795.00/8–1750
Memorandum by the Under Secretary of State (Webb)
Meeting With The President, Thursday, August 17, 1950
bombing of rashin
I showed the President a number of excerpts from Mr. Kennan’s reports of August 8 and 141 with respect to the present pattern of Soviet intentions, and also the attached letter under date of August 16 to Secretary Johnson, with respect to the Rashin bombing. The President’s first reaction was that he thought we would have to take whatever risks were necessary to destroy the points from which supplies were flowing, but when I made the point that departures from agreed instructions should not be made without thorough consultation with the State Department on the political implications, the President agreed.
I later had a brief conversation with Secretary Johnson on this matter and he also agreed that we should have such prior consultation.