Foundations of Foreign Policy, 1974–1980


121. Memorandum From the Deputy Director of the Policy Planning Staff (Kreisberg) to the Director of the Policy Planning Staff (Lake)

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Policy and Planning Staff—Office of the Director: Records of Anthony Lake, 1977–1981: Lot 82D298: Box 18, Next Eighteen Months 8/9/79–9/10/79. Confidential. Copies were sent to Lissakers and Berger. Kreisberg added the “from” line by hand. In the top-right hand corner of the memorandum, Lake wrote: “Ed—Hold for this PM. TL.” Presumable reference to Edward O’Donnell, Lake’s Special Assistant. Kreisberg drafted the memorandum as part of a larger project coordinated by Lake and Tarnoff to provide Vance with recommendations designed to structure and define the remainder of Vance’s time as Secretary. Lake and Tarnoff submitted their recommendations to Vance in an August 9 memorandum, Document 123.


122. Memorandum From Samuel Huntington to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Office File, Outside the System File, Box 63, Goals: Four Year Foreign Policy Goals—1980 Review: 8/79–10/80. No classification marking. Sent for information. Huntington left the National Security Council Staff in August 1978 and returned to Harvard University, where he served as Director of the university’s Center for International Affairs.


123. Memorandum From the Executive Secretary of the Department of State (Tarnoff) and the Director of the Policy Planning Staff (Lake) to Secretary of State Vance

Source: Department of State, Office of the Secretariat Staff, Records of Cyrus Vance, Secretary of State, 1977–1980: Lot 84D241, Goals and Objectives 1979. Secret; Eyes Only. Tarnoff initialed for Lake.


124. Memorandum From the Deputy Secretary of State (Christopher) to Secretary of State Vance

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Office of the Deputy Secretary, Records of Warren Christopher, 1977–1980: Lot 81D113, Box 9, Memoranda to the Secretary—1979. Secret. There is no indication that Vance saw the memorandum. An unknown hand placed a checkmark in the top right-hand corner of the memorandum.


126. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Brzezinski Office File, Subject Chron File, Box 126, Weekly National Security Report: 6–9/79. Top Secret. The President wrote “Good. C” in the top right-hand corner of the memorandum.


127. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Brzezinski Office File, Subject Chron File, Box 126, Weekly National Security Report: 6–9/79. Top Secret; Sensitive. The President wrote “Zbig. C” in the top right-hand corner of the memorandum.


128. Memorandum From the Special Representative for Economic Summits (Owen) to President Carter

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Subject File, Box 16, Economic Assistance Strategy 6/78–9/79. Confidential. Sent for information. The President initialed the top right-hand corner of the memorandum. An attached note reads: “Donna—I guess ZB hand carried the attached package???!!? pb 9/25/79.”


129. Address by President Carter to the Nation

Source: Public Papers: Carter, 1979, Book II, pp. 1802–1806. The President delivered his address at 9 p.m. from the Oval Office at the White House. The address was broadcast live on radio and television. The Department transmitted the text of the speech to all diplomatic and consular posts in telegram 258451, October 2. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D790451–0362) Brzezinski recalled that the President had directed him to begin preparing the speech in mid-September, “and I did so with special emphasis on the wider character of Soviet activities in the Third World, stressing that these were not compatible with a stable detente.” (Power and Principle, p. 350) In his diary entry for the weekend of September 29–30, the President recounted: “Because the issues were so profoundly complicated—ourselves, Cuba, the Soviets, SALT, Congress, politics—this has been the most laborious speech preparation of my life.” After the address, he offered the following assessment: “The speech went over well, and the general result was exactly what we wanted: to defuse the Soviet troop issue and let the nation realize the importance of SALT. It was a quiet but good birthday.” (White House Diary, p. 358)


130. Remarks by President Carter

Source: Public Papers: Carter, 1979, Book II, pp. 2120–2125. The President spoke at 2:25 p.m. before the 13th constitutional convention of the American Federation of Labor–Congress of Industrial Organizations, meeting in the Sheraton Washington Hotel ballroom.


