Email this article 
Open Access
Subscription Access
Memorandum From Roger Morris of the National Security Council Staff to the President's Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger), Washington, June 2, 1969
Abstract
Washington, June 2, 1969
Morris advised Kissinger that Federal feelings had reached a flash point over the recent appearance of a Biafran “air force" piloted by Swedish mercenaries and armed with French rockets. In response, it was possible that Major General Gowon, Chairman of the Supreme Military Council of Nigeria, would bar all relief flights. This would cause tough decisions for the United States.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 741, Country Files, Nigeria, Vol. I. Secret. Kissinger underlined “all but foredoomed" in paragraph 3 on page one and wrote “Why?" and “Roger, What is it that keeps Feds from winning?" In response to the penultimate paragraph on page two, Kissinger wrote: “When are we going to see paper?" In an attached memorandum dated June 11, Bob Houdek asked Morris to answer the questions Kissinger had posed, referring to the “paper" as “the State contingency paper on relief efforts should the Feds decide to outlaw or stop relief flights.” Written at the top of page one of Morris' memorandum is, “Action completed orally per RMorris, 7/22.”
Morris advised Kissinger that Federal feelings had reached a flash point over the recent appearance of a Biafran “air force" piloted by Swedish mercenaries and armed with French rockets. In response, it was possible that Major General Gowon, Chairman of the Supreme Military Council of Nigeria, would bar all relief flights. This would cause tough decisions for the United States.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 741, Country Files, Nigeria, Vol. I. Secret. Kissinger underlined “all but foredoomed" in paragraph 3 on page one and wrote “Why?" and “Roger, What is it that keeps Feds from winning?" In response to the penultimate paragraph on page two, Kissinger wrote: “When are we going to see paper?" In an attached memorandum dated June 11, Bob Houdek asked Morris to answer the questions Kissinger had posed, referring to the “paper" as “the State contingency paper on relief efforts should the Feds decide to outlaw or stop relief flights.” Written at the top of page one of Morris' memorandum is, “Action completed orally per RMorris, 7/22.”
Biafran War Database.
Editor: Azuka Nzegwu.
Published by Africa Resource Center, Inc. All inquiries about rights, permissions, reprints and license should be directed to AfricaResource.
Copyright © Africa Resource Center, Inc., 1999 - .