Office of the Historian

Sources

Sources for the Foreign Relations Series

The Foreign Relations statute requires that the published record in the Foreign Relations series include all records needed to provide comprehensive documentation on major U.S. foreign policy decisions and significant U.S. diplomatic activity. It further requires that government agencies, departments, and other entities of the U.S. Government engaged in foreign policy formulation, execution, or support cooperate with the Department of State Historian by providing full and complete access to records pertinent to foreign policy decisions and actions and by providing copies of selected records. Many of the sources consulted in the preparation of this volume have been declassified and are available for review at the National Archives and Records Administration.

The editors of the Foreign Relations series have complete access to all the retired records and papers of the Department of State: the central files of the Department; the special decentralized files (“lot files”) of the Department at the bureau, office, and division levels; the files of the Department’s Executive Secretariat, which contain the records of international conferences and high-level official visits, correspondence with foreign leaders by the President and Secretary of State, and memoranda of conversations between the President and Secretary of State and foreign officials; and the files of overseas diplomatic posts. All the Department’s indexed central files for these years have been permanently transferred to the National Archives and Records Administration (Archives II) at College Park, Maryland. Many of the Department’s decentralized office (or lot) files covering this period, which the National Archives deems worthy of permanent retention, are in the process of being transferred from the Department’s custody to Archives II.

The editors of the Foreign Relations series also have full access to the papers of President Johnson and other White House foreign policy records. Presidential papers maintained and preserved at the Presidential libraries include some of the most significant foreign affairs-related documentation from the Department of State and other Federal agencies including the National Security Council, the Central Intelligence Agency, the Department of Defense, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Sources for Foreign Relations, 1964–1968, Volume XII

In preparing this volume, the editor made extensive use of Presidential papers and other White House records at the Lyndon B. Johnson Library. The bulk of the foreign policy records at the Johnson Library [Page XIV] are in the Country Files and other component parts of the National Security File, such as Head of State Correspondence.

Equal in importance to the White House records at the Johnson Library were the records of the Department of State. The Department’s central files contain the cable traffic recording U.S. diplomatic relations; memoranda of diplomatic conversations; and memoranda proposing action or providing information. Some important documents are found only in the Department’s lot files. The Conference Files maintained by the Executive Secretariat contain briefing materials as well as records of conversations. Documentation on initiatives that were not approved is often found only in desk or bureau files.

This volume includes a number of intelligence records. Among the intelligence records reviewed for the volume were those in country and intelligence files at the Johnson Library, the files of the Directors of Central Intelligence, especially John McCone, CIA intelligence reports and summaries, retired files of the Department of State’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research containing National Intelligence Estimates, and the INR Historical Files.

The Central Intelligence Agency provides the Department of State historians access to intelligence documents from records in its custody and at the Presidential libraries. This access is arranged and facilitated by the CIA’s History Staff, part of the Center for the Study of Intelligence, pursuant to a May 1992 memorandum of understanding.

Almost all of this documentation has been made available for use in the Foreign Relations series thanks to the consent of the agencies mentioned, the assistance of their staffs, and especially the cooperation and support of the National Archives and Records Administration.

The following list identifies the particular files and collections used in the preparation of this volume. The declassification and transfer to the National Archives of the Department of State records is in process, and many of these records are already available for public review at the National Archives. The declassification review of other records is going forward in accordance with the provisions of Executive Order 12958, under which all records over 25 years old, except file series exemptions requested by agencies and approved by the President, should be reviewed for declassification by 2000.

