157. Memorandum From Secretary of State Vance to President Carter1
[Omitted here are items unrelated to East Africa.]
5. Uganda-Tanzania: We have confirmed the fighting along Uganda’s border with Tanzania.2 It now appears that Amin, using the excuse of an invasion from Tanzania, has launched an operation against dissident elements within his own army, stationed in the Ugandan-Tanzanian border area. A dissident unit fled toward the border pursued by Amin’s forces. Ugandan incursions into Tanzania, although apparently pressed forward in some force, were designed primarily to crush Ugandan dissidents and to stop Tanzania from resupplying the dissidents. Tanzanian forces have engaged the Ugandan units in an effort to contain the fighting and push Amin’s forces back. Nyerere has asked for British military equipment and the matter is under consideration in London. He has only asked us what economic measures we could take to restrain Amin.3 With the recently voted embargo against Uganda, there is little else we can do in this regard.
[Omitted here are items unrelated to East Africa.]
- Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Subject Files, Box 20, Evening Reports (State) 10/78. Secret. Carter initialed the memorandum and wrote “Cy” in the upper right corner.↩
- In telegram 4716 from Dar es Salaam, October 31, the Embassy reported that Nyerere had called U.K. High Commissioner Moon and Ambassador Spain to his residence to update them on the fighting at the Uganda-Tanzania border. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D780454–0871)↩
- In telegram 4718 from Dar es Salaam, October 31, the Embassy reported on Nyerere’s requests to the United Kingdom and the United States. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D780448–0724)↩