Office of the Historian

288. Memorandum of Conversation1

Washington, April 17, 1970.

PARTICIPANTS

  • Dr. Kissinger
  • John H. Holdridge, NSC Senior Staff Member
  • William R. Smyser, Staff Member
  • Marshall Green, Assistant Secretary of State, East Asian and Pacific Affairs
  • William H. Sullivan, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, East Asian and Pacific Affairs

SUBJECT

  • Dr. Kissinger’s Conversation with Ambassadors Green and Sullivan
[Page 621]

Following are the highlights of Dr. Kissinger’s luncheon conversation with Ambassadors Green and Sullivan in the White House situation room on April 17, 1970.

[Omitted here is discussion of Cambodia.]

Military Assistance to Indonesia

Mr. Green raised the subject of US military assistance to Indonesia. The Indonesians had asked us for 40 T–37 jet trainers, and he and Ambassador Galbraith both felt that this was not advisable. For one thing, the cost of the T–37s would virtually take up the whole aid program, and in addition he doubted that jets would be a good idea. The Australians, for example, were opposed to them. He proposed instead that our aid be confined to transport-type aircraft such as C–47s and C–130s which could be converted as gunships and thus might meet the Indonesians’ desire for combat equipment. He appreciated the desire of the Indonesian Air Force to get jets and the morale factors involved, but thought that giving the T–37s was going too far.

Dr. Kissinger responded with the observation that the President would probably ask, if confronted with State’s position, why it would not be possible to give the Indonesians at least some of what they wanted, say perhaps 5 or 10 T–37s. Mr. Green agreed that this could be done.

[Omitted here is discussion unrelated to Indonesia.]

  1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 559, Country Files, Far East, Southeast Asia, 1970, Vol. II. Secret; Sensitive. The meeting was held in the White House Situation Room. On April 21 Holdridge sent this memorandum to Kissinger who approved it on June 1, with the proviso “Just for our files and my personal ones.” (Attached memorandum from Holdridge to Kissinger, April 21; ibid.)↩