Basic National Security Policy; Estimates of Threats to the National Security; Military Posture, Strategy, and Weapons Development; Missile Programs; Scientific and Technological Capabilities; Concern for Continental and Civil Defense; Status of Overseas Bases; Defense Budget; Coordination of Military, Economic, Political, Ideological, and Psychological Programs; Organization for National Security
1. Memorandum by Jacob D. Beam
Source: Department of State,PPS Files: Lot 66 D 70, S/P Record Copies, Jan.–May, 1955. Top Secret.
2. Diary Entry by the President’s Press Secretary (Hagerty)
Source: Eisenhower Library, Hagerty Papers, Diary Series.
3. Diary Entry by the President’s Press Secretary (Hagerty)
Source: Eisenhower Library, Hagerty Papers, Diary Series.
4. Memorandum From the Director of the Policy Planning Staff (Bowie) to the Secretary of State
Source: Department of State,S/S–NSC Files: Lot 63 D 351, NSC 5440/1. Top Secret.
5. Memorandum of Discussion at the 230th Meeting of the National Security Council, Washington, January 5, 1955
Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, NSC Records. Top Secret; Eyes Only. Drafted by Gleason on January 6.
6. National Security Council Report
Source: Department of State, S/P–NSC Files: Lot 62 D 1, NSC 5501. Top Secret.
8. Diary Entry by the President’s Press Secretary (Hagerty)
Source: Eisenhower Library, Hagerty Papers, Diary Series.
9. Report by the Technological Capabilities Panel of the Science Advisory Committee
Source: Department of State, S/S–RD Files: Lot 71 D 171. Top Secret; Restricted Data.
The 42-member Technological Capabilities Panel of the Science Advisory Committee of the Office of Defense Mobilization was formed in response to a Presidential request made to the committee at a White House meeting on March 27, 1954, that a study be made of U.S. technological capability to reduce the threat of surprise attack. The resulting panel, frequently referred to as the Killian Committee after its director, Dr. James R. Killian, Jr., interpreted its mandate broadly. The committee set as its objective an examination of the current vulnerability of the United States to surprise attack and an investigation of how science and technology could be used to reduce that vulnerability by contributing to the following five developments: An increase in U.S. nuclear retaliatory power to deter or at least defeat a surprise attack; an increase in U.S. intelligence capabilities to enhance the ability to predict and give adequate warning of an intended surprise attack; a strengthening of U.S. defenses to deter or blunt a surprise attack; the achievement of a secure and reliable communications network; and an understanding of the effect of advanced technology on the manpower requirements of the armed forces.
11. Supplementary Notes of the Legislative Leadership Meeting, March 1, 1955, 8:30–10:30 a.m.
Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Legislative Meetings. Confidential. Drafted by Minnich. Copies sent to Whitman and Minnich. Present at the meeting were: the President; Senators Knowland, Saltonstall, Millikin, and Bridges; Representatives Martin, Halleck, Allen, and Arends; Secretary Humphrey; Postmaster General Arthur Summerfield; Sherman Adams; General Persons; Gerald Morgan, Special Counsel to the President; James Hagerty; Murray Snyder, Assistant Press Secretary; Bryce Harlow; Howard Pyle, Fred Seaton, and Jack Martin, Administrative Assistants to the President; Homer Gruenther, and Earle Chesney, Assistants to the Deputy Assistant to the President; and Minnich. (Ibid.,Eisenhower Records, President’s Appointment Book) An agenda of the meeting attached to the source text lists eight items; the notes printed here presumably relate to item 3, military reserve bill.
17. Memorandum of Discussion at the 241st Meeting of the National Security Council, Washington, March 17, 1955
Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, NSC Records. Top Secret. Prepared by Coyne on March 18.
18. Memorandum of Discussion at the 243d Meeting of the National Security Council, Washington, March 31, 1955
Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, NSC Records. Top Secret. Prepared by Gleason on April 1.
19. National Security Council Report
Source: Department of State, S/S–NSC Files: Lot 63 D 351, NSC 5515 Series. Top Secret.
20. Memorandum of Discussion at the 244th Meeting of the National Security Council, Washington, April 7, 1955
Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, NSC Records. Top Secret. Prepared by Gleason on April 8.
23. Outline for a Speech by the Secretary of State
Source: Department of State, PPS Files: Lot 66 D 70, Chronological, Jan.–Dec, 1955. Confidential. Drafted by Carlton Savage, John Campbell, and Robert Bowie, all of the Policy Planning Staff. The draft itself is not dated, but a covering memorandum from Bowie to Dulles was dated May 19. A handwritten notation on this memorandum indicated that copy no. 1 was handed to the Secretary by Bowie on May 20, that this outline was for a speech before the Magazine Publishers Association at White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, and that the speech was not published. Bowie’s memorandum stated that the outline was written on the assumption that the speech would be off-the-record and not broadcast or published, adding that he would question the wisdom of publishing this kind of speech. The memorandum further indicated that the speech was given May 23. (Ibid.)
24. Memorandum of Discussion at the 250th Meeting of the National Security Council, Washington, May 26, 1955
Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, NSC Records. Top Secret. Prepared by Gleason on May 27.
27. National Intelligence Estimate
Source: Department of State, INR–NIE Files. Secret. According to a note on the cover sheet, the CIA and the intelligence organizations of the Departments of State, the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, and the Joint Staff prepared this estimate, which was concurred in by the Intelligence Advisory Committee on June 14. The Assistant to the Director, FBI, abstained since the subject was outside the jurisdiction of the FBI.
28. Memorandum of Discussion at the 252d Meeting of the National Security Council, Washington, June 16, 1955
Source: Eisenhower Libratry, Whitman File, NSC Records. Top Secret. Prepared by Coyne on June 17.
30. Memorandum of Discussion at the 257th Meeting of the National Security Council, Washington, August 4, 1955
Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, NSC Records. Top Secret. Prepared by Lay and Robert Johnson on August 5.