Congo, 1960–1968


511. Memorandum From the Department of State Executive Secretary (Read) to the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow)

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Congo, Vol. XIII, Memos & Miscellaneous, 11/66–8/67. Secret. This memorandum is apparently a response to a note dictated by the President at 11:10 a.m. on July 7, referring to Eugene Rostow’s July 6 memorandum (Document 508) requesting further information. (Johnson Library, National Security Council Histories, Congo C–130 Crisis, July 1967 [Tab 1])


512. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Congo

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 23–9 THE CONGO. Secret; Flash; Nodis. Drafted and approved by Fredericks.


513. Telegram From the Embassy in the Congo to the Department of State

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 23–9 THE CONGO. Secret; Immediate; Limdis. Received at 10:30 a.m. Also sent to CINCSTRIKE, and repeated to Lubumbashi, Brussels, Kigali, Kampala, Bujumbura, Nairobi, and DOD. Passed to the White House, CIA, USIA, NSA, COMAC, and CINCLANT.


514. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Congo

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 23–9 THE CONGO. Secret; Immediate; Eyes Only. Drafted and approved by Rusk.


515. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Belgium

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 23–9 THE CONGO. Secret; Flash; Limdis. Drafted by Moffat; cleared by Belgian Country Director Robert Anderson, Stoessel, and Fredericks; and approved by Rusk. Repeated to Kinshasa.


516. Telegram From the Embassy in the Congo to the Department of State

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, DEF 19 US–THE CONGO. Secret; Flash; Limdis. Received at 5:16 a.m. Also sent to CINCSTRIKE and Brussels and passed to the White House, DOD, CIA, USIA, NSA, COMAC, and CINCLANT.


517. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Congo

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 23–9 THE CONGO. Secret; Immediate; Limdis. Drafted by Brown, cleared by Gleysteen in IO and Moffat, and approved by Fredericks. Repeated to Brussels, USUN, and CINCSTRIKE.


518. Telegram From the Embassy in the Congo to the Department of State

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 23–9 THE CONGO. Secret; Immediate. Received at 8:36 a.m. Also sent to Brussels and repeated to Lubumbashi, Kigali, Kampala, Bujumbura, Nairobi, DOD, USUN, and CINCSTRIKE. Passed to the White House, CIA, USIA, NSA, COMAC, and CINCLANT.


519. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Memos to the President, Walt W. Rostow, Vol. 32. No classification marking. A notation indicates that a copy was sent to the Department of State for Read. The memorandum is attached to a transmittal note from Rostow that reads: “Mr. President: Herewith the full Congo memo you requested, with direct quotations from advisers. In dealing with Scotty Reston (who just called), I made three simple points: If we had not responded to the request: —racial tragedy was almost certain. (We have damped it. We may prevent it.) —Mobutu would almost certainly have turned for help to the Communists. —We would not have the planes there to get our people out, if it comes to a crunch. W.W.R.” At 3:08 p.m. on July 10, Rostow called Rusk and reported that the President was “pretty shook up” by the way Congress had erupted on the Congo. (National Archives, RG 59, Rusk Files: Lot 72 D 192, Telephone Conversations)


520. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Congo, Vol. XIII, Memos & Miscellaneous, 11/66–8/67. Secret.


521. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Congo, Vol. XIII, Memos & Miscellaneous, 11/66–8/67. Confidential.


522. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Congo, Vol. XIII, Memos & Miscellaneous, 11/66–8/67. Confidential.


523. Notes of Meeting

Source: Johnson Library, Tom Johnson’s Notes of Meetings, July 13, 1967—12:08 p.m., NSC Meeting #592. Eyes Only. Drafted by Tom Johnson of the NSC Staff.


524. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Congo, Vol. XIII, Memos & Miscellaneous, 1/66–8/67. Confidential.


525. Telegram From the Embassy in the Congo to the Department of State

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 23–9 THE CONGO. Secret; Priority; Exdis. Repeated to Brussels, CINCSTRIKE, DOD, and JCS and passed to the White House.


526. Report Prepared in the Department of Defense

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD Files: FRC 72 A 2468, Congo 1967. Secret. No drafting information appears on the original, which is attached to a July 18 transmittal memorandum from Acting Assistant Secretary Townsend Hoopes to Secretary McNamara stating that the paper had been prepared for McNamara’s meeting with the President and Secretary Rusk that afternoon.


527. Notes of the President’s Meeting With Secretary Rusk, Secretary McNamara, Walt Rostow, McGeorge Bundy, and George Christian

Source: Johnson Library, Tom Johnson’s Notes of Meetings, July 18, 1967–6:06 p.m. Literally Eyes Only. The meeting was held in the Cabinet Room.


528. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Congo

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 30 THE CONGO. Secret; Immediate; Nodis. Drafted by Brown; cleared by the Under Secretary, Meeker in L, and Palmer; and approved by Rusk.


529. Telegram From the Embassy in the Congo to the Department of State

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 23–9 THE CONGO. Secret; Immediate; Nodis.


530. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Congo

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 23–9 THE CONGO. Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Drafted by Brown and approved by Rusk.


531. Telegram From the Embassy in the Congo to the Department of State

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL THE CONGO–US. Secret; Flash. Repeated to CINCSTRIKE.


532. Extract From Minutes of the 303 Committee

Source: Central Intelligence Agency Files, Job 82–00450R, DDO/AF, AF/DIV Historical Files, Box 6, 40 Committee, Congo (K) 1965-. Secret; Eyes Only. The original was forwarded from the CS/Special Group Office to the Chief of the Africa Division.


533. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Congo

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 23–9 THE CONGO. Secret; Flash; Limdis. Drafted by Schaufele; cleared by Palmer, Colonel Hart in JCS, and Brown; and approved by Katzenbach. Repeated to CINCSTRIKE for POLAD Tampa.


534. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Congo

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 23–9 THE CONGO. Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Drafted by Schaufele, cleared by Brown, and approved by Palmer. Also sent to Bukavu.


535. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Congo

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 23–9 THE CONGO. Secret; Flash; Limdis. Drafted by Palmer, cleared by Katzenbach, and approved by Palmer.


536. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Congo

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 23–9 THE CONGO. Secret; Flash. Drafted by Schaufele, cleared by Elizabeth Ann Brown, and approved by Palmer. Repeated to Brussels, USUN, and Moscow.


537. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Congo

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 23–9 THE CONGO. Secret; Priority; Exdis. Drafted by Schaufele, cleared by L. Dean Brown, and approved by Fredericks. Repeated to USUN.


538. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Congo

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 23–8 THE CONGO. Confidential; Flash. Drafted and approved by Schaufele. Also sent to Brussels and repeated to London and Paris.


539. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Congo

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 1 THE CONGO. Secret; Immediate. Drafted by Schaufele, cleared by Brown, and approved by Palmer. Repeated to Brussels.


540. Memorandum From Edward Hamilton of the National Security Council Staff to President Johnson

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Files of Edward Hamilton, Congo (B). No classification marking.

  1. Beginning in 1967, the dates and transmission times of all outgoing Department of State telegrams were in 6-figure date-time-groups. The “Z” refers to Greenwich mean time.