No. 937
Editorial Note
On February 29 at 3 p.m., a meeting of officers of the Canadian Embassy and the Department of State was held in Washington to discuss the possibilities of war with the Soviet Union and the use of atomic weapons. Representing Canada were Ambassador Hume Wrong and Counselors of Embassy George Ignatieff and Douglas Le Pan. Representing the Department of State were Deputy Under Secretary of State H. Freeman Matthews, Director of the Policy Planning Staff Paul Nitze, Assistant Secretary of State for Far [Page 2024] Eastern Affairs John Allison, Deputy Director of the Office of Intelligence and Research Charles Stelle, and Special Assistant to the Secretary of State for Atomic Energy Affairs R. Gordon Arneson.
Discussion opened with the United States views regarding the general use of atomic weapons in the event of major war. The discussion then ranged over the risks inherent in recent political and military developments involving China, Southeast Asia, Japan, Germany, Greece and Turkey, and the Middle East. In closing the meeting, Nitze asked the Canadians to let the Department know when they might wish to have another meeting, it being understood that in the event of any serious development, both countries would want to meet together immediately to consider it. A memorandum of this conversation, drafted by Arneson, is in S/AE files, lot 68 D 358.