Office of the Historian

List of Sources

  • Department of State
  • Indexed Central Files. The Department of State used the decimal central file system through January 1963, when it changed to a subject-numeric central filing system. The decimal central files were a major source for this volume of documents through January 1963. The following are the most important files cited:
    • 033.1100-McN: foreign visits by Secretary of Defense McNamara
    • 033.51J11: visits of Lao officials to the United States
    • 110.11–RU: foreign travel by Secretary of State Rusk
    • 396.1: international meetings (followed by abbreviated location of meeting)
    • 397: SEATO affairs
    • 611.51J: U.S.-Laos political relations
    • 611.61: U.S.-Soviet Union relations
    • 711.537-Bailey, Lawrence R.: individual POW file
    • 751J.00: political developments in Laos
    • 751J.5: defense affairs in Laos
    • 751J.51: Lao defenses
    • 751J.56: military equipment and sales to Laos
    • 790.00: political developments in the Far East
    • 792.13: meetings of the Thai Government
    • 811.0051J: U.S. aid to Laos
    • 851J.10: financial matters in Laos
    • 851J.501: Lao national police
    • 851J.511: Lao police organization
  • Subject-Numeric Indexed Central Files. On February 1, 1963, the Department of State began a new central filing system. The subject-numeric system was divided into broad categories: Administration, Consular, Culture and Information, Economic, Political and Defense, Science, and Social. Within these categories were subject subcategories and then numerical subdivisions. The most important subject-numeric files used in this volume are:
    • POL Laos: general policy and background
    • POL 7 Laos: visits and meetings between U.S. and Lao officials
    • POL 7 US/Harriman: visits and meetings of W. Averell Harriman
    • POL 15 Laos: Lao governmental affairs
    • POL 15–1 Laos: Lao head of state
    • POL 27 Laos: military operations
    • POL 27–14 Laos: truce, cease-fire, armistice
    • DEF 6–7: Lao armed forces
    • DEF 12 Laos: armaments
    • DEF 19 US-Laos: U.S.-Lao defense policy and plans
    • DEF 19–2 Laos-Thai: reports and statistics on Lao-Thai defense plans
    • DEF 19–3 US-Laos: military organizations and conferences
  • Lot Files. Documents from the central files have been supplemented by materials from the decentralized office files, the lot files of the Department of State. For Embassy Files used or consulted, see under Washington National Records Center. The most important lot files used or consulted for this volume are:
  • Conference Files: Lot 65 D 366
    • Documentation on official visits to the United States by heads of government and foreign ministers and on international conferences attended by the President, Secretary of State, and Under Secretary of State for 1961.
  • Conference Files: Lot 65 D 533
    • Documentation on official visits to the United States by heads of state and foreign ministers and on international conferences attended by the President, Secretary of State, and Under Secretary of State for 1962.
  • EA/Laos Files: Lot 66 D 457
    • Laos Desk files for 1962.
  • EA/Laos Files: Lot 68 D 73
    • Laos Desk files for 1963.
  • EA/Laos Files: Lot 68 D 77
    • Top secret files of the Bureau of Far Eastern (later East Asian) Affairs for 1955–1961.
  • FE/SEA (Laos) Files: Lot 65 D 169
    • Laos Desk files for 1961.
  • INR–NIE Files
    • Copies of National Intelligence Estimates and Special National Intelligence Estimates maintained by the Bureau of Intelligence and Research. Retired by INR as INR/EAP Files: Lots 90 D 99 and 90 D 110.
  • L/EA Files: Lot 70 D 453
    • Records of the Geneva Conference on Laos including verbatim records of restricted and plenary sessions and many, but not all, of the related conference documents and papers.
  • Presidential Correspondence: Lot 77 D 163
    • Special U.S.–USSR correspondence, 1961–1964, including the Kennedy-Khrushchev “Pen Pal” series.
  • Rusk Files: Lot 72 D 192
    • Files of Secretary of State Dean Rusk, 1961–1969, including his memoranda of telephone conversations.
  • Secretary’s Memoranda of Conversation: Lot 65 D 330
    • Memoranda of conversation of the Secretary of State and the Under Secretary of State, 1961–1964.
