Strategic Arms Control and the Abortive Summit July-December 1968
278. Memorandum of Conversation Between Secretary of State Rusk and the Soviet Ambassador (Dobrynin)
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Rostow Files, Trip to Soviet Union. Secret; Nodis.
279. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL US–USSR. Confidential. Drafted by Beigel and approved in S on July 7.
280. Memorandum From the Executive Secretary of the Department of State (Read) to the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow)
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, USSR, Vol. XXI. Confidential.
281. Memorandum From the Deputy Director of the Office of National Estimates (Huizenga) to Director of Central Intelligence Helms
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, USSR, Vol. XXI. Secret; Eyes Only. Helms forwarded Huizenga’s memorandum to the President under cover of a July 16 memorandum that stated: “Walt Rostow and I have been discussing the significance of recent Soviet foreign policy moves in an effort to ascertain what coherence there might be when the principal ones are taken together. To this end, the attached paper has been drafted. It is a careful, balanced analysis with which I agree.” Rostow added his own covering memorandum to the President, dated July 16, in which he commented that the paper was “worth reading” and its author “a thoughtful and hardheaded fellow.” In a July 16 memorandum to Rostow, Helms noted that he had also sent a copy of the paper to Rusk but otherwise it would be given no distribution. (All ibid.)
282. Record of Meeting
Source: Johnson Library, Recordings and Transcripts, Recordings of Meetings in the Cabinet Room, Tape C043B–1D. No classification marking. The transcript of the tape was prepared in the Office of the Historian. A transcript of the meeting prepared by the President’s secretary, with some revisions made based on the tape, is printed in Foreign Relations, 1964–1968, vol. XVII, Document 75.
283. Memorandum of Conversation Between Secretary of State Rusk and the Soviet Ambassador (Dobrynin)
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Rostow Files, Rusk-Dobrynin. Top Secret; Nodis. Drafted by Rusk on August 16. Rostow pouched the memorandum to the President at the LBJ Ranch under an August 16 covering memorandum. The President flew to the ranch on August 2 and remained there until the afternoon of August 19.
284. Letter From the Under Secretary of State (Katzenbach) to the Deputy Secretary of Defense (Nitze)
Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 33–6 US–USSR. Secret; Limdis. A typed note on the letter reads: “Signed Original sent 8/19/68.”
285. Memorandum From Secretary of State Rusk to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, USSR, Vol. XXI. Confidential. Rostow forwarded the memorandum to President Johnson under cover of an August 20 memorandum in which he concurred in Rusk’s recommendation. Rostow’s memorandum is marked with a “ps,” indicating that the President saw it. A copy of the memorandum in State Department files indicates that it was drafted by T. R. Buchanan (SOV) and cleared by O/B, EUR/EX, SCA, and H. (National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, ORG 8 Moscow)
286. Telegram From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Rostow Files, Trip to Soviet Union. Top Secret; Sensitive; Literally Eyes Only For the President; Flash.
287. Message From Chairman Kosygin to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Rostow Files, Trip to Soviet Union. Secret; Nodis. The message is marked “Official Translation.” A handwritten note at the top of page 1 reads: “Orig[inal] to WWR[ostow] 8/20.”
288. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Rostow Files, Trip to Soviet Union. Top Secret; Literally Eyes Only.
290. Telegram From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson in Texas
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Rostow Files, Rusk-Dobrynin. Secret; Nodis; Literally Eyes Only for the President. The telegram is marked with a “ps,” indicating that the President saw it. The President was at the LBJ Ranch. He flew from Washington to Texas on August 23 and remained in Texas until September 3. (Ibid., President’s Daily Diary)
291. Telegram From the Executive Secretary of the National Security Council (Smith) to President Johnson in Texas
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Memos to the President—Walt W. Rostow, Vol. 92. Top Secret; Eyes Only.
292. Instructions for the Ambassador to the Soviet Union (Thompson)
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Rostow Files, Chlodnick File. Secret; Eyes Only. A list of documents in the Chlodnick File, prepared in the White House, identifies this paper as “Instructions for Amb. Thompson, September 5, 1968, in talking with Amb. Dobrynin.” Thompson met with the President and Rostow from 1–1:47 p.m. on September 5. The President’s Daily Diary records the following about the meeting: “Amb returns to Moscow next Monday or Tuesday … hopes to get guidance on how to respond when—as he expects—Soviet leaders ask him whether we are prepared to go forward on pending initiatives.” (Ibid.) For a memorandum of Thompson’s conversation with Dobrynin on September 6, see Document 293.
293. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Rostow Files, Chlodnick File. Secret; Nodis. Drafted by Thompson.
294. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Rostow Files, Chlodnick File. Confidential; Sensitive; Literally Eyes Only. The memorandum is marked with a “PS,” indicating that the President saw it.
295. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Rostow Files, Chlodnick File. Top Secret; Sensitive; For the Eyes of the President and Secretary of State Only. Forwarded by Rostow to the President under a covering memorandum, dated September 10, 2:30 p.m., in which he stated that he went over the memorandum in detail with Rusk at lunch on September 10. He also indicated that there were only two copies, the President’s and his, and there would be no copy in the State Department. A handwritten note on page 1of the memorandum states that Rusk did not keep a copy.
296. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Rostow Files, Chlodnick File. Top Secret; Sensitive; For the Eyes of the President and Secretary Rusk Only.
297. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Rostow Files, Chlodnick File. Top Secret; Literally Eyes Only.
298. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Rostow Files, Chlodnick File. Top Secret; Literally Eyes Only.
299. Memorandum From the Government of the United States to the Government of the Soviet Union
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Rostow Files, Chlodnick File. No classification marking. Rostow handed the memorandum to Dobrynin during a meeting that began at 6 p.m. on September 16; see Document 300.
300. Information Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Rostow Files, Chlodnick File. Literally Eyes Only for the President and Secretary Rusk.
301. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, FT 1 US–USSR. Limited Official Use. Drafted by Colbert.
302. Action Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs (Leddy) to Secretary of State Rusk
Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Bohlen Files: Lot 74 D 379, Dobrynin/Bohlen Memoranda of Conversation. Confidential. Drafted by T.R. Buchanan (SOV) and cleared by USIA.
303. Intelligence Memorandum
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vol. XXI. Confidential; No Foreign Dissem. Prepared by CIA’s Office of Current Intelligence and coordinated with the Office of National Estimates. In the National Security Council, copies went to Rostow, Bromley Smith, and Nathaniel Davis.
304. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Rostow Files, Rusk–Dobrynin. Top Secret; Nodis. Drafted by Leddy. Rostow forwarded the memorandum to the President under a September 26 covering memorandum that is marked with a “ps,” indicating that the President saw it.
305. Telegram From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson in Texas
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Rostow Files, Chlodnick File. Top Secret; Sensitive; Eyes Only; Literally Eyes Only for the President. The telegram is marked with a “ps,” indicating that the President saw it. The President flew to his Texas ranch on September 19 and returned to Washington on September 24. (Ibid., President’s Daily Diary)
306. Talking Paper Prepared in the Department of State
Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Conference Files: Lot 69 D 182, CF 316. Confidential. Prepared for Rusk’s briefing book for his meetings with Gromyko during the 23d Session of the UN General Assembly. Rusk went to New York for UNGA September 29 and returned to Washington October 8. (Johnson Library, Rusk Appointment Books)