Sources

Sources for the Foreign Relations Series

The Foreign Relations statute requires that the published record in the Foreign Relations series include all records needed to provide comprehensive documentation on major U.S. foreign policy decisions and significant U.S. diplomatic activity. It further requires that government agencies, departments, and other entities of the U.S. Government engaged in foreign policy formulation, execution, or support cooperate with the Department of State Historian by providing full and complete access to records pertinent to foreign policy decisions and actions and by providing copies of selected records. Many of the sources consulted in the preparation of this volume have been declassified and are available for review at the National Archives and Records Administration.

The editors of the Foreign Relations series have complete access to all the retired records and papers of the Department of State: the central files of the Department; the special decentralized files (“lot files”) of the Department at the bureau, office, and division levels; the files of the Department’s Executive Secretariat, which contain the records of international conferences and high-level official visits, correspondence with foreign leaders by the President and Secretary of State, and memoranda of conversations between the President and Secretary of State and foreign officials; and the files of overseas diplomatic posts. All the Department’s indexed central files for these years have been permanently transferred to the National Archives and Records Administration at College Park, Maryland (Archives II). Many of the Department’s decentralized office (or lot) files covering this period, those that the National Archives deems worthy of permanent retention, have been transferred or are in the process of being transferred from the Department’s custody to Archives II.

The editors of the Foreign Relations series also have full access to the papers of President Johnson and other White House foreign policy records. Presidential papers maintained and preserved at the Presidential libraries include some of the most significant foreign affairs-related documentation from the Department of State and other Federal agencies including the National Security Council, the Central Intelligence Agency, the Department of Defense, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Sources for Foreign Relations, 1964–1968, Volume XX

In preparing this volume, the editor made extensive use of Presidential papers and other White House records at the Lyndon B. Johnson Library. The bulk of the foreign policy records at the Johnson Library are in the country files and other component parts of the National Security file. Within the National Security file, the NSC Meetings file, the NSC Histories file, and the Special Head of State Correspondence file proved to be of particular value. The editor also made extensive use of the files [Page XIV] of National Security Adviser Walt W. Rostow and Harold Saunders, the member of the NSC staff with primary responsibility for the Middle East. Transcripts of President Johnson’s conversations recorded in the Cabinet Room of the White House added important depth to the record.

Second in importance only to the White House records at the Johnson Library were the records of the Department of State. Because the Ambassadors in the countries of the region played a major role in the formulation of policy, the volume includes a selection of telegraphic correspondence between the Embassies and the Department of State. The Department’s central files contain the cable traffic recording U.S. diplomatic relations with Israel, the United Arab Republic, Jordan, Lebanon, and other Arab countries; memoranda of diplomatic conversations; and memoranda proposing action or providing information. Some important documents are found only in the Department’s lot files. The conference files maintained by the Executive Secretariat contain briefing materials as well as records of conversations. Documentation on initiatives that were not approved is often found only in desk or bureau files. Files of the Bureau of Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs provide insights into the roles played by key policy-makers such as Joseph J. Sisco and Rodger P. Davies.

Department of State historians also have access to records of the Department of Defense, particularly the records of the Secretaries of Defense and their major assistants and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The Central Intelligence Agency provides the Department of State historians access to intelligence documents from records in its custody and at the Presidential libraries. This access is arranged and facilitated by the CIA’s History Staff, part of the Center for the Study of Intelligence, pursuant to a May 1992 memorandum of understanding.

This volume includes a number of intelligence records. Among the intelligence records reviewed for the volume were those in country and intelligence files at the Johnson Library, CIA operational files on the countries involved in the Arab-Israeli dispute, the files of Director of Central Intelligence Richard Helms, CIA intelligence reports and summaries, the CIA files containing National Intelligence Estimates, and the historical files of the Department of State’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research.

Almost all of this documentation has been made available for use in the Foreign Relations series thanks to the consent of the agencies mentioned, the assistance of their staffs, and especially the cooperation and support of the National Archives and Records Administration.

The following list identifies the particular files and collections used in the preparation of this volume. The declassification and transfer to the National Archives of the Department of State records is in process, and many of those records are already available for public review at [Page XV] the National Archives. The declassification review of other records is going forward in accordance with the provisions of Executive Order 12958, under which all records over 25 years old, except file series exemptions requested by agencies and approved by the President, should be reviewed for declassification by 2000.

