Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, China, Volume III

183. Memorandum of Discussion at the 286th Meeting of the National Security Council, Washington, May 31, 1956¹

Washington, May 31, 1956

Present at the 286th Council meeting were the President of the United States, presiding; the Vice President of the United States; the Acting Secretary of State; the Secretary of Defense; and the Director, Office of Defense Mobilization. Also present were the Secretary of the Treasury; the Secretary of Commerce (participating in the action on Item 1); the Special Assistant to the President for Disarmament; the Director, Bureau of the Budget; the Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission (participating in the action on Item 1); the Federal Civil Defense Administrator (for Item 1); the Director, U.S. Information Agency; the Director, National Science Foundation (for Item 1); Assistant Secretary of State Bowie; Sherman Kent, Central Intelligence Agency; the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff; the Director of Central Intelligence; the Assistant to the President; the Deputy Assistant to the President; Special Assistants to the President Anderson, Dodge and Jackson; the White House Staff Secretary; the Executive Secretary, NSC; and the Deputy Executive Secretary, NSC.

Also present for Item 1, giving or assisting in the presentation to the Council, were Dr. C.C. Furnas, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Development; Mr. Samuel E. Clements and Mr. Richard Park, Department of Defense; Dr. Samuel Brownell, Director, Office of Education, Department of Health, Education and Welfare; Mr. Neal Caruthers, National Science Foundation.

There follows a summary of the discussion at the meeting and the main points taken.

[Here follows discussion on items 1, “Technological Superiority” and 2, “Significant World Developments Affecting U.S. Security”.]

3. U.S. Policy Toward Formosa and the Government of the Republic of China (NSC 5503; Progress Report, dated April 11, 1956,² by OCB on NSC 5503)

The National Security Council:³

Noted the reference Progress Report on the subject by the Operations Coordinating Board.

4. Chinese Nationalist Offshore Islands (NSC 5503; NSC Actions Nos. 1312 and 1562)⁴

Mr. Anderson addressed the President and said that it was his understanding that what the President desired was not a review of U.S. policy toward the offshore islands, but simply a refresher as to the content of this policy.

The President replied that this was precisely what he wanted— just a statement in ten words. Mr. Anderson said that he couldn’t do it in quite so few, but would undertake to provide the essentials. He then proceeded to brief the Council on the content of U.S. policy with respect to the offshore islands (copy of brief included in the minutes of the meeting).

At the conclusion of Mr. Anderson’s briefing, the President stated that this was just what he wanted.

Mr. Anderson then referred to the recent National Intelligence Estimate on “Chinese Communist Capabilities in the Taiwan Straits Area and Probable Courses of Action Over the Next Six Months”⁵ (copy⁶ filed in the minutes of the meeting). He then asked the Director of Central Intelligence to comment on this Estimate.

Mr. Dulles read the pertinent conclusions from the NIE, pointing out the view of the authors that an attack by the Chinese Communists on Quemoy and the Matsus was on the whole unlikely in the course of the next six months. There was a possibility that the Chinese Communists might attack less important offshore islands.

. . . . . . .

The National Security Council:⁷

a. Noted a summary of current U.S. policy on the subject by the Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, pursuant to NSC Action No. 1562.

b. Noted a briefing by the Director of Central Intelligence summarizing NIE 100–5–56, “Chinese Communist Capabilities in the Taiwan Straits Area and Probable Courses of Action Over the Next Six Months”.

S. Everett Gleason

1. Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, NSC Records. Top Secret. Drafted by Gleason on June 1.
2. Not printed. (Department of State, OCB Files: Lot 62 D 430, Formosa, 1956–57)
3. The following sentence constitutes NSC Action No. 1568, the record copy of which is ibid., S/S–NSC (Miscellaneous) Files: Lot 66 D 95.
4. See footnote 6, Document 179.
5. Summarized in the memorandum, supra.
6. Not found.
7. The following paragraphs constitute NSC Action No. 1569, the record copy of which is in Department of State, S/S–NSC (Miscellaneous) Files: Lot 66 D 95.