Eisenhower Library, papers as President, Whitman file, NSC records
Memorandum of Discussion at the 143d Meeting of the National Security Council on Wednesday, May 6, 19531
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Present at the 143rd meeting of the National Security Council were the President of the United States, Presiding; the Vice President of the United States; the Under Secretary of State; the Secretary of Defense; the Deputy Director for Mutual Security. Also present were the Secretary of the Treasury; the Director of Defense Mobilization; the Director, Bureau of the Budget; the Acting Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission; Commissioner Thomas E. Murray, AEC; the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff; the Director of Central Intelligence; Mr. Robert Cutler, Special Assistant to the President; Mr. Lewis L. Strauss, Special Assistant to the President; Mr. C. D. Jackson, Special Assistant to the President; Colonel Paul T. Carroll, Military Liaison Officer; the Executive Secretary, NSC; and the Deputy Executive Secretary, NSC.
[Page 150]There follows a general account of the main positions taken and the chief points made at this meeting.
[Here follows discussion of matters relating to the large ship reactor and aircraft nuclear propulsion programs, the situation in Indochina and Thailand, and possible courses of action in Korea.]
5. Sale of modern aircraft to Latin American nations (NSC Action No. 7752)
At Mr. Cutler’s request, Secretary Smith spoke first as to the State Department’s position with regard to this problem. Secretary Smith expressed full understanding of the desirability, from a military standpoint, of the standardization of weapons in Latin America and the desire of the military that these nations use United States aircraft. On the other hand, from the point of view of trade policy, Secretary Smith said that the State Department sympathized with the desire and need of the British to sell their own aircraft to Latin America. There were, therefore, these two points of view. Perhaps on the whole, thought Secretary Smith, the hemisphere defense argument was the stronger. In any case, he was prepared to go along with whatever view the Defense Department took.
The President expressed the thought that, for the moment at least, this issue was too insignificant to consume the Council’s time. If, later on, it appeared that very large number of British aircraft were being sold in Latin America, it would be simple to resume consideration of the matter.
The National Security Council:3
Agreed that under present circumstances the sale of British aircraft to Latin American nations was not of sufficient significance to require action by the Council.
[Here follows discussion concerning NSC status of projects.]