131. Remarks by President Carter

Source: Public Papers: Carter, 1979, Book II, pp. 2232–2237. The President spoke at 5 p.m. in the East Room of the White House before members of the Business Council. Brzezinski sent a proposed speech outline to the President under an October 17 cover memorandum, requesting the President’s “reactions and guidance.” He indicated that he and his staff planned to develop a draft for subsequent revision by the President’s speechwriters, adding, “It is meant to be a serious speech and not an exercise in oratory, and therefore I do want to focus on substance above all.” Brzezinski continued: “I think it would also be better to keep plans for the speech restricted, because otherwise the exercise will degenerate into ‘group-think’ (like the Cuban brigade speech, which at one time had as many as 14 people drafting it). It is impossible to do a decent job in such a context.” The President wrote “Zbig, ok—proceed. J” in the top right-hand corner of the memorandum. (Carter Library, Hertzberg Donated Historical Material, Speech Files, Box 12, President’s Address to the Business Council—Part II Defense Speech 12/12/79)


132. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter

Source: Carter Library, Brzezinski Donated Historical Material, Geographic File, Box 17, Southwest Asia/Persian Gulf Afghanistan: (12/26/79–1/4/80). Secret; Sensitive; Outside System. Sent for action. Brzezinski added the date to the memorandum by hand. The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan on December 25–27.


134. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Subject File, Box 67, Truman Doctrine: 1/80. Confidential. Sent for information. Brzezinski added the date to the memorandum by hand. The President initialed the top right-hand corner of the memorandum. Blackwill and Larrabee sent the memorandum to Brzezinski under a January 2 memorandum, requesting that he sign it. A notation on the cover memorandum in Larrabee’s hand indicates that Brzezinski signed it on January 2.


135. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter

Source: Carter Library, Brzezinski Donated Historical Material, Geographic File, Box 17, Southwest Asia/Persian Gulf Afghanistan: (12/26/79–1/4/80). Secret. The President initialed the top right-hand corner of the memorandum. To the right of the subject line, Brzezinski added the following: “(This was drafted before your very eloquent statement this afternoon. But the recommends. still stand).” Regarding the White House statement of January 3, see footnote 4, Document 136.


136. Address by President Carter to the Nation

Source: Public Papers: Carter, 1980–81, Book I, pp. 25–27. The President spoke at 9 a.m. from the Oval Office at the White House. His remarks were broadcast live on radio and television.


138. Address by President Carter on the State of the Union Before a Joint Session of Congress

Source: Public Papers: Carter, 1980–81, Book I, pp. 194–200. The President spoke at 9 p.m. in the House Chamber at the Capitol. O’Neill introduced the President. The address was broadcast live on radio and television. Additional information about the preparation of the State of the Union address is in the Carter Library, Hertzberg Donated Historical Material, Speech Files, Box 12, State of the Union Drafts With Staff Comments, 1/23/80. In telegram 21783 to all diplomatic and consular posts, January 26, the Department provided background information for use in discussions with host country officials concerning the address or broader foreign policy themes. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D800044–1090)


140. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Office File, Outside the System File, Box 55, Chron, 1/18–31/80. Secret. The President initialed the top right-hand corner of the memorandum.


141. Memorandum From Hedley Donovan to President Carter

Source: Carter Library, Staff Office Files, Donovan Files, Box 1, Foreign Policy Study, 1980–85 [CF, O/A 706]. Eyes Only. There is no indication that the President saw the memorandum. A copy of a subsequent report, which consists of two binders and is entitled “U.S. Foreign Policy Objectives and Priorities, 1980–85,” is in the National Archives, RG 59, Policy and Planning Staff—Office of the Director, Records of Anthony Lake, 1977–1981: Lot 82D298, Box 20.


