Office of the Historian

Sources

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 Departmentʼs 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; the files of overseas diplomatic posts; and the sensitive intelligence files maintained in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research.

When this volume was compiled, all Department of State records consulted were still in the custody of the Department, and the footnotes citing Department of State files indicate that the Department is the repository. By the time of publication, however, all the Departmentʼs indexed central (or decimal) files for these years had been permanently transferred to the National Archives and Records Administration (Archives II) at College Park, Maryland. Many of the Departmentʼs 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 Departmentʼs 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 rec-ords. Presidential papers maintained and preserved at the Presidential libraries include some of the most significant foreign affairs-related documentation from other federal agencies, including the National Security Council, the Central Intelligence Agency, the Department of Defense, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Department of State historians also have access to records of the Department of Defense, particularly the records of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Secretaries of Defense and their major assistants.

The Central Intelligence Agency provides access to Department of State historians to high-level intelligence documents from those records in the custody of that Agency and at the Presidential libraries. This access is arranged and facilitated by the History Staff of the Center for the Study of Intelligence, Central Intelligence Agency, pursuant to a May 1992 memorandum of understanding. Department of State and CIA historians continue to work out the procedural and scholarly aspects of identifying the key portions of the intelligence record.

Intelligence-related material in this volume comes from the files of the Central Intelligence Agency—including the Deputy Directorate for [Page XVI] Operations, the Directorate for Intelligence, and the Directorʼs files—the valuable unretired historical files of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR/IL), the retired INR finished intelligence files for East Asia and the Pacific, and the papers at the Johnson Library. One extract from a CIA trip report by William Colby relating to Thailand is from the Harriman Papers at the Library of Congress.

The Department of State arranged for access to the audiotapes of President Johnsonʼs telephone conversations, which are held in the Johnson Library. This volume was able to use only the initial group of audiotapes available in 1995. Since 1995 additional tapes have been made available to the Office of the Historian. Within the tape collection, much of the material relating to Southeast Asia, Cambodia, and Thailand is discussed within the context of Vietnam. The two tapes in the second regional compilation, Documents 52 and 53, and the two in the Cambodia compilation, Documents 120 and 155, are representative of the kind of material that can be found in this audiotape collection. Tapes dealing with Vietnam are scheduled for publication in Foreign Relations, 1964–1968, volumes IV–VII. The transcripts prepared by the editor are not a substitute for listening to the tapes, where nuances of voice and inflection can be discerned. The tapes provide unique insights into President Johnsonʼs thinking and personal relations with his advisers. The Johnson Library is now in the process of releasing the entire collection of tapes.

Different sources proved useful for different compilations in this volume, but some general observations can be made. For the bilateral compilations (Burma, Cambodia, Thailand) the Department of State Central Files were most important single source, followed by the papers from the Johnson Library. Because of the strong Department of Defense interest in Southeast Asia, especially Thailand, the record of the Secretary of Defense (various OSD files) and the records of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs (various OASD/ISA files) were particularly useful. The Thailand compilation also has important documentation from the Official Records of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. For the regional compilations, the Department of State Conference and Visit files proved more useful than the Central Files.

