Document date: 04/17/2018
Document type: PAPER-TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM

IDENTIFICATION FORM

AGENCY : NARA

RECORD NUMBER : 176-10036-10274

RECORD SERIES : National Security Files: William H. Brubeck

AGENCY FILE NUMBER

ORIGINATOR : NUFK

FROM :

TO :

TITLE : John F. Kennedy document Control Record

DATE : 8/19/1963

PAGES: * 2.

SUBJECTS :

DOCUMENT TYPE :

CLASSIFICATION :

RESTRICTIONS :

CURRENT STATUS :

DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 9/10/2000

OPENING CRITERIA :

COMMENTS : National Security Files, Box 383: Congo 8/63-11/63. Box 4.

49061

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ADDRESS OFFICIAL COMMUNICATIONS TO

T'E SECRETARY OF STATE

WASMINGTON 2J, D.C.

6a

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

WASHINGTON

Belk

5/s 12362

SECRET

This document condole of

No. 1: 0l

August 19, 1963

MEMORANDUM FOR MR. MCGEORGE BUNDY

THE WHITE HOUSE

SUBJECT: Goverrment Crisis in Congo (Brazzaville)

President Youlou of Congo (Brazzaville) resigned on August 15

when

the French amy, which had answered his appeal to intervene to

preserve order, in accordance with a secret agreement, received

instructions from de Gaulle not to obey Youlou's orders to fire on

the crowd. An interim committee of four Congolese army officers took

over the government power to "assure order".

On the morning of

August 16 a provisional government of technicians under the leadership

of Alphonse Massamba-Debat was announced and a statement broadcast

by the chairman of the military interim committee officially transferred

"civil, political and military powers", allegedly received from the

President, to the new head of government. (See enclosed list

of new Cabinet members.) The National Assembly has been dissolved

but no date has been set for new elections. Youlou and about 50

others, including all former ministers except, apparently, Minister

of Industrial Production Bazinga, are now under Congolese army

protection or detention.. The Congolese army is maintaining tight

security in the African quarters of Brazzaville and the night curfew

is still on.

Widely travelled (including visits to both the United States and

the Soviet Union), able and intelligent, Massamba-Debat is an old

UDDIA party comrade of Youlou's. He was, however, relieved first of

his post as President of the National Assembly and later as Minister

of Planning for expressing too many independent ideas. Offered the

post of Ambassador to Paris in May of this year, he refused what was

probably an attempt to get him out of the country. It is not clear,

however, at what point he began to take an active role in recent

developments nor whether he was the choice of the labor leaders or

the army, or merely the best candidate to present himself.

With the

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SECRET

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With the exception of the Chief of Government and the Minister of

Interior, the new ministers have not held political office before.

Mostly young university graduates, many formerly held directorships

in the ministries they now head.

Many of them have shown a definite

friendliness toward the U.S.

The new Chief of Government was a leader

grantee in 1962 and the new Foreign Minister arrived in washington

August 16 at the end of his leader grant visit. We have no indication

of specific political orientation of the new Cabinet.

Most of them

are known to have been dissatisfied with the former regine's corruption

and waste and, as young members of the elite, they may be presuned to

support a more

"nationalist" stand than did Youlou.

However, the new

government has pledged to maintain all the international relations of

its predecessor and to respect its agreements. It has expressed special

friendship and gratitude toward France, and particularly for the

noninterference of

the French army.

We are not yet able to estimate with any certainty the new

government's chances for survival.

Still unclear are the respective

roles of the labor leaders and the Congolese arny in recent developments,

the present attitude of the former toward the provisional government,

and the extent and sources of support for a possible comeback attempt

by Youlou.

We do not know what decision the French governnent will

make on recognition.

We are also awaiting indication of the positions

of the African states in this regard. Reports indicate that some UAM

governments have sought reassurances

from de Gaulle and are even

considering attempting a reconciliation between Youlou and his enemies.

Meanwhile, in answer to a request for guidance, we have authorized

our Embassy in Brazzaville to maintain cordial informal contacts

with the potentially friendly new government, but to avoid any action

which implies recognition.

Walty Fatheman

Enclosure:

Secutive /ecretary

List of Provisional Government

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