Office of the Historian

97. Memorandum for the Record1

Washington, May 26, 1965, 5:35–6:45 p.m.

SUBJECT

  • White House Meeting on the Dominican Republic, 26 May 1965—5:30 p.m. (DCI was accompanied by Mr. FitzGerald)

Bundyʼs remarks:

1.

Forms of assurance of Commies.

Forms of assurance on Military commander and police. These are critical and will be essential.

2.
Imbert actively promoting his cause.
3.
Reason to believe an Imbert solution would be distasteful to OAS and charges that U.S. installed him.
4.
We may be forced to accept an “Imbert” solution vis-a-vis Constitutional one.
5.
The rebels, however, will probably violently oppose.
6.
There is every reason to improve OASʼs image. Mora has increased posture.
7.
Mora feels that U.S. must be right by his side when negotiating.
8.
Cables of past 2–3 days2 are important—people are most eager to get “normalcy” back earliest. (Banks), etc.
9.
If “normalcy” could be brought back—we could have a tripartite state.
10.
Mayobre seems to be eager to pull off a “rebel” solution and frustrate U.S.
11.
President wanted to know the number of arms passed out plus those now available. Can we get number from Cabral Reid?
12.
Troop withdrawal proposed by SecDef
21,000 (-) 1600—19,400
1500 more—Saturday3 } held in abeyance at this time
4500—Saturday, Tuesday4 2000—more by June 9

This not yet approved in toto.

13.5

a. Positioning ships.

b. Visit of ambassador6

c. Breakdown of law and order

d. Ambassador under desk calling for his secretary to take cover, being shot at, called for assistance as military running up and down hotel shooting with tommyguns among Americans huddled there in grave danger.

e. 600 troops landed to protect Embassy and American life at hotel—at the same time notifying OAS and asking for their help.

f. Further breakdown of law and order due to complete collapse of police.

g. Evening of 28th of April two hard core Commies seen by most reliable source participating with rebels, exhorting crowds and passing out weapons.

h. Morning of 29th of April, 8 more Commies were surfaced.

  1. Source: Central Intelligence Agency, Executive Registry Files, Job 80–R01580R, Box 15, Dominican Republic, Folder 302. Secret; Eyes Only. Prepared by Raborn on May 28. The time is from the Presidentʼs Daily Diary. (Johnson Library) The following were present: President Johnson, Rusk, McNamara, Ball, Vaughn, Bunker, Raborn, Fortas, Bundy, Moyers, Desmond FitzGerald, Dick Goodwin, Horace Busby, George Reedy, and Bromley Smith. (Johnson Library) Valentiʼs handwritten notes of this meeting are ibid., Office of the President File, Valenti Meeting Notes.↩
  2. Not further identified.↩
  3. May 29.↩
  4. June 1.↩
  5. Paragraph 13 is a chronological account of the events leading up to and immediately after the landing of American troops in the Dominican Republic.↩
  6. Reference is to Ambassador Bennettʼs arrival in Washington April 26 for consultations with officials on the problems in the Dominican Republic.↩