Foreign Relations of the United States, 1961–1963, Volume XII, American Republics
Panama: Document List
Document 392: National Security Council Report
Washington, January 10, 1961.
Document 393: Telegram From the Embassy in Honduras to the Department of State
Tegucigalpa, July 22, 1961, 7 p.m.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.19/7-2261. Secret; Priority.
Document 394: Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Panama
Washington, August 31, 1961, 10:18 p.m.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.19/8-2461. Confidential; Niact. Drafted by Katherine W. Bracken, Director of the Office of Central American and Panamanian Affairs; cleared in draft with U/PR, L, H, B, G; and approved by Woodward.
Document 395: Memorandum From the Deputy Secretary of Defense (Gilpatric) to President Kennedy
Washington, September 2, 1961.
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense, OSD/ISA Files: FRC 64 A 2382, 821 Panama. Secret. Drafted in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs.
Document 396: Memorandum of Conversation
Washington, September 15, 1961, 10:05-10:20 a.m.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.1913/9-1561. Limited Official Use. Drafted by Bracken and approved by the White House on September 27. The time of the meeting is taken from Kennedy's Appointment Book. (Kennedy Library)
Document 397: National Security Action Memorandum No. 95
Washington, September 15, 1961.
Source: Department of State, NSAM Files: Lot 72 D 316, NSAM 95. Secret. A September 15 memorandum from NSC Executive Secretary Bromley K. Smith states that after Kennedy's memorandum had been distributed, it had been decided to include it in the NSAM series and to insert a subject line. Smith's memorandum is filed with a copy of NSAM 95, which includes the subject line, “Renegotiation of Panama Canal Treaty.” (Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Panama, General)
Document 398: Memorandum From Secretary of State Rusk to President Kennedy
Washington, October 9, 1961.
Source: Department of State, NSAM Files: Lot 72 D 316, NSAM 95. Secret. No drafting information appears on the source text, but it was approved by Goodwin on October 18.
Document 399: Memorandum of Conversation
Panama City, January 19, 1962.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.1913/1-1962. Confidential. Drafted by Bracken and approved in U on January 23.
Document 400: Memorandum From the President's Press Secretary (Salinger) to President Kennedy
Washington, March 12, 1962.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.19/3-1562. Secret. Filed with a March 15 covering memorandum from Charles E. Johnson of the NSC staff to Carol Moor of the Department of State Executive Secretariat, which states that it was to be treated as an unnumbered NSAM, so that the White House would be informed of actions relating to it. A March 12 memorandum from Kennedy's personal secretary, Evelyn Lincoln, to Ball, also attached to the source text, states that the President had asked her to send it to Ball and that he would like an up-to-date report on “these negotiations.” A handwritten note indicates that Ball had talked to Special Assistant to the President Ralph Dungan, who would inform the President that the canal study was underway.
Document 401: Memorandum From the Under Secretary of State (Ball) to President Kennedy
Washington, April 27, 1962.
Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Panama, General. Secret. No drafting information appears on the source text. Filed with an April 30 covering memorandum from Deputy Special Assistant for National Security Affairs Carl Kaysen, which commented: “The sum and substance of all this is that we recognize that any firm decision on a second canal cannot be made for as much as five years.”
Document 402: National Security Action Memorandum No. 152
Washington, April 30, 1962.
Source: Department of State, NSAM Files: Lot 72 D 316, NSAM 152. Secret. A copy was sent to the Secretary of Commerce. Kennedy apparently revised the draft sent to him with Document 401. Kaysen reported at a May 2 White House staff meeting that the President “had signed off on his Panama papers but had modified them somewhat to indicate his judgment that we would probably be forced to renegotiate the treaty in the not too distant future regardless of any delaying action we might conduct.” (Memorandum for the record by Colonel Julian J. Ewell of the White House staff, May 2; National Defense University, Taylor Papers, Box 24, Daily Staff Meetings)
Document 403: Letter From President Kennedy to President Chiari
Washington, April 30, 1962.
Source: Kennedy Library, President's Office Files, Panama, General. No classification marking. Telegram 716 to Panama City, May 1, transmitted the text of the letter. (Department of State, Central Files, 719.11/5-162)
Document 404: Memorandum of Conversation
Washington, May 21, 1962, 12:55-1:03 p.m.
Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Panama, General. Confidential. Drafted by Martin and approved in the White House on July 2. The time of the meeting is from Kennedy's Appointment Book. (Ibid.)
Document 405: Memorandum of Conversation
Washington, June 12, 1962, 4:45 p.m.
Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Panama, General. Confidential. No drafting information appears on the source text, but it was approved in U on July 21 and by the White House on August 8. The meeting was held at the White House.
Document 406: National Security Action Memorandum No. 164
Washington, June 15, 1962.
Source: Department of State, NSAM Files: Lot 72 D 316, NSAM 164. Confidential.
Document 407: Memorandum of Conversation
Panama City, October 12, 1962.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.19/10-1262. Confidential. Drafted by Farland.
Document 408: Memorandum of Conversation
Washington, November 8, 1962.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.19/11-862. Official Use Only. Drafted by Fisher on November 13.
Document 409: Memorandum of Conversation
San Jose, March 20, 1963, 3:05 p.m.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 7 COSTA RICA. Secret. Filed with an April 2 covering memorandum from Department of State Executive Secretary William H. Brubeck to McGeorge Bundy. Drafted by McManus, approved in S on April 2 and in the White House on April 4.
Document 410: Memorandum of Conversation
Washington, May 7, 1963, 10:30 a.m.
Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Panama, General. Confidential. Drafted by Collins.
Document 411: Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Panama
Washington, July 23, 1963, 9:15 p.m.
Source: Department of State, Presidential Correspondence: Lot 66 D 476. Secret; Priority; Limit Distribution. Drafted and approved by Collins; cleared by Martin, Springsteen, Kent, and Dungan at the White House.