Part 1: Read this telegram and check the answers to the questions below for practice with this type of source. Look at Part 2 which examines a photographic source that gives some context for the telegram.
Source 1
Telegram from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to Washington, 21 July 1969 Catalogue ref: FCO 55/351
There had been no formal announcement that the U.S.A.’s astronauts have returned safely to their mothership, but Harold Wilson, British Prime Minister (1964-1970) communicates his feelings to Richard Nixon, President of the United States (1969-1974).
This telegram contains some specialist language codes so check the glossary to find out what they mean.
Transcript
Glossary
- ‘RESTRICTED’ refers to the distribution of the telegram. The telegram is only intended for those listed at the end.
- A ‘FLASH’ telegram means that the telegram requires an immediate reply.
- ‘Cypher/CAT A’ means we are looking at a translation of a code.
- Apollo 11: Name of the first manned mission in July 1969 to the moon to carry out the national goal set by President John F. Kennedy on 25 May 1961 for a lunar landing and return to earth.
- S & T.D. (Science and Technology Department) or Government Office for Science.
RESTRICTED
CYPHER/CAT. A
FLASH FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE TO WASHINGTON
Telegram Number 1626
21 July 1969 (American)
RESTRICTED
Tel. No. 622: APOLLO 11.
Moon Landing
The message from the Prime Minister which follows should be delivered to The White House for the President when the lunar astronauts are back in the mother-ship.
You should not deliver the message until it is certain that the astronauts are safely back within the mother-ship.
Please report by Flash telegram as soon as the message has been delivered. We shall publish the text of the message here as soon as you have reported delivery.
The message reads as follows:-
“I told you when you telephoned me this afternoon how excited everyone was in the United Kingdom by the success of the Apollo 11 Mission, but I held back my formal message until I knew that the astronauts had returned safely to their mother-ship. Now that they have completed their historic moon landing, I send, on behalf of Her Majesty’s Government, to you, to astronauts Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins, and to all associated with it our warmest congratulations on the magnificent success of the Apollo 11 mission. This epic voyage of discovery is an inspiration to us all. We offer our hopes and prayers for the crew of Apollo 11 for the successful completion of their mission and a safe return to earth”.
STEWART
DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION
AMERICAN DEPT
S. & T.D.
NEWS DEPT.
COPIES TO:
No. 10 DOWNING STREET
RESTRICTED
Questions for telegrams
1.Who produced this telegram? Do you know anything about the author/creator?
The telegram was sent from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. This was a government department responsible for protecting and promoting British interests abroad. The head of the FCO is the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs or the Foreign Secretary.
It was produced by the British government to send its congratulations to the American government on the success of their mission to land men on the moon as part of their space programme.
2.When was it written/produced?
Telegram was sent on 21 July 1969, then was registered in the government files on the 23 July 1969.
3. What points or arguments are made in the telegram?
It is a formal message of congratulation about the first moon landings from the British Minister Harold Wilson to Washington. But the telegram makes it clear that these good wishes should not be given to the USA President at the White House until it has been confirmed that the astronauts are safely back in the mothership.
4. What values or attitudes does the content of the source reflect?
This source reveals something about the formal relationship between Britain and USA. Such a message would be usual in such an international relationship. However, the source infers a closeness, a personal relationship too as both men had spoken earlier on the telephone. The British Prime Minister does not want to appear insensitive and offer premature congratulations in case there was a problem with the mission.
5. How does the content of the source relate to a given historical situation?
It relates to the time of the first moon landings by the USA which was of global significance. This source also infers the massive interest in Britain in the space programme. The British Prime Minister describes it as an ‘epic voyage of discovery’.
6. Are there any clues about the intended audience for the source?
S & T.D. (Science and Technology Department) or Government Office for Science; American Department in FCO; News Department in FCO; 10 Downing Street –for Prime Minister UK and American Government at Washington; and potentially the President at the White House.
7. How reliable is the source and does it have any limitations?
We can accept that this is a genuine FCO government source. It would seem to be part of series of numbered telegrams, so it would be interesting to see others that may have gone before it and followed it. There may be documents in the Prime Minister’s papers, PREM collection which detail the telephone conversation mentioned in the telegram which we could follow up. In terms of its limitations, by nature, the telegram makes economical use of words. It is a formal message to another county which also affects the language and tone. We do not have a sense of the level of interest, excitement, or attitude towards the event in Britain. We have no idea how its distribution audiences, for example, the ‘News’ or ‘Science and Technology departments’, responded to these events or their role here.
8. How does the telegram relate to other sources from the time?
The telegram does capture a sense of excitement and anticipation over the moon landings. Other documents held by The National Archives, such as the exchange of messages over the splash down of US space flight Apollo 11 can be found in Prime Minister’s papers, PREM 13/3012. UK and international reaction can be seen, along with Queen Elizabeth II’s message carried to the Moon with those of about 70 nations in in the Foreign Office and Commonwealth collection FCO 55/35. Soviet praise for the achievement can be found in other files FCO 55/348). Finally, photographs from Hong Kong show how the moon landings became linked to their Moon Festival CO 1069/468 – see the document provided in this resource in Part 2.
Further contemporary T.V. footage, stills photography, national and international newspaper articles, and radio broadcasts, could be valuable sources to consult to put this telegram in a wider context.
So is important to remember that differences between sources vary according to the audience for whom the source was created. Was the source intended as a public broadcast, or publication or as a secret communication between national governments or internal government departments? Was it intended for the public or scientific community?
Task 1: Part 2
Source 2
Explore more context for this telegram. Look at the Moon Festival photograph and caption provided by the Information Services for the Hong Kong Government in 1969. Catalogue ref: CO 1069/468
Transcript
Deity*: a god or goddess
Mooncakes for Apollo Astronauts
-Hong Kong brings moon festival up to date-
When the three Apollo 11 astronauts returned from their historic mission recently, they brought back with them more than just samples of the lunar soil.
What else did they bring back? Mooncakes of course….given to them by a goddess.
This delightful version of what happened when the first man landed on the moon is how many bakery shops in Hong Kong are depicting the event on huge picture signboards.
It is the first time that three strangers from the West have been linked to one of the most colourful and spectacular festivals in the colony— the moon festival.
The festival which lasts for three days, and three nights commemorates the flight of an Empress, (later deity*) to the moon some 3,000 years ago.
PICTURED: The moon goddess Sheung Ngor and the Apollo astronauts pictured together in this Hong Kong version of what happened when the first man landed on the moon.
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT
INFORMATION SERVICES 1969
- This document comes from the Hong Kong Government information services. What type of source is it?
- Why is Hong Kong referred to as a ‘colony’ at this time?
- What is the Hong Kong Moon Festival?
- What do the photograph and caption suggest about the impact of the moon landings on Hong Kong?
- Does this source reflect any ideas, attitudes or arguments contained in the telegram? Give your reasons.
- Can you explain any differences between this source and the telegram about the moon landing in 1968?
- What is the value for historians of looking at both sources?