Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, Eastern Europe, Volume XXV

33. Memorandum From the Chairman of the Planning Coordination Group (Rockefeller) to the Chairman of the Operations Coordinating Board (Hoover)¹

Washington, September 30, 1955.

SUBJECT

• Review of NSC Policy on Soviet European Satellites (NSC 174 and NSC 5505/1)

1. By NSC Action No. 1349–c, approved by the President, March 12, 1955,² the Planning Coordination Group was made responsible for advising and assisting the responsible operating agencies in the coordinated development of plans and programs to carry out NSC 5505/1, “Exploitation of Soviet and European Satellite Vulnerabilities.”

2. By letter of March 23, 1955,³ recognizing that the future implementation of NSC 174 was directly affected by the policies set forth in NSC 5505/1, the Chairman of the OCB suggested that the Planning Coordination Group be assigned responsibility for coordinating the implementation of NSC 174. This assignment was accepted by my letter of March 29.⁴

3. At its meetings of August 10 and September 21,⁵ the OCB considered an “Outline Plan of Operations on NSC 174” and noted that the policies set forth in NSC 5505/1 (based on the general strategy outlined in NSC 5501/1, “Basic National Security Policy,” especially paragraph 26–c) reflect a somewhat subtler strategy and different emphasis than the policy conclusions underlying NSC 174. Nevertheless, OCB issued the outline plan, in view of the continuing validity of the objectives of NSC 174 and the need for the plan in the field in the light of developments since the meeting of the heads of government in Geneva in July 1955.

4. The Planning Coordination Group believes that the policy conclusions underlying U.S. actions respecting the Soviet European satellites, including actions to exploit vulnerabilities, should be consistent with the policy and strategy outlined in basic national security policy, currently under review by the NSC Planning Board.

5. Accordingly, the Planning Coordination Group requests that the Chairman of the Operations Coordinating Board recommend to the National Security Council that the NSC Planning Board review NSC 174 and NSC 5505/1 in the light of and subsequent to revision of NSC 5501/1.⁶

Nelson A. Rockefeller⁷

1. Source: Department of State, S/P–NSC Files: Lot 67 D 167, Soviet Satellites in Eastern Europe. Top Secret.
2. Not printed. (Ibid., S/S–NSC (Miscellaneous) Files: Lot 66 D 95)
3. Not printed. (Ibid., Central Files, 611.60/3–2355)
4. Not found in Department of State files.
5. Reports on the meetings of August 10 and September 21 are not printed. (Department of State, OCB Files: Lot 62 D 430, Preliminary Notes)
6. This request was forwarded to Lay by Staats of the OCB and to the NSC by Lay. The memoranda from Staats to Lay, October 19, and Lay to the NSC, October 20, are attached to the source text but not printed.
7. Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.