tBj LIBRARY Mandatory Revta Case # f_
Septenber 19
ECT: Theh Statement on the Dominican 3epublicby the Honorable J. William Fulbright
1. engthy statement released oneptenber Senatorilllau Fulbright developed primarily tvo major themes concerning the role of the US ln the Dominican rebellion: a. The US intervened for the purpose of tbe preventing victoryevolutionary force judged to bo communist doainatad. aid that "Taere is no doubt that .ho tZtresC of coonunisn ralher than danger to American lives tras his (Ambassador Dennett's) prinary or sole reason for retopi.ending jilitary action, b. At no time did the eonsunists control the rebellion prior to the landing of VZ Marines, 'i'heir participation was to have been expected. Ve analyze below' these two themes and include as annexesnts on subsidiary points made by the Senator.
2. Our analysis of the first theme shows that*jjy Aprilanto Domingo waatate of anarchy. It is true that officials of the embassy in Santo Domingo as well as government officials in "ashington were concerned with growing Communist influence ln the Dominican Republic and the alnost immediate role that some communist activists too': as early as the second day of the revolt. However, the trigger which sent US troops ashore was the raortal threat to the lives of Americans and many other nationalsity where law and order had collapsed. Unrulyntered the Hotel Zmbajador on two occasions, once in search oz nn Americannd bad firednto rooms one corridors. Tho premises of several embassies were invadec, and tho 3ritish vice consul reported to the US ambassador on the afternoon ofpril that the downtown situation was "horrible" and that eobsere sacking homes in the residential area of Arroyo Hondo where :aany Americans lived.
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Tho collapse of the local police forces was almost complete by April 2G. Police Chief Despradel told the American Public Safety Adviser on that day that his men were not trained to fight against the heavy weapons being used by the rebels. Some police were in hiding, some were hiding their uniforms and mixing with the mobs, some were already tho victims of atrocities.
By the late afternoon af Aprils ambassador Bennett talkod to Washington shots could be heard against the Embassy building. It was is this context of anarchy that the junta leader Colonel Benoit informed the US ambassador that he could no longer guarantee the safety of foreign nationals. The following day tae Papal tfunclo, who had been most active In trying to convince both sides to lay down their arras, described the marines as "perforuing
a humanitarian purpose in protecting lives."
Fulbright's second theme develops the
point that at no time did the communists control tho rebellion prior to the landing of US marines. Our view is that taken by itself this statement is correct. The point Is, however, that by the evening of Aprilhe moderate PHD leaders oi the rebellion, hitherto in shaky control of tbe moveuent, lost their nerve and began abandoning choir post3. The Molina Urena government fell and many of its principal figures went into asylum. One of tae most prominent of these, Jose Pena Gomez adiaitted that .he communists who joined the robol force had inxiltraxec into positions of importance aurj that it was very difficult to stop then. ?or hiseportao to have said onhat ho wantod to set the troth of communist infiltration of the rebellion across to ihe eorit, out that ho could not race further Jeopardizing his ovm ant hla tally's safety by doing so. (See Tabienor an dun, "The Connunist 3ole in the Dominican)
waa then no one in effectiveis perhaps significant that tho "French ambassadortomingo describee events thare "as followingcommunist pattern." He concluded that his British,
Italian and West Gorman colleagues were in agreement that the "Caamanohich grew out of the rebellion, was directed "at its base" by communists.
7. In essence, then, on the evening of the Marines' lancing theask facing tho US was protecting the lives or Americans and other foreign nationals. Its second task was more complex. The US was faced with making the agonizing deteraination of whether increasingly evident coaaunist participation and influence within the rebellionthe absence of otherbecomecontrol. All available evidence pointed toward this eventuality.
Attachments
Tab A; The Situation in Santo Domingo onpril Tab 3: The Communist :tole in the Dominican5
Tab C: The Communist .lole in the Dominican Rebel
Movement,ay Tab D: Communist Connections of Juan Bosch: resh
Interpretation
Tab 3: Statements Iria the Fulbright Speech and Facts
LIBRARY Macdr,torv Qfryien ase* NUocumuii
INTELLIGENCE AOENCY
Intelligence Information Cable
ROUTINE
CUBA/VENEZUELA/URUGUAY
DATE OF 8 MAY5 INFO.
WSTR. 5
COMMENTS
ABOUT THE SITUATION IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC AND ITS RELATION TO CUBA
5
STATES SKIPS ARE PATROLLING CUBAN KEYS AND
COASTS.
CUBA SPECIAL WEAPONS, INCLUDING- MISSILEREADY AND PREPAREDOSSIBLE ATTACK.
