121. Memorandum of a Telephone Conversation Between the President and the Secretary of State, October 26, 1956, 7:06 p.m.1
TELEPHONE CALL TO THE PRESIDENT
The Sec. said he was thinking over the Pres’s thought2 and wondered if he approved the Sec’s saying something to the effect—all we want is their genuine independence and that if they once had it that would alter the whole aspect of the European scene and the whole problem of European security would be altered. The Pres. said yes—the whole European and world security would seem to be on the road to achievement. The Sec. mentioned his trying to imply you might not [Page 307] need to build up NATO so much or something to that effect. The Pres. said if they could have some kind of existence, choose their own government and what they want, then we are satisfied and this would really solve one of the greatest problems in the world that is standing in the way of world peace. Then something that [like] this would be of far greater effect than any alliance.
The Pres. said the evening paper looks as if it is spreading. The Sec. said we are sending a cable to Lloyd3 that it should get before the SC in order to focus attention on it so the Russians will not commit vast reprisals and give us a chance to talk privately with them there. The Pres. said to say to Lloyd it is so terrible we would be remiss if we did not do something.
- Source: Eisenhower Library, Dulles Papers, White House Telephone Conversations. Transcribed by Bernau.↩
- See footnote 3, supra.↩
- Infra.↩