143. Address by Vice President Mondale

Source: Department of State Bulletin, May 1980, pp. 14–15. All brackets are in the original. Mondale delivered his address before the U.S. Olympic Committee House of Delegates. Earlier drafts of the address are in the Minnesota Historical Society, Mondale Papers, Vice Presidential Papers, Special Assistant for Speech Writing, Speech Text Files, Address to United States Olympic Committee House of Delegates, Colorado Springs, Colorado, April 12, 1980. Later that day, the United States Olympic Committee voted to support the President’s call for a boycott of the Moscow games. (Steven R. Weisman, “U.S. Olympic Group Votes to Boycott the Moscow Games,” The New York Times, April 13, 1980, pp. A–1, A–18) Earlier, the President sent a mailgram to Kane, dated April 5, and similar mailgrams to the House of Delegates members reiterating his belief that the USOC should vote not to send the U.S. Olympic team to Moscow: “There are times when individuals and nations must stand firm on matters of principle. This is such a time. If we clearly and resolutely show the way, other nations will follow.” (Public Papers: Carter, 1980–81, Book I, p. 616) Documentation on the Olympic boycott is scheduled for publication in Foreign Relations, 1977–1980, volume XXV, United Nations; Law of the Sea.


145. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Subject File, Box 38, Memcons: President: 5/80. Secret. There is no indication that the President saw the memorandum. On May 3, the President met with Brown, Brzezinski, Muskie, Aaron, Christopher, Owen, Tarnoff, Lake, Newsom, and Read at Camp David from 9:05 a.m. to 12:02 p.m. (Carter Library, Presidential Materials, President’s Daily Diary) A record of this meeting is in the Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Subject File, Box 38, Memcons: President: 5/80. In his diary entry for May 3, the President noted that the participants had “discussed the relationship between State and the NSC, Defense, the White House, and Congress. I emphasized that I wanted to work with the deputy and assistant secretaries in State so I could have some benefit from their proposals, other than just to have a conglomerate watered-down, lowest-common denominator recommendation—which has always been the case. It became more obvious as we discussed the situation that Cy had been bogged down in details and captured by the State Department bureaucracy. Everyone felt good after the meeting, and it resolved a lot of problems that could have been handled a long time ago had Cy been willing to let anyone penetrate the State Department shell.” (White House Diary, pp. 424–425)


146. Statement by Secretary of State-Designate Muskie

Source: Department of State Bulletin, June 1980, pp. 1–2. Muskie testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in support of his nomination. The Senate confirmed Muskie’s nomination on May 7 by a vote of 94 to 2. At a White House ceremony on May 8, Muskie was sworn in as Secretary of State. For the President’s and Muskie’s remarks, see Public Papers: Carter, 1980–81, Book I, pp. 861–864.


147. Address by President Carter

Source: Public Papers: Carter, 1980–81, Book I, pp. 873–880. The President spoke at 1:02 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom of the Fairmont Hotel before the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia.


148. Summary of Conclusions of a Policy Review Committee Meeting

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Agency File, Box 19, State: 5–6/80. Secret. No drafting information appears on the summary. The meeting took place in the White House Situation Room. The President wrote “Zbig. J” in the top right-hand corner of the summary.


149. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Subject File, Box 38, Memcons: President: 6/80. Confidential. The meeting took place in the Oval Office at the White House. Drafted by Brement, who sent the memorandum to Brzezinski under a June 4 covering memorandum, requesting that Brzezinski approve it. Brement also noted that the memorandum “should make interesting reading for future historians studying internecine rivalry within the US government in the late 1970s.” Brzezinski placed a checkmark on the covering memorandum, indicating that he approved it, and added the following handwritten notation: “It makes for hilarious reading, but it’s accurate! ZB.” Aaron’s notation on the covering memorandum, dated June 12, reads: “ZB—This is wonderful! DA.”


150. Memorandum From the Director of the Policy Planning Staff (Lake) to Secretary of State Muskie

Source: Carter Library, Staff Office Files, Donovan Files, Box 1, Foreign Policy Study, 1980–85 [CF, O/A 706]. Secret; Nodis. Printed from an uninitialed copy. There is no indication that Muskie saw the memorandum.