  • S/S Files: Lot 66 D 147
    • Chronologies, minutes, studies, and briefing materials used by the Secretaries of State and Under Secretaries, 1953–1965. Includes records of the Secretary of State’s staff meetings, 1961–1963, and memoranda of telephone conversations of Under Secretary Ball.
  • S/S–NSC Files: Lot 72 D 316
    • Master file of National Security Action Memoranda (NSAMs), 1961–1968, maintained by the Executive Secretariat.
  • S/S–NSC (Miscellaneous) Files: Lot 66 D 95
    • Administrative and miscellaneous national security documentation, including National Security Council records of action, 1947–1963, maintained by the Executive Secretariat.
  • Department of Defense (see also entries under Washington National Records Center)
  • Office of the Secretary of Defense, Historian’s Office, Secretary of Defense’s Cable Files
    • Telegrams to and from the Secretary of Defense as maintained by the Historian’s Office, Department of Defense.
  • National Archives and Records Administration
  • JCS Records
    • Record Group 218, Records of the Joint Staff and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs.
  • Washington National Records Center, Suitland, Maryland
  • Record Group 84, Records of the Foreign Service Posts of the United States
  • Bangkok Embassy Files: FRC 68 A 5612
    • Files of the Embassy in Bangkok for 1956–1961.
  • Vientiane Embassy Files: FRC 68 A 1814
    • Files of the Embassy in Vientiane for 1962.
  • Vientiane Embassy Files: FRC 66 A 335
    • Files of the Embassy in Vientiane for 1962–1963.
  • Vientiane Embassy Files: FRC 71 A 4638
    • Files of the Embassy in Vientiane for 1963–1967.
  • Record Group 330, Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense
  • OSD/A Sensitive Files: FRC 71 A 6489
    • Files of Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara for 1961–1968.
  • OASD/ISA Files: FRC 64 A 2382
    • Files of the Assistant Secretary of Defense, International Security Affairs, for 1961.
  • OASD/ISA Files: FRC 65 A 3501
    • Files of the Assistant Secretary of Defense, International Security Affairs, for 1962.
  • OSD Files: FRC 66 A 3542
    • Official Records of the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Defense for 1962.
  • Eisenhower Library, Abilene, Kansas
  • Herter Papers
    • Papers of Christian A. Herter, Secretary of State, 1959–1961.
  • Post-Presidential Papers
    • Papers of President Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1961–1969.
  • Staff Secretary Records
    • From the White House Office Files, Records of the Office of the White House Staff Secretary, 1952–1961.
  • White House Office Files
    • Several White House Office collections, including Project Clean Up.
  • Whitman File
    • Papers of Dwight D. Eisenhower as President, 1953–1961, maintained by his personal secretary, Ann C. Whitman. The Whitman File includes the following elements: Name Series, Dulles-Herter Series, DDE Diaries, Ann Whitman (ACW) Diaries, NSC Records, Miscellaneous Records, Cabinet Papers, Legislative Meetings, International Meetings, Administration Series, and International File.
  • John F. Kennedy Library, Boston, Massachusetts
  • George W. Ball Papers
    • Transcripts of telephone conversations.
  • Papers of John F. Kennedy, Presidential Papers
  • National Security Files
    • Country Series, Laos.
    • Meetings and Memoranda Series.
    • Regional Security Series, Southeast Asia.
  • President’s Appointment Books
  • President’s Office Files
    • Countries, Laos Security.
  • Arthur M. Schlesinger Papers
    • Subject file: Southeast Asia.
  • Lyndon B. Johnson Library, Austin, Texas
  • Vice Presidential Security File
    • National Security Council, 1961–1963.
  • Papers of Lyndon B. Johnson, Presidential Papers
  • National Security File, Country File, Laos
  • Rusk Appointment Books
  • National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
  • Taylor Papers
    • Papers of Maxwell D. Taylor, Military Adviser to the President, 1961–1962, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, 1962–1964.
  • Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Washington, D.C.
  • Harriman Papers
    • Special Files of W. Averell Harriman, Public Service, Kennedy and Johnson administrations.