Office of the Historian

146. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Stassen) to the President1

Washington, July 20, 1956.

Major points for consideration with the Secretary of Defense and Joint Chiefs of Staff with reference to the June 29, 1956 memorandum.2

[Page 411]

1. Opposition which stems from their apprehension that the United States would not use its rights for suspension or termination, if the agreement is not being respected by the communists, and concern that the U.S. position may be watered down in the course of negotiations to one that is unsound and dangerous.

Recommendation: Future officials of the United States can take unwise action in many different ways, with or without an arms limitation agreement now, and there is no way to guarantee now against future officials. A sound policy now, leading to either a sound agreement or to no agreement, is preferable to the alternative of leaving a vacuum of undecided policy, with adverse effects at home and abroad.

2. Effective inspection as a requirement should be stressed in every paragraph.

Recommendation: This should be accepted as it is the intention of the proposed courses of action.

3. Nuclear tests should never be stopped, but possibly we could reduce the size.

Recommendation: The U.S. should propose the circumstances under which tests would be stopped.

4. The setting up of a UN force or a NATO force should not in any way restrict the U.S. rights and authority to use U.S. national nuclear and thermonuclear capability, and this should be made clear.

Recommendation: This should be accepted.

5. The progressive installation of the air inspection would lead to a false sense of security.

Recommendation: Progressive installation of air inspection, with radar and ground stations, would improve present security, especially against great surprise attack, and it should be possible to safeguard against a false sense of security.

HES
  1. Source: Eisenhower Library, Staff Secretary Records, Disarmament. Confidential. Attached to the source text is the note by Goodpaster quoted in footnote 1, supra.↩
  2. Document 143.↩