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 these records is in process. Many of the records are already available for public review at the National Archives. The declassification review of other records is going forward in accordance with the [Page XVII] 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
    • AID (US) BURMA, U.S. aid to Burma
    • AID (US) THAI, U.S. aid to Thailand
    • AID (US) 10 THAI, strategic and political economic aid to Thailand
    • DEF 1 THAI–US, general U.S.-Thai defense policy and plans
    • DEF 1–1 ASIA, Contingency plans for the defense of Asia
    • DEF 4 ANZUS, U.S.-Australia-New Zealand collective defense
    • DEF 4 SEATO, Southeast Asia Treaty Organization collective defense
    • DEF 6 AUSTL, armed forces of Australia
    • DEF 6 THAI, armed forces of Thailand
    • DEF 6 US, U.S. armed forces
    • DEF 15 THAI–US, U.S. bases in Thailand
    • DEF 15–3 THAI–US, status of U.S. forces in Thailand
    • DEF 19 US–THAI, U.S. military assistance to Thailand
    • DEF 19–3 US–THAI, organizations and conferences on U.S. military assistance to Thailand
    • DEF 19–8 US–THAI, U.S. military equipment and supplies assistance to Thailand
    • E 11–2 MEKONG, development of the Mekong Rivers water resources
    • ORG 7 S, visits of Secretary Rusk
    • POL ASIA SE–USSR, general policy of the Soviet Union in Southeast Asia
    • POL AUSTL–US, general U.S.-Australian relations
    • POL BURMA–US, general U.S.-Burmese relations
    • POL CAMB, general policy and background on Cambodia
    • POL CAMB–US, general U.S.-Cambodian relations
    • POL CAMB–VIET N, general North Vietnamese-Cambodian relations
    • POL CAMB–VIET S, general relations between Cambodia and South Vietnam
    • POL FAR E–UK, general British policy in the Far East
    • POL MALAYSIA–SINGAPORE, general relations between Malaysia and Singapore
    • POL THAI, general policy and background on Thailand
    • POL THAI–US, general relations between Thailand and the United States
    • POL 1 ASIA, general policy and background on Asia
    • POL 1 ASIA–SE, general policy and background on Southeast Asia
    • POL 1 ASIA SE–CHICOM, general policy of China in Southeast Asia
    • POL 1 ASIA SE–US, general policy of the United States in Southeast Asia
    • POL 1 BURMA–US, general U.S.-Burmese relations
    • POL 1 CAMB, general policy and background on Cambodia
    • POL 1 CAMB–US, general U.S.-Cambodian relations
    • POL 1–2 THAI, joint weekly reports on Thailand
    • POL 2 CAMB, general reports on Cambodia
    • POL 7 AUSTL, high-level visits of Australian officials
    • POL 7 BURMA, visits of high-level Burmese officials
    • POL 7 BURMA–US, visits of high-level Burmese officials to the United States
    • POL 7 CAMB, visits of high-level Cambodian officials
    • POL 7 THAI, visits of high-level Thai officials
    • POL 7 US–HUMPHREY, visits of Vice President Humphrey
    • POL 8 ASIA SE, neutralism and non-alignment in Southeast Asia
    • POL 8 CAMB, neutralism and non-alignment of Cambodia
    • POL 12 THAI, political parties in Thailand
    • POL 14 THAI, elections in Thailand
    • POL 15–1 AUSTL, prime minister of Australia
    • POL 15–1 CAMB, head of state, prime minister of Cambodia
    • POL 15–5 THAI, prime minister of Thailand
    • POL 17 AUSTL–US, U.S. diplomatic representations to Australia
    • POL 17 CAMB–US, U.S. diplomatic relations with Cambodia
    • POL 23–1 THAI, internal security and counterinsurgency plans and programs in Thailand
    • POL 23–8 CAMB, internal security—demonstrations, riots, and protests in Cambodia
    • POL 23–9 THAI, riots and coups in Thailand
    • POL 26 THAI, pre-March 1965 insurgency in Thailand
    • POL 27 ASIA SE, military operations in Southeast Asia
    • POL 27 CAMB, military operations in Cambodia
    • POL 27 CAMB–VIET S, South Vietnamese military operations in Cambodia
    • POL 27 LAOS, military operations in Laos
    • POL 27 THAI, military operations in Thailand
    • POL 27 VIET S, military operations in South Vietnam
    • POL 27–13 ASIA SE, neutrality in Southeast Asia
    • POL 27–13 CAMB, neutrality declarations for Cambodia
    • POL 27–14 CAMB, truce, cease-fires, and armistices in Cambodia
    • POL 32–1 CAMB, boundary disputes, violations and incidents, Cambodia
    • POL 32–1 CAMB–LAOS, territorial and boundary disputes and incidents between Cambodia and Laos
    • POL 32–1 CAMB–VIET S, territorial disputes and incidents between Cambodia and South Vietnam
    • POL 32–1 CAMB–VIET S/UN, United Nations and Cambodian-South Vietnamese boundary disputes and incidents
    • SEATO 3, Southeast Asia Treaty Organization meetings
    • SEATO 3 PHIL (MA), Southeast Asia Treaty Organization meeting in Manila
    • SEATO 3 UK (LO), Southeast Asia Treaty Organization meeting in London
    • UN 3 SC, United Nations Security Council meetings
  • Department of State Lot Files
    • Ball Files: Lot 74 D 272
      • Files of Under Secretary of State George Ball, 1961–1969.
    • Bundy Files: Lot 85 D 240
      • Files of William P. Bundy, 1962–1970, largely covering the period when he was Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, 1964–1969.
    • Conference Files: Lot 66 D 110
