Foundations of Foreign Policy, 1974–1980
62. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Office File, Outside the System File, Box 49, Chron: 1/78. Secret; Eyes Only for the President. Brzezinski sent the memorandum to the President under a January 13 cover memorandum, noting that he, Aaron, and the NSC Staff had prepared it and suggesting that parts of the memorandum might be shared with top congressional leaders and a “friendly columnist.” He also recommended that the President provide a copy to Rosalynn Carter, as he believed the First Lady would “find it informative.” The President wrote “no” on the cover memorandum next to the recommendation that the memorandum be shared with congressional leaders and the press; however, he underlined Rosalynn’s name and wrote “ok” in the margin. The First Lady added the following notation: “Zbig, I made very few comments but found it very interesting. I’d think some of it could be presented to press. R.” In the top right-hand corner of the cover memorandum, the President wrote: “Zbig—I read it all & agree with most of it.”
63. Address by Secretary of State Vance
Source: Department of State Bulletin, February 1978, pp. 23–26. Vance delivered his address before the Los Angeles World Affairs Council.
65. Report by President Carter to the Congress
Source: Public Papers: Carter, 1978, Book I, pp. 129–144. The report is the President’s annual report to Congress on economic policy.
66. Memorandum From William Odom of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Subject File, Box 26, Foreign Policy: 12/77–12/78. Secret. Sent for information. A copy was sent to Huntington. Brzezinski circled the “information” designation, drew an arrow to Odom’s name, and added the following handwritten notation in the top right-hand corner of the first page of the memorandum: “This is a lively & provocative paper. Why don’t you show it to someone to stimulate comments. ZB.” An attached NSC Correspondence Profile indicates that Brzezinski “noted” the memorandum on January 26.
67. Address by President Carter to the Nation
Source: Public Papers: Carter, 1978, Book, I, pp. 258–263. All brackets are in the original. The President spoke at 9 p.m. from the Library at the White House. His remarks were broadcast live on radio and television. In his diary entry for January 11, the President noted: “Senator Byrd suggested that instead of having a fireside chat on Panama that I deliver the speech in the Senate chamber. George Washington did this a couple of times, and Byrd said he’d be willing to have television cameras there to cover it as a news event. First he wants to check with [Alan] Cranston, Baker, and the others, but it’s an intriguing and interesting proposition.” (White House Diary, p. 163)
68. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Brzezinski Office File, Subject Chron File, Box 126, Weekly National Security Report: 2–4/78. Top Secret; Sensitive. The President initialed the top right-hand corner of the memorandum.
69. Address by the Deputy Secretary of State (Christopher)
Source: Department of State Bulletin, March 1978, pp. 30–33. Christopher delivered his address before the American Bar Association.
70. Paper Prepared by the Policy Planning Staff
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Policy and Planning Staff—Office of the Director, Records of Anthony Lake, 1977–1981: Lot 82D298, Box 1, 3/2/78 2 Copies of Report on 1977 prepared but not released. No classification marking. According to a February 24 memorandum from Christopher to Lake, Lake drafted the paper. Christopher, commenting on an earlier version of the paper, recommended that Lake rework the format, send it to the bureaus to obtain updated comments, and then forward it to Vance. He continued: “At that point, I would hope that, with an appropriately hedged cover sheet, it would become a public document. But even if it does not, it will have served an important purpose.” (National Archives, RG 59, Office of the Deputy Secretary, Records of Warren Christopher, 1977–1980: Lot 81D113, Box 8, Memoranda from WC to Bureaus—1978) Attached to the version of the paper printed here is a cover page indicating that Vance had requested the paper and that the Bureau of Public Affairs planned to issue it. Notations in an unknown hand on the cover page read: “Please return to S/P—L Rowe” and “3/2 final 12:30 p.m. S/P.” An additional notation indicates that the paper was not published.
71. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Subject File, Box 64, Speeches: Wake Forest University: 10/77–3/78. Confidential. The President initialed the top-right hand corner of the memorandum. Brzezinski also wrote “ZB file” in the top-right hand corner of the memorandum. Huntington sent the memorandum and the speech outline to Brzezinski under a March 3 cover memorandum, indicating that he, Odom, Putnam, and Westbrook had attempted to incorporate Brzezinski’s and Aaron’s suggestions. Huntington also requested that Brzezinski send both the memorandum and the outline to the President.
