Introduction

The report "Foreign Relations of the United States 1961-1963 Volume XII", published by the Department of State in 1996, is reproduced here with footnotes, source of the information, a list of abbreviations used within the document, and hotlinks for easy back and forth reference within the text..

The report is broken down into 58 sections spanning 100 type-written pages. This report deals with the U.S. policy towards the then British colony of British Guiana.

Background

British Guiana was hurtling towards its independence and both the Americans and the British were wary of its leadership. They were concerned about the direction in which that leadership might take the soon to be independent nation (British Guiana achieved independence in 1966. The country became known simply as Guyana. In 1970 it became known as the Co-operative Republic of Guyana). With communism already entrenched in the Caribbean (in Cuba under the leadership of Fidel Castro), both the Americans and the British were most circumspect about the possibility of another such regime in South America -- British Guiana. To wit, from the document: "America, Jagan said, is worried about BG becoming another Cuba. Castro once in reference to BG laughingly asked if socialism had ever come about without revolution. Jagan said he had openly discussed his socialist ideals with President as well as his determination to bring this about by peaceful means. All he is asking of US is understanding and assistance so that he can make BG first example of socialist state created by non-violent means."

L.S. Daniels
March 16, 1997

P.S:

In the interest of historical accuracy it should be noted that the CIA was adamantly opposed to these documents being released, even though the law of the land explicitly stated otherwise. In the end the CIA ended up not releasing some key parts of the report. To wit:

From the report's preface

"Declassification Review

The final declassification review of this volume, completed in 1995, resulted in the decision to withhold 2.7 percent of the documentation orignally selected for publication; 7 documents were denied in full. [italics added]

The Department of State and the Central Intelligence Agency initially determined that major portions of the compilation on policy toward British Guiana should not be declassified. This declassification review decision would clearly have resulted in an incomplete and inaccurate published record. The Advisory Committee on Historical Diplomatic Documentation agreed and strongly recommended declassification. The issue was reconsidered at the highest levels of the Department of State and other concerned agencies. A determination was made to declassify all but those portions of documents and whole documents indicated in the text printed in the compilation of British Guiana. The Advisory Committee concurred in the decision of the Historian's Office to publish this volume with the compilation on British Guiana as restored during the declassification appeal process."

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