INTEGRATION OF MULTILATERAL FORCES IN* SANTOVERY DANGEROUS FOR CUBA BECAUSE AN ATTACK AGAINST CUBA CCULDWITHOUT THE UNITED STATES ASSUMING SOLS RESPONSIBILIT/ FOR IT.
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JTAlt/lNI : Y/ACSJ HAVT AO XJ ucov INS
APPROVED FOR RELEASE ^ SEp ^
SECRET
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NO TIME, EXCEPT DURING THEAS THE UNITED STATESORE PROPITIOUS ANDTO ATTACK CUBA.
UNITED STATES TROOPS ARE WITHDRAWNIMILAR SITUATION (REVOLT) WILL EEVENEZUELA.
ANY EVENT, RE3ELLI0NS WILL TAKE PLACE IN OTHER
OF MESSAGE
SECRET
INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Intelligence Information Cable
ASV
DAT. Of INFO.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC Mandatory Review
j X* rx&
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Lf* *f AY
PIATE ACQ.
ANO
ALLEGED DIRECTION OF REBEL OPERATIONS IN SANTO DOMINGO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC BY "CHE" GUEVARA
REPORTED ARRIVAL OF MISSILES AND ARMS IN CUBAEPORTED CONFIDENTIAL ORDERS ISSUED IN CUBA
ASAJOR ERNESTO "CHE"ERNA, CUBAN MINISTER OF INDUSTRIES, WAS DIRECTING REBEL OPERATIONS IN SANTO DOMINGO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. COMMENT: CONJECTURE OVER GUEVARA'S WHEREABOUTS HAS BEEN DISCUSSED BY CUBAN EXILES AND MANY RUMORS HAVE EVOLVEDESULT OF GUEVARA'S ABSENCE FROM THE GOVERNMENT SCENE FOLLOWING HIS RETURN TO CUBAARCH. PRESS COVERAGE OF THIS SPECULATION WAS CITED IN THE RECENT NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE BY PAULAY. PREMIER CASTRO HAS COMMENTED ON QUERIES CONCERNING "CHE'S" ABSENCE THAT IT CAN BE
STAtlflNI OIA ARMYMCSI NAVY AIR )CS SICIU NSA NK
2 C AD/RRD/SI 2
APPROVED FOR RELEASE $ 7
ASSUMED THAT GUEVARA'S TALENTS WILL BE PUT TO USE WHERE MOST NEEDED.)
WC0
2- SOVIET VESSELS CARRYING MACHINERY TO CUBA HAVE TRANSPORTED MISSILES AND WEAPONS IN CRATES WHICH WERE OBSERVED BEING UNLOADED. THE
STATES WAS UNAWARE OF WHAT EQUIPMENT THE CUBAN ARMY AGAIN HAS.)COMMENT: THE SOVIET VESSEL KASPIYSK EN ROUTE TO CUBAAY REPORTEDLY CHANGED COURSE TO LNLO^T" SUSPECTED ARMS SHIPMENTS INBE-CRE PROCEEDING TG HAVANA,
AY OFFICIAL CONFIDENTIAL ORDERS WERE ISSUED THAT CUBA WASTATE OF WAR.
DISSEM: CINCLANT, CINCSO, COMKWESTfor
CCt+EXT: NO DOUBT THE ABOVE INFORMATION, SMOULDIEWED WITH SOME SKEPTICISM.)
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LBj LIBRARY Mandatory ReviewIT ffg^g?
5
UEUORANDUU
SUBJECT: The Situation in Santo Domingo onpril
Domingo on5 wastate
of almost complete anarchy. The rebel government of Molina Urena had collapsed on the previous afternoon and the Communists and their extremist allies were attempting to fill the vauun. The loyalist nilitary leaders were unable or unwilling to commit their superior force against the rebel stronghold downtown. The police were impotent and their few efforts to restore order ended in disaster. Meanwhile, armed gangs and individual hoodlums were terrorizing the city, even the residential areas. The UN Embassy was under fire and American citizensin grave danger.
The British vice consul who toured the downtown area of Santo Domingo on the afternoon informed Ambassador Bennett that tho situation there was "horrible." Ho said there were armod bands running all about. Tho Britisher said he hadad who had been shot in the leg to tho hospital and there ho had found wounded lying all about on tho floors. He added that 3ritish residents of tho Arroyo Hondo suburb of Santo Loaingo reported that an armed band of two to three hundred persons wero looting and sacking residential houses in the area.
Indicative of the state of anarchy in the city that day was tho problem faced by loyalist Police Chief Despraael. He told tho American public safety adviser on that day that his riot control forcen were almost completely inactive. They had not been trained to fignt against tha heavy weapons the rebels hac been using against them. The police chief said that almost ovory patrol ho hac sent out in downtownmingo had been wiped out. m mXmm c)
. the police were taking il their uniforms anc attempting co fide, but worebeing tracked down by tho nobs and killod. In tho afternoon of thoay, theiei made an attempt toanl: to help control the soLs, but this ended in cisaster then the tank was exploded by rebel bazooka fire and all occupants were killed.
