Foreign Assistance Policy


1. Memorandum From the Administrator of the Agency for International Development (Bell) to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, National Security Action Memoranda, NSAM 276, Distribution of Foreign Aid Cuts, Box 2. Confidential.


2. Memorandum From Robert W. Komer of the National Security Council Staff to President Johnson

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Subject File, Foreign Aid, Box 16. Secret. Two attachments listed at the bottom of the source text were not found attached: a January 10 memorandum from Bell to Buddy on “Addl $20 million MAP … ,” and a January 7 memorandum from Bell to Buddy on the “Impact of Cuts in Foreign Aid Approp.” For this last memorandum, see Document 1.


3. Memorandum From the Administrator of the Agency for International Development (Bell) to Secretary of State Rusk

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Subject File, Foreign Aid [3 of 3], Box 16. Secret. Copies were sent to McGeorge Bundy, Kermit Gordon, Ralph Dungan, William P. Bundy, and John C. Bullitt.


5. Memorandum From the Administrator of the Agency for International Development (Bell) to President Johnson

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, National Security Action Memoranda, NSAM 297, Latin American Military Aid, Box 4. Secret.


6. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy) to President Johnson

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Bundy Memos to the President, Vol. 1–4, 11/23/63–5/27/64, Box 1. No classification marking. A handwritten note on the source text by a White House secretary reads: “Rec’d 4/2/64.” The source text also bears the President’s initial.


7. Presidential Determination No. 64–8

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Subject File, Presidential Determinations, Vol. I [1 of 2], Box 39. Secret.


8. National Security Action Memorandum No. 297

Source: Department of State, S/PC Files: Lot 70 D 199, NSAMs. Confidential.


9. Memorandum From the Administrator of the Agency for International Development (Bell) to President Johnson

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Bundy Memos to the President, Vol. 1–4, 11/23/63–5/27/64, Box 1. Confidential.


10. Record of Telephone Conversation Between President Johnson and the Under Secretary of State (Ball)

Source: Johnson Library, Ball Papers, Foreign Aid (DLF) 1/21/64–8/16/66, Box 3. No classification marking. No other record of this conversation has been found. However, later in the day the President had conversations with Douglas Dillon (11:41 a.m.), Larry O’Brien (time unknown), Douglas Dillon (3:11 p.m. and 3:44 p.m.), Charles Hallack (3:50 p.m.), John McCormack (3:55 p.m.), and George Ball (4:47 p.m.) on foreign aid related matters. (Johnson Library, Recordings and Transcripts, Recordings of Telephone Conversations, Tape 6405.02, PNOs 25 and 26, Tape 6405.03, PNOs 4, 5, 6, and 16) During a 5:35 p.m. conversation with McGeorge Bundy, the President referred to his meeting “socially” with the Foreign Affairs Committees the previous evening, the unpopularity of foreign assistance in both the parties, and Congressional plans to recommit the foreign assistance bill, adding to military assistance and taking an even larger amount from economic assistance. The President told Buddy that Secretaries Rusk and McNamara needed to get reengaged, along with AID Administrator Bell, and take the initiative from Congress; he told Buddy that it was time to prepare a supplemental for Vietnam—$70 million on the military side and $35 million on the economic side. (Johnson Library, Recordings and Transcripts, Recording of a Telephone Conversation, Tape F64.27, Side A, PNO 1)


11. Memorandum From the Administrator of the Agency for International Development (Bell) to President Johnson

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 286, AID Administrator Files: FRC 68 A 2148, ADM 7–4 (White House) July–Nov., FY 1965. No classification marking.


12. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs (McNaughton) to Secretary of Defense McNamara

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 286, AID Administrator Files: FRC 68 A 2148, DEF 19 Military Assistance FY 1965, July–October. Secret. An attached October 13 transmittal memorandum from General Robert J. Wood, Director of Military Assistance, to AID Director Bell indicates that Secretary of Defense McNamara approved the FY 1965 Military Assistance Program and requests Bell to approve the program for implementation. In addition to Tabs A, B, and C cited below, Tab D, “Areas Considered for Reductions But Not Recommended,” and Tab E, “Amendment of Current Retention and Transfer Policies to Increase Excess Material Available to MAP,” are not printed.


13. Memorandum From the Administrator of the Agency for International Development (Bell) to President Johnson

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 286, AID Administrator Files: FRC 68 A 2148, ADM 7–4 (White House) July–November, FY 1965. No classification marking. A covering note by Frederick F. Simmons, Executive Secretary of AID, reads: “Please distribute only to Gaud, Assistant Administrators, and Tom Farmer.” Copies were sent to Rusk, McNamara, McGeorge Bundy, Director of the Bureau of the Budget Kermit Gordon, Under Secretary George W. Ball, Thomas C. Mann, Lawrence O’Brien, and Ralph Dungan.


14. Memorandum From the Administrator of the Agency for International Development (Bell) to President Johnson

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 286, AID Administrator Files: FRC 68 A 2148, Administrator’s Weekly Report to the President, FY 1965. Limited Official Use.


