Foreign Relations of the United States, 1949, National Security Affairs, Foreign Economic Policy, Volume I

PM Files

President Truman to the Executive Secretary of the National Security Council (Souers)¹

top secret

Washington, November 19, 1949.

My Dear Mr. Souers: I have recently received a report by the Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission which raises the question as to whether the United States should proceed with the construction of “super” atomic weapons. This question involves consideration not only of the factors presented by the Atomic Energy Commission in its report but also political and military factors of concern to the Departments of State and Defense.

To assist me in reaching a decision with respect to this vital question, I am therefore designating the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission as a special committee of the National Security Council to advise me on this problem. I suggest that each member of the committee provide from his agency appropriate staff officers to prepare under your supervision the necessary studies.² I desire that the committee analyze all phases of the question including particularly the technical, military and political factors, and make recommendations as to whether and in what manner the United States should undertake the development and possible production of “super” atomic weapons. Included in these recommendations, I should like the advice of the Council as to whether and when any publicity should be given to this matter.

In the meantime, pending the completion of this project and my final decision with respect thereto, it is my considered judgment that any publicity regarding this question in the absence of the development of all the facts involved, would be seriously prejudicial to the national interest and security. I therefore desire that the knowledge of and participation in this study be restricted so far as practicable and that this question be neither mentioned nor discussed except among the participants.

Sincerely yours,

Harry S. Truman

1. Copy transmitted to the Secretary of State on November 19 by the White House.
2. A Working Group under the direction of Souers convened to undertake the preparation of staff studies on November 28. The membership of this group was as follows: Department of State—Paul Nitze, Adrian Fisher, and R. Gordon Arneson; the Department of Defense—Robert LeBaron, Lt. Gen. Lauris Norstad, Maj. Gen. Kenneth D. Nichols, Rear Adm. T. B. Hill; United States Atomic Energy Commission—Commissioner Henry D. Smyth, Commissioner Gordon Dean, and Paul C. Fine. Consideration of this matter during the remainder of 1949 by the Special Committee of the NSC, by its Working Group, and within the USAEC is described in Hewlett and Duncan, pp. 394–399.