Unpublished Sources

  • Department of State
    • Central Files. See National Archives and Records Administration below.
    • Lot Files. These files have been transferred or will be transferred to the National Archives and Records Administration at College Park, Maryland, Record Group 59. See National [Page XV] Archives and Records Administration below for a description of those Department of State lot files that have already been transferred.
    • Bruce Diaries: Lot 64 D 327
      • Files of Ambassador David K.E. Bruce, 1948-1974.
    • EUR/CAN Files: Lot 70 D 89
      • Political files (Canadian Relations with the United States), 1967.
    • EUR/SPP Files: Lot 70 D 35
      • Spanish political and economic files, 1967; Spanish political files, 1965, 1966.
    • EUR/SPP Files: Lot 71 D 32
      • Spanish political and economic files, 1968 and 1969.
    • EUR/WE Files: Lot 72 D 441
      • French Desk files, political files relating to France, 1958-1964.
    • EUR/WE Files: Lot 72 D 509
      • General subject files on Italian affairs, 1950-1972.
    • EUR/WE Files: Lot 73 D 167
      • Denmark subject files, internal memos, and political affairs, 1959-1972.
    • INR Files
      • Records of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research for Italy, 1963-1964.
    • INR Files
      • Records of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research, 303 Committee Records.
    • Madrid Post Files: Lot 71 A 2420
      • Records relating to the Palomares incident, 1966-1968.
    • SIG Files: Lot 74 D 355
      • Records of the Senior Interdepartmental Group for Europe, 1967-1968.
  • National Archives and Records Administration, College Park, Maryland
    • Record Group 59, Records of the Department of State
      • Central Files
        • AID PORT: aid to Portugal, general policy, plans, coordination
        • AID (SP): aid to Spain, general policy, plans, coordination
        • AID (US): general U.S. aid policy, plans, coordination
        • AV 12-2 S AFR: sale, purchase, or transfer of aircraft and aeronautical equipment to South Africa
        • DEF (MLF): Defense affairs, multilateral force
        • DEF 1 UK: defense policy, plans and readiness, United Kingdom
        • DEF 4 NATO: North Atlantic Treaty Organization, collective defense pacts and alliances
        • DEF 4 SP-US: collective defense pacts and alliances, Spain-U.S.
        • DEF 6 IT: armed forces, Italy
        • DEF 6 UK: armed forces, United Kingdom
        • DEF 6-1 UK: army, United Kingdom
        • DEF 12-5 GER-PORT: procurement and sale of armaments, Germany-Portugal
        • DEF 12-5 IT: procurement and sale of armaments, Italy
        • DEF 12-5 PORT: procurement and sale of armaments, Portugal
        • DEF 14-5 SP-US: use of armed forces for peaceful purposes, Spain-U.S.
        • DEF 15 SP-US: bases and installations, Spain-U.S.
        • DEF 15-4 FR-US: bases and installations, agreements and leases, France-U.S.
        • DEF 15-4 GREENLAND: bases and installations agreements and leases, Greenland
        • DEF 15-4 SP-US: bases and installations agreements and leases, Spain-U.S.
        • DEF 19-3 PORT-US: military assistance, organizations and conferences, Portugal-U.S.
        • DEF 12 UK: armaments, United Kingdom
        • DEF 12-5 UK: procurement and sale of armaments, United Kingdom
        • DEF 17 US: military transportation, U.S.
        • DEF 17-1 US: flight clearances, U.S.
        • DEF 19-3 US-PORT: organizations and conferences relating to military assistance, U.S.-Portugal
        • ECIN 3 EEC: organizations and conferences, European Economic Community (Common Market)
        • ECIN 6 EEC-SP: Spanish membership in the European Economic Community
        • EEC 3: organizations and conferences, European Economic Community
        • FN 6-1 CUBA: credits, loans to Cuba
        • FN 12 US: balance of payments, U.S.
        • FN 17 UK: money, currency, United Kingdom
        • HLTH 10 SP: radiation hazards and effects, Spain
        • NATO 3 LUX: North Atlantic Treaty Organization meetings, Luxembourg
        • NATO 6 SP: North Atlantic Treaty Organization commitments, Spain
        • NATO 17-1: North Atlantic Treaty Organization, flight clearances
        • ORG 7 S: visits of the Secretary of State
        • ORG 7 TR: visits, travel requests
        • POL 1 AFR-FR: political affairs, general policy and background, Africa-France
        • POL 1 ALG: political affairs, general policy and background, Algeria
        • POL 1 CAN-CHICOM: political affairs, general policy and background, Canada-Chinese Communists
        • POL 1 FR: political affairs, general policy and background, France
        • POL 1 FR-US: political affairs, general policy and background, France-U.S.
        • POL 1 IT: political affairs, general policy and background, Italy
        • POL 1 IT-US: political affairs, general policy and background, Italy-U.S.
        • POL 1 PORT: political affairs, general policy and background, Portugal
        • POL 1 SP: political affairs, general policy and background, Spain
        • POL 1 UK: political affairs, general policy and background, United Kingdom
        • POL 3-8 CAN-US: organizations and alignments, Canada-U.S.
        • POL 4 FR-US: agreements, treaties, France-U.S.
        • POL 5 IT: law, Italy
        • POL 7 FR: visits, meetings, French officials
        • POL 7 IT: visits, meetings, Italy
        • POL 7 SP: visits, meetings, Spain
        • POL 7 UK: visits, meetings, United Kingdom
        • POL 7 US/HARRIMAN: visits, meetings of W. Averell Harriman
        • POL 10 PORT: colonialism, imperialism, Portugal
        • POL 12 IT: political parties, Italy
        • POL 12 UK: political parties, United Kingdom
        • POL 15 FR: central government affairs, France
        • POL 15 IT: central government affairs, Italy
        • POL 15 SP-US: central government affairs, Spain-U.S.
        • POL 15 UK: central government affairs, United Kingdom
        • POL 15-1 FR: Head of State, executive branch, France