      • International conferences and official visits, May 1961–December 1964.
    • Conference Files: Lot 66 D 347
      • International conferences and official visits 1965.
    • Conference Files: Lot 67 D 305
      • International conferences, January–October 1966.
    • Conference Files: Lot 67 D 586
      • International conferences, October 1966–June 1967.
    • Conference Files: Lot 68 D 453
      • International conferences, May 1967–January 1968.
    • INR/EAP Files: Lots 90 D 99 and 90 D 110
      • Bureau of Intelligence National Intelligence Estimates and Special National Intelligence estimates and related documentation on East Asia and the Pacific, 1952–1985.
    • INR/EAP Files: Lot 90 D 165
      • Bureau of Intelligence National Intelligence Estimates and Special National Intelligence estimates and related documentation on East Asia and the Pacific, 1960–1986.
    • INR/IL Historical Files
      • Intelligence files, including the records of the Special Group/303 Committee, as maintained by the Office of Intelligence Liaison, Bureau of Intelligence and Research.
    • S/S-Special Group (CI) Files: Lot 68 D 451
      • Files of the Special Group (CI) for 1962–1964.
    • Visits Files: Lot 67 D 587
      • Official visits to the United States, October 1966–May 1967.
    • Visits Files: Lot 68 D 475
      • Official visits to the United States, June 1967–November 1967.
    • Visits Files: Lot 70 D 418
      • Official visits to the United States, January 1968–December 1969.
  • Central Intelligence Agency
    • DDO/EA Files: Job 78–000032R
      • Files of the East Asia Division of the Deputy Directorate for Operations.
    • DCI Files, Job 80–B01285A
      • Files of Director of Central Intelligence John A. McCone (1961–1965) William F. Rayborn (1965–1966), and Richard M. Helms (1966–1973).
    • DCI/Executive Registry Files, Job 80–B01676R
      • Files of the Office of the Director of Central Intelligence.
    • O/DDI Registry, Job 79–R01012A
      • Registry of National Intelligence Estimates and Special National Intelligence Estimates as maintained by the Deputy Directorate for Intelligence.
  • Johnson Library
    • National Security File
      • Agency File: SEATO, SIG
      • Country File: Australia, Burma, Cambodia, Laos, New Zealand, Thailand, Vietnam
    • Special Head of State Correspondence
    • Files of McGeorge Bundy
    • Files of Robert W. Komer
    • Files of Walt Rostow
    • International Meetings and Travel File
    • Memos to the President
    • Name File
    • NSAM File
    • Special Files
      • Presidentʼs Daily Appointments
      • Clifford Papers
      • Ball Papers
      • Tom Johnson Meeting Notes
      • John McCone Memoranda of Meetings with the President
      • Meeting Notes File
      • Records of Telephone Conversations
      • Warnke Papers,
      • McNaughton Files
      • Transcripts of Telephone Conversations, Alpha Series
  • Washington National Records Center, Suitland, Maryland
    • RG 330 Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Deputy Secretary, and the Assistant Secretaries of State for Internal Security Affairs
      • OASD/ISA Files: FRC 68 A 306 and FRC 68 A 4023
        • ISA secret and top secret subject decimal files for 1964.
      • OASD/ISA Files: FRC 70 A 1265 and FRC 70 A 1266
        • Official secret and top secret decimal files of the Secretary of Defense, Under Secretary of Defense, and their special assistants for 1965.
      • OASD/ISA Files: FRC 70 A 3717 and FRC 70 A 5127
        • ISA secret and top secret subject decimal files for 1965.
      • OASD/ISA Files: FRC 70 A 6648 and FRC 70 A 6649
        • ISA secret and top secret subject decimal files for 1966.
      • OASD/ISA Files: FRC 71 A 4546 and FRC 71 A 4919
        • ISA secret and top secret subject decimal files for 1967.
      • OASD/ISA Files: FRC 72 A 1498
        • ISA secret subject decimal files for 1968.
      • OSD Files: FRC: 69 D 7425
        • Official secret and top secret subject decimal files of the Secretary of Defense, Deputy Secretary of Defense, and special their assistants, 1964.
      • OSD Files, FRC 70 A 4443 and FRC 70 A 4662
        • Official secret and top secret subject decimal files of the Secretary of Defense, Under Secretary of Defense, and their special assistants for 1966.
      • OSD Files: FRC 72 A 2467 and OSD Files: FRC 72 A 2468
        • Official secret and top secret subject decimal files of the Secretary of Defense, Under Secretary of Defense, and their special assistants for 1967.
      • OSD Files: FRC 73 A 1250
        • Official secret subject decimal files of the Secretary of Defense, Under Secretary of Defense, and their special assistants for 1968.
  • Department of Defense
    • Records of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, JCS Official Records
  • Library of Congress, Manuscript Division
    • Harriman Papers, Kennedy and Johnson Administrations

Published Documentary Collections

  • U.S. Department of State. American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1964, 1965, 1967. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office.
    • ———Department of State Bulletin. 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office.
  • U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office.