PPS Files, Lot 64 d 563
Memorandum by the Counselor (Bohlen)1 to the Executive Secretary of the Policy Planning Staff (Watts)
Subject: U.S. Programs for National Security, Council Action on NSC 114/2
A word of explanation has been needed for proper interpretation of NSC Action No. 575 of October 17 and the President’s approval of the recommendation in NSC Action No. 575a.2 This explanation was furnished by Mr. Lay to the Senior Staff on October 24.
Mr. Lay said “that the Senior State Member had agreed to prepare a draft of the political and foreign policy considerations to be included in the reappraisal; and that the Senior Defense, JCS, and CIA Members would prepare a revision of the portions of Part I of NSC 114/2 relating to military capabilities”. The Defense Department, JCS and CIA will undertake this task in the light of:
“a. the revised estimate of Soviet atomic capabilities as indicated by the recent explosions in the USSR,3 and of
b. the evaluation of the net capability of the USSR to injure the continental United States.”
As to subparagraph (5) of NSC Action 575a, which had given rise to some questions, Mr. Gleason has told us that the “further study of economic, social and political implications of the programs” relate to the impact of the budget requests. No “assignment” is involved.
I have agreed at Senior Staff request to put together an analysis of Soviet intentions and internal vulnerabilities in connection with the reappraisal requested by the Council.
The target date for the “reappraisal and revision” is fixed by default, in a sense; they should be completed by the first week of [Page 245] December if they are to have the bearing they should have on the State of the Union and Budget messages. The NSC Secretariat is exerting pressure to expedite the net capability study referred to in NSC Action 575c(2), so as to make the target date for revision a practicable one.