Office of the Historian

208. Telegram From the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy) to President Kennedy, at Palm Beach, Florida0

Washington, December 8, 1961.

CAP 5420–61. Here are two cables to Jones.1 One is your letter to Sukarno. The second is guidance to Jones. These cables move towards views of Rostow and others who have been critical of our UN position. If [Page 474] you want to go further, your letter could include an offer of direct efforts with Dutch somewhat as described in next to last paragraph of guidance to Jones. Letter could also be slightly warmer in tone and could refer to helicopter which has just arrived.2

Language about use of force in guidance to Jones seems strong to me, but it is important to bear in mind these cables are aimed simply and specifically at preventing a Sukarno decision to order force in Monday meeting. Question Jones has raised is whether such warnings work. Question we raise is whether we will want to take so strong a stand if in fact Sukarno moves.

I will talk to Harriman and others and be fully briefed when you call.3

  1. Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Indonesia, Vol. II, Oct.–Dec. 1961: Secret; Operational Immediate. Sent to Evelyn Lincoln, the President’s secretary, for the President.↩
  2. Not printed. The draft cables are almost identical to the cables as sent, Documents 209 and 210.↩
  3. During his April 24–25 visit to Washington, Sukarno was offered a helicopter for his own use. It arrived in Djakarta on December 6. (Telegram 1009 from Djakarta, December 6; Department of State, Central Files, 798.5622/12–661)↩
  4. No record of the President’s call to Bundy has been found.↩