Truman Library, PSF–Subject file, “NSC Atomic, Atomic Weapons—Thermonuclear”
Memorandum by the United States Atomic Energy Commission to the Executive Secretary of the National Security Council (Lay)1
The Commission believes that an indispensable part of any announcement of a successful Ivy shot would be a clear renewal of America’s assurances to the world of its peaceful intentions.
Such a milestone in the evolution of military application of atomic energy might also present a unique opportunity to the United States to offer once again to the USSR to negotiate for a realistic international control agreement. Such an offer would at least tend to neutralize Russian propaganda capitalizing on this American development. And it might well remove the international control issue from dead center and start up new negotiations containing some measure of hope.
Of course such proposal should leave no room for interpretation that the United States would forego use of any weapon (if required) until international control becomes a reality.
Acting Chairman
- By memorandum of Sept. 19, Lay transmitted this document to the Secretaries of State and Defense.↩