Unpublished Sources

  • Department of State
    • Central Files. See National Archives and Records Administration below.
    • Lot Files. These files may be transferred to the National Archives and Records Administration at College Park, Maryland, Record Group 59.
      • INR/IL Historical Files
        • Intelligence files, including records of the 303 Committee, containing records from the 1950s through the 1970s, maintained by the Office of Intelligence Liaison, Bureau of Intelligence and Research.
      • NEA Files: Lot 70 D 237
        • Files of Joseph J. Sisco as Deputy Assistant Secretary and Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs, 1963–1968.
      • NEA Files: Lot 71 D 79
        • Files of the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs, 1967–1969.
      • NEA Files: Lot 71 D 384
        • Files of Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs Rodger P. Davies, 1967–1969.
      • NEA Files: 72 D 39
        • Files of the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs, 1967–1970.
      • NEA Files: Lot 73 D 376
        • Files of Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs Rodger P. Davies, 1967–1970.
      • NEA/IAI Files: Lot 80 D 102
        • Files of the Director of Israel and Arab-Israel Affairs, 1960–1975.
      • Rostow Files: Lot 69 D 196
        • Files of Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Eugene V. Rostow, October 1966-January 1969.
      • S/P Files: Lot 71 D 382
        • Top Secret files of the Policy Planning Council, 1964–1970.
  • National Archives and Records Administration, College Park, Maryland
    • Nixon Presidential Materials, National Security File, Kissinger Office Files
  • Record Group 59, Records of the Department of State
    • Central Files
      • AE ISR: atomic energy, Israel
      • AID (US) 15-4 ISR: PL 480 agreements, U.S.-Israel
      • AID (US) 15-8 ISR: Title I, commodity sales for foreign currency, Israel
      • AID (US) 15 JORDAN: PL 480, Food for Peace Program, Jordan
      • AID (US) LEB: general policy, U.S. aid to Lebanon
      • AV 12 ISR: aircraft and aeronautical equipment, Israel
      • CUL 6 ISR: commemorative celebrations and holidays, Israel
      • DEF LEB: defense affairs, Lebanon
      • DEF 8 ISR: exhibitions, shows, parades, Israel
      • DEF 12-5 ISR: armaments procurement and sale, Israel
      • DEF 12-5 JORDAN: armaments procurement and sale, Jordan
      • DEF 18-6: arms control and disarmament control measures
      • DEF 19-4 JORDAN-US: military assistance agreements, Jordan-U.S.
      • DEF 19-4 US-JORDAN: military assistance agreements, U.S.-Jordan
      • DEF 19-6 US-JORDAN: Communist bloc assistance, U.S.-Jordan
      • DEF 19-8 US-ISR: defense equipment and supplies, U.S.-Israel
      • DEF 19-8 US-JORDAN: defense equipment and supplies, U.S.-Jordan
      • IT 11-16 UAR: canals, rivers, lakes, UAR
      • POL ARAB: foreign policy trends, Arab states
      • POL ARAB-ISR: political affairs and relations, Arab-Israeli dispute
      • POL ISR-JORDAN: political affairs and relations, Israel-Jordan
      • POL ISR-US: political affairs and relations, Israel-U.S.
      • POL JER: foreign policy developments, Jerusalem
      • POL PAL: foreign policy developments, Palestine
      • POL 7 ISR: visits and meetings with Israeli leaders
      • POL 7 LEB: visits and meetings with Lebanese leaders
      • POL 13-10 ARAB: extremist organizations, Arab states
      • POL 14 LEB: Lebanese elections
      • POL 15-1 UAR: head of state and executive branch, United Arab Republic
      • POL 27 ARAB-ISR: Arab-Israeli military operations
      • POL 27-14 ARAB-ISR: Arab-Israeli truce, cease-fire
      • POL 27-14 ARAB-ISR/SANDSTORM: Arab-Israeli truce, cease-fire negotiations
      • POL 27-14 ARAB-ISR UN: U.N. oversight of the Arab-Israeli truce
      • POL 33 GULF OF SUEZ: waters, boundaries, Gulf of Suez
      • POL 32-1 ISR-LEB: Israel-Lebanon boundary disputes
      • POL JORDAN-US: political affairs and relations, Jordan-U.S.
      • POL 15-1 JORDAN: head of state and executive branch, Jordan
      • POL 23 JORDAN: internal security and counter-insurgency, Jordan
      • POL 23-8 JORDAN: demonstrations and riots, Jordan
      • POL 33-1 JORDAN RIVER: Jordan river water rights
      • POL 15-1 SYR: head of state and executive branch, Syria
      • POL 32-6 TIRAN: Tiran island claims
      • POL UAR-US: political affairs and relations, United Arab Republic-U.S.
      • POL 1 UAR-US: general policy and background, United Arab Republic-U.S.
      • POL 7 US/BLACK visits and meetings of Eugene Black
      • POL 7 US/BUNDY: visits and meetings of McGeorge Bundy
      • POL 7 US/HARRIMAN visits and meetings of W. Averell Harriman
      • POL 7 US/McCLOY: visits and meetings of John J. McCloy
      • POL 7 US/SCRANTON: visits and meetings of Gov. William Scranton