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4. The Police Post at the Palace of Justice inSanto Domingo was overrun by Communist-led rebels ata EDT onh and the rebels obtained more
:;uic police uniforms. The AmericanlHBB mg fcosr of the day bad little first-hand information as to what was going on in the downtown areas, but didrous reports of killings. Sporadic sniping was underway in the residential areas where most oi tho American colony lived. Also, there was growing nervousness in the diplomatic corps since the promises of sore than one embassy were invaded by armed cobs. These incluaed the embassies of Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, Ecuador, and El Salvador. The mobs were under no control during much of the day and looting and sacking took place in many parts of the city. Some of the mob actions, however, were inspired by the rebel-controlled radio station. Radio croaocasters gave the addresses of homos of air force-officers and other military officers who were on the loyalist side and incited the mobs to sack tbe houses. The wives and children of loyalist officers were seized and taken to the Euarte Bridge and other targets of loyalist military action.
5. Thereumber of reports reaching the erabassy on tho 2bth of rebel atrocities. Although these have not been confirmed in detail they undoubtedly reflect an accurate general picture. SIS staff member reported onpril, for instance, that twelve policemen or soldiers had been seen being summarily shot. Tho victims had beer, marched along the street, with the mobs crying "pardon." Then they were lined upall and oxecuted. The respected Colonel Calderon, who served under Juan Bosch as chief of the presidential guard, also met his death under these circumstances.
who had been gauvding werc overwhelmed by rebels and their bodies dismembered and slogans written on walls blood. There were several witnesses to this event.
witn
Late onpril, Colonel 3enoit, an air force officer on the loyalist military junta then in power, informec
the American Ambassador that, in regard toUS military assistance, he now wishes to add thatwere endangered and that "conditions are
order that it is impossible to provide adequateHe then formally asked for US intervention to restore public
order.
Lflj LIBRARY
Mandatory |
INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Intelligence Laformation Cable
OATS of info.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC5
subject
distr.
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OF MILITARY PERSONNEL IN CONSOLACION DEL SUR
REPORTED WILLINGNESS OF REBEL ARMY OFFIOERS TO HELP IN SANTO DOMINSO
& DATE ACQ.
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ANO APPRAISAL
I. DURING THE NIGHT OFUMBER OF MILITARY PERSONNEL IN CONSOLACION OEL SUR, PINAR DEL RIO PROVINCE, WERE ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH THEFT. ONE CF THE MEN, DR. CE3ALLOAS ACCUSED OF GIVING INFORMATION TO THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT. THE DOCTOR'S LICENSE WAS REVOKED, BUT HE LATER WAS RELEASED WHEN THE CHARGES COULD NOT BE PROVED. THE OTHER MILITARY PERSONNEL WERE SENTENCED, BUT THEIR SENTENCES WERE COMMUTED WHEN THEY AGREED TO FIGHT WHEREVER NEEDED.
2. UNIDENTIFIED REBEL/ARMY* OFFICERS WERE
material coouioi inform*iion aifcGiag ibe National Defccie otud Suio wkhia tbe meaaieg of ibe'iC., tbe mauslauja or rcvcUiioo of which ia toyo aa unauthorizedrablbiud by law.
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3.
INGLfH TO GIVE HCLP TO SANTO DOMINGO, IF ASKcD. )
I DISSEM: COMKWESTFOR, CINCSO,
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3CUKLI
ACT
Statement 1. Senator Fulbright baa said that it ispossible. if not liholy, that if the military is allowed to retain its power it will overthrow any future government that displuases it" and at the same tlmo said tbat the military "must be substantially reduced in sizo and some of the more irresponsible generals pensioned off or sent on lengthyholidays abroad".
Fact: Military reform was one of the major objectives oi" the Held government and Hector Garcia Godoy has consistently stated that he feels military reforms must bo initiated under his regime. The OS country team has recommended that wo press Garcia Godoy "energetically to initiate feasiblo reductions and reforms". Garcia Godoy has already taken the major stop of removing General VJessin from command because olthus asserting civilian supremacy over the military. The 3eid regimeome very important stops to eliminate corruption in the military and Generallled eight top ranging officers who were among the most venal. Garcia Godoy has endorsed this lottor action and has prohibited the reentry of these officers into the Dominican Republic.