        • POL 15-1 IT: Head of State, executive branch, Italy
        • POL 15-1 PORT: Head of State, executive branch, Portugal
        • POL 15-1 UK: Head of State, executive branch, United Kingdom
        • POL 16 CHICOM: recognition, Chinese Communists
        • POL 17 FR-US: diplomatic and consular representation, France-U.S.
        • POL 17 SP-US: diplomatic and consular representation, Spain-U.S.
        • POL 17-5 US-SP: diplomatic changes in status, arrivals and departures, U.S.-Spain
        • POL 18 GIB: provincial, municipal, and state government, Gibraltar
        • POL 19 GIB: government of dependencies, Gibraltar
        • POL 19 PORT: government of dependencies, Portugal
        • POL 23-9 THE CONGO: rebellion, coups, The Congo
        • POL 27 VIET S: military operations, South Vietnam
        • POL 30 ANG: defectors and expellees, Angola
        • POL 32-4 GER: unification of territories, Germany
        • POL 33-4 CAN: territorial waters, Canada
        • POL 33-4 CAN-US: territorial waters, Canada-U.S.
        • POL 33-4 SP-US/SATRUSTEGUI: high seas waters, boundaries, Spain-U.S./Satrustegui
        • POL 33-6 CUBA: high seas waters and boundaries, Cuba
        • POL 33-8 CAN-US: Law of the Sea, Canada-U.S.
        • POL CAN-US: general political affairs and relations, Canada-U.S.
        • POL CHICOM-IT: general political affairs and relations, Chinese Communists-Italy
        • POL FR-NETH: general political affairs and relations, France-Netherlands
        • POL FR-US: general political affairs and relations, France-U.S.
        • POL IT-US: general political affairs and relations, Italy-U.S.
        • POL PORT-US: general political affairs and relations, Portugal-U.S.
        • POL SP-US: general political affairs and relations, Spain-U.S.
        • POL UK-US: general political affairs and relations, United Kingdom-U.S.
        • POL VIET S: general political affairs and relations, South Vietnam
        • PS 8-4 SP-US: protection of property, seizure, damage, Spain-US.
        • SOC 12-2 PORT: missionaries, Portugal
        • STR 10 CUBA: transportation controls, Cuba
        • STR 12-3 CUBA-FR: shipments of non-U.S. origin goods, Cuba-France
        • STR 13-1 USSR-MOZ: Consultative Group operations, meetings, and actions, USSR-Mozambique
      • Lot Files
        • Ball Papers: Lot 74 D 272
          • Files of Under Secretary of State George Ball, 1961-1966.
        • Bohlen Papers: Lot 74 D 379
          • Files of Ambassador Charles E. Bohlen, 1942-1970.
        • Conference Files: Lot 66 D 110
          • Collection of documentation on international conferences abroad attended by the President, the Secretary of State, and other U.S. officials, May 1961-December 1964.
        • Conference Files: Lot 66 D 347
          • Collection of documentation on official visits by heads of government and foreign ministers to the United States and on trips taken and international conferences attended by the Secretary of State and other U.S. officials for 1965.
        • Conference Files: Lot 67 D 305
          • Collection of documentation on international conferences abroad attended by the President, the Secretary of State, and other U.S. officials, January-October 1966.
        • Conference Files: Lot 67 D 586
          • Collection of documentation on official visits by heads of government and foreign ministers to the United States and on trips taken and international conferences attended by the Secretary of State and other U.S. officials, September 1966-April 1967.
        • Copenhagen Post Files: FRC Acc. 84-77-001
          • Records relating to the Thule, Greenland air crash, 1968.
        • EUR/AIS Files: Lot 68 D 436
          • Selected Political, Defense, and Economic Files for Italy, 1961-1965.
        • EUR/CAN Files: Lot 69 D 35
          • General political files for Canada, 1966.
        • EUR/SPP Files: Lot 68 D 401
          • Portuguese Desk Files, 1958-1965.
        • Presidential Correspondence: Lot 66 D 204
          • Exchanges of correspondence between the President and heads of foreign governments, 1953-1964.
        • Presidential Correspondence: Lot 67 D 272
          • Exchanges of correspondence between the President and heads of foreign governments, 1966.
        • Secretary’s Memoranda of Conversation: Lot 65 D 330
          • Memoranda of conversation of the Secretary and Under Secretary of State, 1961-1964, as maintained by the Executive Secretariat.
        • Secretary’s Staff Meetings: Lot 66 D 147
          • Minutes of the Secretary of State’s staff meetings, 1961-1964.
        • S/P Files: Lot 74 D 344
          • Senior Interdepartmental Group memos, agenda, and correspondence, January 1968-December 1969.
        • S/S-I Files: Lot 72 D 316
          • Master file of National Security Action Memoranda (NSAMs), 1961-1968, maintained by the Executive Secretariat.
        • S/S-NSC Files: Lot 70 D 265
          • Master set of papers pertaining to the National Security Council meetings, including policy papers, position papers, and administrative documents, 1961-1966.
        • S/S-S Files: Lot 70 D 263
          • Senior Interdepartmental Group memos, agenda, record agreements, and policy documents, March 1968-January 1969.
  • Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Washington, D.C.
    • Harriman Papers
      • Special files of W. Averell Harriman, Public Service Files, Special Public Service Files, Kennedy and Johnson Administrations, Mission Files
    • Lyndon B. Johnson Library, Austin, Texas
      • Papers of President Lyndon B. Johnson
        • National Security File
          • Country File
          • Head of State Correspondence File
          • International Meetings and Travel File
          • Memos to the President
          • National Security Council Meetings File
          • Special Head of State Correspondence File
        • Special Files
          • President’s Daily Diary
        • White House Central Files
      • Other Personal Papers
        • Papers of Francis M. Bator
        • Papers of Henry H. Fowler

