Foreign Relations of the United States, 1961–1963, Volume XXI, Africa

203. Letter From the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs (Williams) to the Deputy Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Johnson)⁰

Washington, October 26, 1961.

Dear Alex: We are giving continuous attention to the specific steps to be taken should the national interest require military operations by United States forces in sub-Saharan Africa. A critical aspect of this problem is the timely movement of combat and support elements into the area. We may also need to use recovery bases, other than the strike-staging facilities, subsequent to air operations. Such movements would involve overflight, landing, and operational rights which we do not presently enjoy. I believe it is important, if we are to be in position for effective action if an emergency arises, to set forth now the scope of our needs in this regard.

Military operations in sub-Saharan Africa, as contemplated in current contingency plans, would require the use of combat units from the United States. In an emergency situation, the bulk of such a force would have to be deployed by air. There is attached a description of the routes we expect to use for deployment if the emergency were to arise in the Republic of the Congo, indicating also the new overflight, landing, and operational rights which these routings involve.¹ As plans for contingency operations elsewhere in Africa are developed, additional overflight rights and terminal operating rights would be needed, although the approach routes to sub-Saharan Africa would remain largely unchanged.

These deployment plans are based upon technical military considerations. We realize that political circumstances limit our capability for obtaining assurance now that these deployment routes will be fully available. We hope, however, that you will find the attachment a basis for as much advance action as is politically feasible, for advance planning which would save valuable time in an emergency situation, and for comment on political factors which should be taken into account in planning military deployments to sub-Saharan Africa.²

Sincerely yours,

Haydn

0. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 770.5411/10-2661. Secret.
1. Attached to the source text but not printed is an appendix entitled “Planned Routes for Emergency Deployment to the Republic of the Congo.”
2. On December 1, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Politico-Military Affairs Jeffrey Kitchen responded to Williams’ request for comment on political factors that should be taken into account in planning military deployments to sub-Saharan Africa. Kitchen’s letter emphasized the political difficulties involved in attempting to secure prior overflight, landing, and operational rights from appropriate African nations, which would raise undue alarm concerning U.S. intentions in the area and prejudice continued maintenance of current U.S. base rights in Morocco and Libya. The Department of State therefore recommended that the basic assumptions underlying U.S. unilateral military contingency plans for these areas be revised to reflect these political considerations. (Department of State, Central Files, 770.5411/10-2661)