At the same time both Garcia Godoy and tho UC country team are conscious of the fact that military roform should not bo pushed too rapidly for two major roaaons. First tho hasty cutbacks in military strength would severelyhe Araod Forces confidence in the new regime. In thl3 connection it should bo noted that the Dor.inican military leadership is showing an awareness of tho need lor change and is reportedly working on plans for roform. Second, the new regimeompetent military force that will bo prepared to combat the expected insurgent activities of the extremists who have used the revolution to equip and train thenselves for guerrilla warfare. For theso reasons the country team hasradual cutback in the military tof thoir pre-crisis strongth.
Statement 2. Senator Fulbright said the DS actedand illegally" and the OAS acted "after the fact' Senator Fulbright further said that intervention should not have been undertaken "without the advance consent of out Latin American allies."
Fact: The dangerous situation developed in the Dominican Republic so quickly that there was little time to obtain the support of Latin nations before taking action. Onpril it rapidly became clear that the lives and property of US and other foroign nationals in tbe Dominican Republic were in danger. The incident on the morning ofpril at the Hotel ISmbaJador demonstrated that US lives could have boon lost at any moment. That none were isribute to thoth which CO Marines could reach the embattled US citizens. It has frequently been noted by students of tho OAS that one of the organizations major liabilities is the slow pace with which it works. Ambassadors must be convened; receive an initial request for action; consult their governments, deliver long speeches outlining the positions of their home countries, and then finally act. It is highly improbable, given this scenario, that the OAJ would have been able to act onpril President Johnson did, in fact, manage to consult with most Latin American Ambassadors that night and explain why we felt it necessary toction so quiciily. It should bo noted, in this context, that all major steps taken since then have been done as CA2 actions. This includes the establishment of the Intor-Anerican Peace Force, the extension of economic aid to pay tho salaries ox public employees during thoand tlie long, arduous negotiations that recently culcin-atsd in the installation ox the Hector Garcia Godoy governxient
Statement 3. Senator Fulbright said that "the danger to American lives wasretexteason for the massive United States intervention that began on the evening of April . . In fact, no American lives were lost in Santo Domingo until the marines began exchanging fire with the rebels afterh; reports of the widespread shooting that endangered American lives turned out to be greatly exaggerated".
Tab A
Statement 4. Senator Fulbright said: "US intervention has alienated our real friends in Latin America." "It is not possible at present to assess the depth and extent ofwith the US on the part of democrats and reformers in Latin America, ysalf think that it is deep and "Interventionrievous misreading of the temper of contemporary Latin American politics."
Fact. In
Betancourt said that Bosch deserved to be overthrown because he was trying to play ball with the Communists and, in turn, was being undermined by them. Betancourt characterized Bosch as an irresponsible president who had set back the democratic process in the Dominican Republic for years to come.
Comment by US political scientist Robert Alexander, who has longriend of liberal parties in Latin America, describedttitude ins so negative and violent that his return to power in the Dominican Republic woulddisaster."
onversation5 between Eomulo Betancourt, Arturo Morales Carrion, and Artbus Schlesinger, Betancourt said the following: "He (Bosch) is the best short story writer and the worst politician in Latin America, and he should spend the rest of his life writing short stories." Betancourt, according to Schlesinger, regards it as essential to prevent Bosch's return, and believes that Figueres (former President of Costa Rica) can persuade him to retire from politics.
Statement 5. Senator Fulbright accused the administration oJ! confusing Communist supportolitical movement and Communist control. According to the Senator, "Intervention on the basis of Communist participation as distinguished from control of the Dominican revolutionistake of panic and timidity whichrievous misreadingatin American politics."
Fact. It is interesting to note the oplnfan of Communist Influence In ihe rebellion formed by :idiplomat wh^opposesUS intervention on moral anaTegalgrouads.seat by his government to Santo Domingo on an official investigating tour in mid-Juno reported that "Communist influence in Dominican developments had been enormous ands to be", rebel leader Caaraanoseful stoogo of the Communist, but did not say whether Caamanoommunist, He also said that Fldol Castro had been expected to arrive in Santo Domingo in
Statement 6. Senator Fulbright, in criticizing the US actions in the Dominican Republic, declared that the U3 must recognize that most of the popular support in Chile isroup of "rambunctious, leftist Christian Democrats." Tfe charged that the U3 does not truly understand socialbecause of its "comfortable and rich conservative" status.
Fact: The U3 Government has since the very beginning warmly supported the election of Eduardo Frci, Christian Democrat leader, to the presidency and the subsequent electionajority of the Christian Democrats in the Chamber of Doputies. The Senator is correct, and indeed merely echoes an official position that Chile is an example of an advanced democracy as expressed by Ambassador Stevenson at the United Nations last November. Secretary Rusk told Chile's Ambassador Touic5 that he wanted the Ambassador to know that the US is in full sympathy with the program of Chile for social and economic development. The Secretary added that "there is no ideological argument between Chile and the United States."
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Original document.
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