Published Sources

  • U.S. Government Documentary Collections
    • U.S. Department of State. Department of State Bulletin, 1963-1968. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1963-1968.
    • __________. American Foreign Policy: Basic Documents, 1941-1949. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1950.
    • __________. American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1967-1969.
    • U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: John F. Kennedy, 1963. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1964.
    • __________. Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1963-64, 1965, 1967, 1968-69. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1965-1969.

Memoirs

  • Alphand, Hervé. L’Etonnement d’étre: Journal, 1939-1973. Paris: Fayard, 1977.
  • Califano, Joseph A. The Triumph and Tragedy of Lyndon B. Johnson: The White House Years. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1991.
  • Couve de Murville, Maurice. Une politique étrangére, 1958-1969. Paris: Plon, 1971.
  • De Gaulle, Charles. Discours et Messages, 1940-1946. Paris: Editions Berger-Levrault, 1946.
  • __________. The Complete War Memoirs. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1964.
  • Johnson, Lyndon B. The Vantage Point: Perspectives of the Presidency, 1963-1969. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1971.
  • Nenni, Pietro. La battaglia socialista per la svolta a sinistra nella terza legislatura, 1958-1963. Milano: Edizioni Avanti, 1963.
  • Pearson, Lester B. Mike: The Memoirs of the Right Honorable Lester B. Pearson. New York: Quadrangle Books, 1972
  • Ritchie, Charles. Storm Signals: More undiplomatic diaries, 1962-1971. Toronto: Macmillan, 1983.
  • Valenti, Jack. A Very Human President. New York: W.W. Norton, 1975.
  • Wilson, Harold. The Chariot of Israel: Britain, America, and the State of Israel. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1981.
  • __________. The Labour Government, 1964-1970: A Personal Record. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1981.
  • Zuckerman, Sir Solly. Monkeys, Men and Missiles: An Autobiography, 1946-1988. New York: W.W. Norton, 1988.