 18 letter to Kennedy. (Filed with a September 20 note from Dodd to Rusk; ibid., 770G.00/9–2062) Kennedy called the letter to Ball’s attention on September 21 in a telephone conversation in which he expressed concern about public reaction in case of renewed hostilities. After discussions with Rusk and others, Ball recommended to Kennedy on September 23 that McGhee go to the Congo, ostensibly on a fact-finding mission but with the realization that “if he goes out he will undoubtedly become a kind of mediator, because there is a terrible vacuum right now.” (Memoranda of telephone conversations with Kennedy, September 21, 10:15 a.m., and September 23, 11:30 a.m., and with Kaysen, Dungan, and Williams, September 21 and 22; Kennedy Library, Ball Papers)↩
  3. A September 6 memorandum from McGhee to Rusk and Ball describes a meeting that day between McGhee and Dodd at the latter’s request. It reads in part as follows: “He proposed that I go to the Congo to mediate between Mr. Adoula and Mr. Tshombe, saying that he had made such a proposal to the President. I demurred at this suggestion and indicated that a US mediator might have the effect of undercutting Gardiner’s efforts and should be considered only in the event of an impasse between Adoula and Tshombe.” (Washington National Records Center, RG 59, UNP Congo Files: FRC 71 A 5255, Item 69 (Lot 65 D 219), Congo—Congressional)↩