Sukarno’s Confrontation With Malaysia—January–November 1964


1. Telephone Conversation Between President Johnson and Secretary of Defense McNamara

Source: Johnson Library, Telephone Recordings and Transcripts, Recording of a conversation between Johnson and McNamara, Tape F64.3, PNO 5, side A. No classification marking. This transcript was prepared by the Office of the Historian specifically for this volume.


2. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Indonesia

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 15–1 INDON. Secret; Flash; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Cuthell, cleared by Harriman, and approved by Hilsman.


3. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Philippines

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL INDON–MALAYSIA. Secret; Flash; Verbatim Text. Drafted by Hilsman; cleared by Harriman and the President; and approved by Rusk. Repeated to Djakarta.


4. Memorandum From Secretary of State Rusk to President Johnson

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, National Security Council Meetings, Vol. 1, Tab 2, 1/7/64, Assistance to Indonesia. Secret.


5. Memorandum From Michael V. Forrestal of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Indonesia, Vol. I, 11/63–4/64. Secret.


6. Memorandum Prepared by the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Indonesia, Vol. I, 11/63–4/64. Secret.


7. Memorandum From Secretary of State Rusk to President Johnson

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, DEF 19 US–INDON. Secret. A handwritten note on the memorandum reads: “Hand carried to WH by Secy 1–7–64.”


8. Summary Record of the 521st National Security Council Meeting

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, National Security Council Meetings, Vol. 1, Tab 2, 1/7/64, Assistance to Indonesia. Secret. Hilsman also took notes at this meeting. (National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Cabinet Files: Lot 68 D 350, CP–40, Cabinet Meetings, January 1964) Colby prepared a memorandum of this meeting on January 8. (Central Intelligence Agency, DCI (McCone) Files: Job 80–B01285A, Meetings with the President, 1 Jan. to 30 Apr. 1964)


9. Letter From Secretary of State Rusk to Minister of External Affairs Barwick

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL INDON–US. Secret. Drafted by Ingraham and Thrasher and cleared by Bell and Barnett.


10. Telephone Conversation Between President Johnson and Senator Richard Russell

Source: Johnson Library, Telephone Recordings and Transcripts, Recording of a conversation between Johnson and Russell, F64.4, PNO, side B. No classification marking. This transcript was prepared by the Office of the Historian specifically for this volume.


11. Telephone Conversation Between President Johnson and the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)

Source: Johnson Library, Telephone Recordings and Transcripts, Recording of a conversation between Bundy and Johnson, F64.04, PNO 5, side B. No classification marking. This transcript was prepared by the Office of the Historian specifically for this volume.


12. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy) and Michael V. Forrestal of the National Security Staff to President Johnson

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Indonesia, Vol. I, 11/63–4/64. Secret. Forrestal sent Bundy a memorandum on January 10 describing the alternatives to the Presidential determination worked out by Justice and the Agency for International Development and suggesting that the second alternative would “work in light of the A.G.’s trip.” (Ibid.)


13. Memorandum From the Executive Secretary of the Department of State (Read) to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, ORG 7 JUS. Secret. Drafted by Cuthell, cleared with Bell, Hilsman, and in draft with Harriman.


14. Memorandum From Michael V. Forrestal of the National Security Council Staff to President Johnson

Source: Central Intelligence Agency, DCI (McCone) Files: Job 80–B01285A, Meetings with President, 1 January–30 April 1964. Secret.


15. Memorandum of Meeting

Source: Central Intelligence Agency, DCI (McCone) Files: Job 80–B01285A, Meetings with the President, 1 January–30 April 1964. Secret. Transcribed by McCone. Copies were sent to Deputy Director of Central Intelligence Marshall S. Carter and Helms.


16. Instructions From the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy) to Attorney General Kennedy

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Files of Robert W. Komer, Malaysia, December 63–Mar 66. Secret. This document was originally described as “draft instruction,” but Komer crossed out those words. The text has revisions in McGeorge Bundy’s hand (see footnotes below) and was probably sent to Tokyo over non-Department of State channels.


17. Telegram From the Embassy in Japan to the Department of State

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 32–1 INDON–MALAYSIA. Secret; Flash. Repeated immediate to Canberra, London, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Singapore, Djakarta, Hong Kong, and Bangkok. Passed to the White House.


18. Telegram From Michael V. Forrestal of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Files of Robert W. Komer, Malaysia, Dec.–Mar., 1966. Secret; Flash. Not sent over Department of State communications channels.


19. Telegram From the Embassy in Japan to the Department of State

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 32–1 INDON–MALAYSIA. Secret; Flash. Repeated to Canberra, London, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Singapore, Djakarta, Hong Kong, and Bangkok. Passed to the White House.


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

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Malaysia, Vol. I, Memos, 11/63–3/64. Secret.


21. Telegram From the Embassy in the Philippines to the Department of State

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 7 US/KENNEDY. Secret; Exdis; Flash. Repeated to Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo, Bangkok, London, Canberra for Hilsman, and CINCPAC for POLAD. Passed to the White House.


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

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Files of Robert W. Komer, Malaysia, Dec. 63–Mar. 66. Secret.


23. Telegram From the Embassy in Indonesia to the Department of State

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 32–1 INDON–MALAYSIA. Secret; Immediate; Limdis. Received at 6:25 a.m. and repeated to Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, London, Manila, Tokyo, and CINCPAC for POLAD. Copies were passed to the White House and CIA.


24. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in India

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL INDON–MALAYSIA. Secret; Flash; Verbatim Text. Drafted by Ingraham and cleared by Cuthell. Repeated to London. The original message, delivered by Ormsby Gore to Rusk, January 22, is in the Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Malaysia, Vol. I, Memo, 11/63–3/64.


25. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the United Kingdom

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 7 US–KENNEDY. Secret; Priority; Exdis. Drafted and approved by Secretary Rusk.


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

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Files of Robert W. Komer, Malaysia, Dec. 1963–Mar. 1966. Secret.


27. Telegram From the Mission to the United Nations to the Department of State

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 32–1 INDON–MALAYSIA. Secret; Priority; Limdis.


28. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Indonesia

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 32–1 INDON–MALAYSIA. Secret; Priority. Drafted by Sullivan and Ingraham; cleared by Cuthell, Forrestal, Harriman, and Green; and approved by Rusk. Also sent to Kuala Lumpur and Manila, and repeated to Bangkok, London, Wellington, and CINCPAC for POLAD.


29. National Security Action Memorandum No. 278

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, National Security Action Memorandums, NSAM 278. Confidential. Copies were sent to McGeorge Bundy, Forrestal, and Johnson, presumably Charles E. Johnson of the NSC staff.


30. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Malaysia

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 32–1, INDON–MALAYSIA. Secret; Priority. Drafted by Cuthell, cleared by Harriman, and approved by Hilsman. Also sent to Manila, Djakarta, Bangkok, London, Canberra, Wellington, and Singapore and repeated to CINCPAC for POLAD.