      • POL 15-1 US/NIXON: Head of State, Executive Branch, Pres.-elect Richard M. Nixon
      • POL US-UAR: political affairs and relations, U.S.-U.A.R.
      • POL US-USSR: political affairs and relations, U.S.-U.S.S.R.
      • REF ARAB: refugees and migration, Arab states
      • REF UNRWA: refugees and migration, UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine
      • UN 7: visits and meetings of UN officials
    • Lot Files
    • Katzenbach Files: Lot 74 D 271
      • Files of the Under Secretary of State, September 1966-January 1969.
    • Rusk Files: Lot 72 D 192
      • Files of Secretary of State Dean Rusk, 1961–1969, including texts of speeches and public statements, miscellaneous correspondence files, White House correspondence, chronological files, and memoranda of telephone conversations.
    • S/P Files: Lot 72 D 139
      • Top Secret files of the Policy Planning Council, 1963–1971; country files, 1965–1969.
    • S/S Files: Lot 71 D 370
      • Presidential correspondence with foreign governments, 1961–1968.
    • S/S Conference Files: Lot 69 D 182
      • Collection of documentation on visits to the United States by ranking foreign officials and on major conferences attended by the Secretary of State from January-November 1968, as maintained by the Executive Secretariat of the Department of State.
    • S/S Conference Files: Lot 70 D 418
      • Official visit chronologies, January 1968-December 1969, as maintained by the Executive Secretariat.
    • S/S-S:CMS Files: Lot 70 D 263
      • Files of the Senior Interdepartmental Group, March 1968-January 1969, as maintained by the Communications Control and Management section of the Executive Secretariat.
  • Central Intelligence Agency
    • Job 79 R 01012A, ODDI Registry of NIE and SNIE Files
    • Job 80 B 01285A, DCI Files, Chronological files of DCI Richard Helms
    • Job 80 R 01580R, DCI Files, Executive Registry subject files
    • Job 00105A, DDO/NE Files, Critchfield Files, including SIG and IRG/NEA files
    • Job 79-207A, DDO/IMS Files
    • Job 78-07173A, O/DDO Files, Files of Thomas H. Karamessines, Assistant Deputy Director of Plans, April 1962-September 1967, Deputy Director of Plans, September 1967-February 1973
  • Washington National Records Center, Suitland, Maryland
    • Record Group 330, Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense
      • OASD/ISA Files: FRC 71 A 4919
        • Top Secret files of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, 1967.
      • OASD/ISA Files: FRC 72 A 1498
        • Secret files of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, 1968.
      • OASD/ISA Files: FRC 72 A 1499
        • Top Secret files of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, 1967–1968.
      • OASD/ISA Files: FRC 73 A 1351
        • Top Secret files of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, 1963–1969.
      • OSD Files: FRC 72 A 2468
        • Files of the Secretary of Defense, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, and Special Assistants, 1967.
      • OSD Files: FRC 91-0017
        • Top Secret Files of the Secretary of Defense, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, and Special Assistants, 1949–1969.
  • Lyndon B. Johnson Library, Austin, Texas
    • Papers of President Lyndon B. Johnson
      • National Security File
        • Country File
        • Agency File
        • Cabinet Papers
        • Special Head of State Correspondence File
        • Memos to the President
        • NSC Histories
        • NSC Meetings File
        • Files of Walt W. Rostow
        • Files of Harold H. Saunders
      • Special Files
        • Meetings Notes File
        • President’s Daily Diary
        • President’s Appointment File (Diary Backup)
        • Tom Johnson’s Notes of Meetings
        • Transcripts of Meetings in the Cabinet Room
      • White House Central File
        • Confidential File
        • Subject File
  • Other Personal Papers
    • Papers of H. Barefoot Sanders

Published Sources

  • U.S. Government Documentary Collections
    • U.S. Department of State. Department of State Bulletin, 1967–1968. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1967–1968.
    • ————. American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1956. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1957.
    • U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1968–69. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1970.
  • Memoirs
    • Eban, Abba. An Autobiography. New York: Random House, 1977.
    • Johnson, Lyndon B. The Vantage Point. New York: Holt, Reinhart and Winston, 1971.
    • Parker, Richard B. The Politics of Miscalculation in the Middle East. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press, 1993.
    • Rostow, W. W. The Diffusion of Power. New York: Macmillan, 1972.
    • Rusk, Dean. As I Saw It. New York: Norton, 1990.