Editorial Note

On February 17, 1954, James S. Lay, Jr., Executive Secretary of the National Security Council, transmitted to the NSC the first two parts of NSC 5407, “Status of United States Programs for National Security as of December 31, 1953” which had been called for by the memorandum from Lay to Secretary Dulles on December 14, 1953 (see footnote 9, page 597). The remaining portions of the two-volume report numbered NSC 5407 were submitted subsequently by the various responsible agencies, and NSC 5407 was the subject of discussion at the 187th, 188th, and 190th meetings of the NSC on March 4, 11, and 25, 1954. For an extract from NSC 5407, see volume I, Part 1, page 684; a copy of the complete two-volume report is in S/SNSC files, lot 63 D 351.

The departments and agencies responsible for national security programs subsequently prepared further semiannual reports on the status of those programs in conformity with Lay’s memorandum of December 14, 1953. Copies of NSC 5430, “Status of U.S. Programs for National Security as of June 30, 1954”, and NSC 5509, “Status of National Security Programs as of December 31, 1954” are also in S/SNSC files, lot 63 D 351, NSC 5430 and NSC 5509 Series, respectively.