15. Information Memorandum From the Assistant Administrator for Program of the Agency for International Development (Chenery) to the Administrator of the Agency for International Development (Bell)

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 286, AID Administrator Files: FRC 68 A 2148, DEF 19 Military Assistance FY 1965, July–October. Secret. Drafted by Robert B. Black (PC/MAD) on October 16.


16. Memorandum From Robert W. Komer of the National Security Council Staff to the Director of Military Assistance, Department of Defense (Wood)

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Subject File, Foreign Aid, Box 16. Secret. Copies were sent to John McNaughton and McGeorge Bundy.


17. Memorandum From the Chairman of the Policy Planning Council (Rostow) to Secretary of State Rusk

Source: Department of State, S/PC Files: Lot 70 D 199, Assistance to Foreign Countries—1964. Limited Official Use. Copies were sent to Ball, W. Averell Harriman, Llewellyn E. Thompson, Bell, Hollis B. Chenery, and G. Griffith Johnson. A handwritten note on the source text reads: “S saw.”


18. Memorandum From the Acting Deputy Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Thompson) to Secretary of State Rusk

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 286, AID Administrator Files: FRC 68 A 2148, ADM 7–4 (White House) July–November, FY 1965. Confidential. Drafted by Howard Meyers and George L. Warren (G/PM) on November 6 and sent through Under Secretary Ball.


19. Memorandum From the Administrator of the Agency for International Development (Bell) to Secretary of Defense McNamara

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 286, AID Administrator Files: FRC 68 A 2148, Chron Files, 11/6–11/11, 1964. Secret. A stamped notation on the source text reads: “Noted—WSG”.


20. Report of the President’s Task Force on Foreign Economic Policy

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Subject File, Foreign Aid, Task Force Report on Foreign Economic Policy, 1964, Box 17. Secret. The report was submitted to the President under cover of a November 25 letter from Carl Kaysen, Chairman of the Task Force on Foreign Economic Policy. For this cover letter, part of the Report’s Introduction and Summary, and Chapter Three, “Money,” see vol. VIII, Document 18. For another extract from the Introduction and Summary, and Chapter Two, “Trade,” see Document 161.


21. Letter From the Administrator of the Agency for International Development (Bell) to the Director of the Bureau of the Budget (Gordon)

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 286, AID Administrator Files: FRC 68 A 2148, Chron Files, December 1–7, 1964. Confidential.


22. Memorandum From the Administrator of the Agency for International Development (Bell) to Secretary of State Rusk

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Agency File, AID, Vol. I [1], Box 1. Confidential.


23. Memorandum From the Administrator of the Agency for International Development (Bell) to President Johnson

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 286, AID Administrator Files: FRC 68 A 2148, Chron Files, December 8–11, 1964. Confidential. A covering memorandum from Bell to Moyers, December 9, reads: “Attached is our ‘Brief’ on the subject of foreign aid. There are several issues in it which deserve discussion. One in particular—the question of what form of legislation the President should request—requires fairly urgent consideration. I believe that State, Defense and AID would be the key participants, apart from the White House-Executive Office complex.”


24. Memorandum From the Administrator of the Agency for International Development (Bell) to President Johnson

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 286, AID Administrator Files: FRC 68 A 2148, DEF 19 Military Assistance, November–January, FY 1965. Secret. Drafted by Bell and cleared by William M. Leffingwell (DOD/ISA) and Howard Meyers (G/PM). The memorandum was submitted to President Johnson under cover of a memorandum, December 10, to Kermit Gordon from Bell who wrote: “The attached memorandum requests Presidential approval for a MAP funding plan for FY 1965 which may require up to a $50 million transfer from the Contingency Fund later in the year. This is a similar proposal to one we worked out last year. I have forgotten how we obtained the President’s approval at that time, but I assume the right way to do it is through you, and accordingly I would appreciate it if you would consider the matter and, assuming you concur, request the President’s approval. I am sending a copy of the memorandum to Mr. Buddy.”


25. Memorandum From the Administrator of the Agency for International Development (Bell) to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Agency File, AID, November 1963–December 1964, Vol. 1 [1]. Confidential.


26. Memorandum From the Administrator of the Agency for International Development (Bell) to the Director of the Bureau of the Budget (Gordon)

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 286, AID Administrator Files: FRC 68 A 2148, Chron Files, December 23–31, 1964. Confidential. Two attachments, a chart comparing types of funding in millions of dollars between 1964 and 1965 and proposed for 1966 and another that uses the same variables as above but compares the funding amounts by region, are not printed.


27. Memorandum From the Administrator of the Agency for International Development (Bell) to Secretary of State Rusk

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Agency File, AID 11/63–12/64, Vol. 1 [1]. Confidential.


28. Memorandum From the Administrator of the Agency for International Development (Bell) to Secretary of State Rusk

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 286, AID Administrator Files: FRC 68 A 2148, DEF 19 Military Assistance, November–January FY 1965. Secret. A copy was sent to Secretary McNamara.


30. Memorandum From the Deputy Administrator of the Agency for International Development (Gaud) to Secretary of State Rusk

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 286, AID Administrator Files: FRC 68 A 2148, DEF 19 Military Assistance, February–June FY 1965. Secret.