346. Telegram From the Consulate in Elisabethville to the Department of State1
Unnumbered. Saw Tshombe 1100 today to make demarche contained Department telegram 450.2 Added as personal viewpoint, with regard his remarks on possible demolition of transport, production facilities in Katanga,3 that such acts of destruction would deprive entire Congolese people as well as Katanga population of important source livelihood, believed that world public opinion would not understand such facts sabotage, political future of Katangan Government could be gravely endangered as result. Also mentioned story of Tarquin [and] Cumaean Sibyl to make point that as present developments continue, Tshombe could not count indefinitely on as favorable conditions as contained in plan.
Tshombe laconic, self-contained, dogged. Said could not and would not accept threats. Said Adoula’s problems result his own incapacity to rule, were not reflection Katanga problem; he had made two serious mistakes on arrest of deputies and declaration of emergency Léopoldville and had been justifiably attacked for that reason. U.S. was creating conditions for communism in Congo supporting unpopular government in face general opposition, thus making anti-Americanism widespread sentiment in Congo, in turn preparing ground for Soviets.
Tshombe said demolition measures had been taken long ago and were not recent. Declared Katanga population fed up with entire situation of threats and pressures, would go ahead on own to destroy facilities; he could not stop them if he wanted to. “Everything will be destroyed, everything.” His place as a chief was in front ranks his people and he ready to die with them. Stated Kongolo again under attack by ANC—that had to be his answer oath-taking. Said he did not consider [Page 705] Kasavubu speech to be amnesty. Had talked on telephone yesterday to Mwambe Bertin, President of Assembly. Latter told him no draft whatever of amnesty had been presented to Assembly and that Kasavubu merely read speech telegraphed to him from New York.
I said no one wanted destroy Tshombe in personal or political sense; our sole interest stable Congo through application UN plan. He mature man, experienced politician, would recognize that forces ranged against him greater than own, make best deal possible; none of the measures we had suggested would damage his position. Tshombe said he would carefully consider points in demarche but concluded by stating twice that, in name Katangan people he would not accept “threats of measure” contained my presentation.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 770G.00/11–3062. Secret; Priority. Repeated to Léopoldville, USUN, and Brussels. The source text indicates that the telegram was received on November 30 but does not indicate the time of transmission or receipt. A note on the source text indicates the telegram was received by Godley’s office “through other channels” by telephone. The text was repeated in telegram 858 from Elisabethville, December 5. (Ibid., 770G.00/12–562)↩
- Telegram 450, November 28, instructed Dean to approach Tshombe as soon as possible and urge him to send officers to Léopoldville to take an oath of loyalty to the Congolese Government as he had promised McGhee he would do when the government issued a proclamation of amnesty. Dean was to point out that growing U.N. pressures might compel Thant to resort to “vigourous steps” unless Tshombe made substantial progress on the U.N. plan promptly and that the United States would support Thant in the implementation of the plan “even if measures we have so far been anxious to avoid become necessary.” (Ibid., 770G.00/11–2862)↩
- See Document 341.↩