Editorial Note
In a memorandum to Mr. Bowie, dated June 15, 1954, not printed, Mr. Halle stated that shortly after the Tenth Inter-American Conference at Caracas in March 1954, the National Security Council had raised the question with the Department of State whether a revision of NSC 144/1 was in order, and that the Department, on the recommendation of the Bureau of Inter-American Affairs, had at the time advised that a revision was unnecessary. Mr. Halle further stated that a revision would now be “desirable” because it could take into account Dr. Milton Eisenhower’s report to President Eisenhower on United States-Latin American relations and studies concerning Latin America prepared in the Department since the adoption of NSC 144/1. (S/P–NSC files, lot 61 D 167, NSC 144/1)
At a meeting on June 15, 1954, the NSC Planning Board discussed the possible preparation of a revision of NSC 144/1, and agreement was reached that such revision should be undertaken during late July or August, on the basis of draft recommendations to be submitted by the Department of State. Drafts of proposed revisions were considered at NSC Planning Board meetings on August 9, 12, and 16, 1954. On the latter date, the Planning Board adopted a draft of amendments to NSC 144/1, and approved its submission, as revised, to the National Security Council for consideration. The amendments were incorporated into NSC 144/1, and subsequently submitted to the Council as NSC 5432, not printed, under date of August 18, 1954. (S/P–NSC files, lot 62 D 1, Records of NSC Planning Board meetings) For the text of NSC 144/1, see page 6.