72. Address by President Carter
Source: Public Papers: Carter, 1978, Book I, pp. 529–535. The President spoke at 9 a.m. in Wake Forest University’s Wait Chapel. Following his address, he attended a reception for Representative Steve Neal (D–North Carolina).
73. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Brzezinski Office File, Subject Chron File, Box 126, Weekly National Security Report: 2–4/78. Secret. The President initialed the top right-hand corner of the memorandum.
74. Article by the Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs (Maynes)
Source: Department of State Bulletin, September 1978, pp. 48–51. All brackets are in the original. Maynes’s article is based on an address he delivered before the Conference on International Studies at Columbia University in New York on April 7.
75. Memorandum From Vice President Mondale to President Carter
Source: Minnesota Historical Society, Mondale Papers, Vice Presidential Papers, Foreign Policy Material From the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library, Office of the Vice President: June 2, 1977–December 3, 1978, Memoranda: Vice President to President, January–June 1978. No classification marking. There is no indication that the President saw the memorandum.
76. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Brzezinski Office File, Subject Chron File, Box 126, Weekly National Security Report: 2–4/78. Secret. The President initialed the top right-hand corner of the memorandum.
77. Address by Secretary of State Vance
Source: Department of State Bulletin, June 1978, pp. 14–17. Vance delivered his address before the national convention of the League of Women Voters. The text of the question-and-answer session following his address is ibid., pp. 17–19.
78. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to the Cabinet
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Subject File, Box 26, Foreign Policy: 12/77–12/78. No classification marking. Brzezinski sent an earlier version of the memorandum to the President under a May 5 memorandum, asserting: “One way to reduce public confusion over our policy is for all top officials to use certain key formulations when speaking about foreign affairs. Indeed, the repetition of certain ‘code phrases’ (e.g., ‘détente must be both comprehensive and reciprocal’) will help to indicate that we speak with a single voice from the top down.” He added that the attached memorandum “is designed to accomplish that objective.” (Ibid.)
80. Memorandum From the President’s Chief Speechwriter (Fallows) to President Carter
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Subject File, Box 63, Speeches: Annapolis, 5–6/78. No classification marking. The President wrote “Jim” in the top right-hand corner of the memorandum. Hutcheson returned the memorandum to Fallows, Wise, and Voorde under a May 11 cover memorandum; a notation on the memorandum in Inderfurth’s hand reads: “DA, this is in the works. Rick.” In addition, an unknown hand added “done” and a checkmark on the cover memorandum. (Ibid.)
82. Letter From Secretary of State Vance to President Carter
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Office File, Outside the System File, Box 50, Chron: 5/78. Secret; Nodis. There is no indication that the President saw the version of the letter printed here. Vance sent the letter to the President under a May 29 memorandum indicating that he had prepared it prior to “the events and public statements of this weekend.” Presumably Vance is referring to both the talks he and the President had with Gromyko concerning strategic arms in Washington May 27–28 and Brzezinski’s denunciation on “Meet the Press” of Soviet behavior (see Document 81). Brzezinski later commented that Vance was “deeply upset” by the “Meet the Press” appearance and had called Brzezinski to insist that the administration had to “speak with one voice,” noting that Brzezinski’s remarks “were making it less clear who was articulating the position of the Administration.” Brzezinski continued: “I pointed out to Cy that I felt that I had spoken in keeping with the President’s position, but I knew that he was not mollified. I subsequently learned that he had written to the President and complained to him.” (Power and Principle, p. 221) In his memoirs, Vance characterized Brzezinski’s remarks as “provocative,” commenting: “Along with my most senior and experienced advisers, I was convinced that loose talk about ‘playing the China card,’ always a dangerous ploy, was a particularly risky move at a time when we were at a sensitive point in the SALT negotiations.” (Hard Choices, p. 116) The President noted that Vance had met with him on June 1 to “express his deep concern, in a very friendly way, about the relationship between him and Zbig and the fact that we had too many voices speaking on foreign policy—myself, Jody, Zbig, Andy, and him—and it was creating confusion.” (White House Diary, p. 198)
83. Remarks by President Carter
Source: Public Papers: Carter, 1978, Book I, pp. 1011–1014. The President spoke at 9:35 a.m. in the Concert Hall at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts during the opening ceremonies of the North Atlantic Alliance summit. The President also attended the morning and afternoon sessions on May 30, held at the Department of State, and hosted a luncheon for delegates at the White House. For the President’s May 30 statement upon signing a congressional joint resolution (S.J. Res. 137; P.L. 95–287) reaffirming the unity of the Alliance commitment at a ceremony held in the Department’s Jefferson Room, see ibid., p. 1014. For the text of the final communiqué released at the conclusion of the summit on May 31, see Department of State Bulletin, July 1978, pp. 8–10. Documentation on the May 30–31 summit is scheduled for publication in Foreign Relations, 1977–1980, vol. V, European Security, 1977–1983.
84. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Brzezinski Office File, Subject Chron File, Box 79, Brzezinski Chron—To/From President: 5–6/78. Secret. The President initialed the top right-hand corner of the memorandum.
85. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter
Source: Carter Library, Office of the Staff Secretary, Handwriting File, Presidential File, Box 89, Annapolis Speech: 6/7/78 [2]. Secret. The President did not initial the memorandum. According to Brzezinski, the President decided to deliver a formal speech on U.S.-Soviet relations: “After telling us that he expected all of us to hew to one line, and that Vance should be the principal public spokesman on foreign policy, he then proceeded to develop the draft of the speech entirely on his own.” (Power and Principle, p. 320) The President did, however, request that Brzezinski, Brown, Turner, and Vance provide him with speech outlines. Brown’s and Turner’s outlines, sent under June 2 cover memoranda, are in the Carter Library, Hertzberg Donated Historical Material, Speech Files, Box 5, Annapolis, June 7, 1978. For Vance’s points, outlined in a June 2 letter to Carter, see Document 86. Hertzberg and Doolittle’s suggested outline, sent to the President under a June 2 memorandum, is in the Carter Library, Hertzberg Donated Historical Material, Speech Files, Box 5, Annapolis, June 7, 1978.
86. Letter From Secretary of State Vance to President Carter
Source: Carter Library, Hertzberg Donated Historical Material, Speech Files, Box 5, Annapolis, June 7, 1978. No classification marking. There is no indication that the President saw this copy of the letter.
87. Address by President Carter
Source: Public Papers: Carter, 1978, Book I, pp. 1052–1057. The President spoke at the Naval Academy commencement exercises at 10:42 a.m. in the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. His address was broadcast live on radio and television. On the evening of June 4, the President met with Vance, Brown, Brzezinski, Jordan, Mondale, Young, and Turner to discuss the address. He recalled that they read through the individual paragraphs he had written: “There were no material changes, and we decided to put the paragraphs in the most effective order. I think it will be a good speech, tough but well-balanced.” (White House Diary, p. 199) In his diary entry for June 7, the President noted: “Reaction to the Soviet speech [at the Naval Academy] was good. It will provide a benchmark for our decisions in the future, and we’ve sent a copy of the speech to the State Department and all our embassies with the points to be emphasized. Most reporters played it tough, which is good. If it’s tough at home and the Soviets consider it mild, that’s perfect.” (Ibid.)
88. Address by the Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs (Holbrooke)
Source: Department of State Bulletin, August 1978, pp. 1–5. All brackets are in the original. Holbrooke delivered his address at the Western Governors’ Conference.
90. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Subject File, Box 26, Foreign Policy: 12/77–12/78. Secret. The President initialed the top right-hand corner of the memorandum. Brzezinski sent the memorandum to Carter under a June 19 note, indicating that 70 members of Congress would attend the meeting and inquiring as to whether or not Young should attend. According to the President’s Daily Diary, the meeting took place in the East Room of the White House on June 20 from 7:07 to 10:12 p.m. (Carter Library, Presidential Materials) Although no record of the meeting has been found, an article in the Chicago Tribune contains assessments of the meeting from three participants: Udall, Fascell, and Solarz. (“Carter displays united foreign policy front,” June 21, 1978, p. 6) Attached but not printed is a list of participants.