Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, Western Europe and Canada, Volume XXVII

98. Memorandum of Discussion at the 276th Meeting of the National Security Council, Washington, February 9, 1956¹

Washington, February 9, 1956

[Here follow a paragraph listing the participants at the meeting and items 1–6.]

7. United States Policy Toward Italy (Progress Report, dated January 4, 1956, by OCB on NSC 5411/2; NIE 24–56)²

Mr. Anderson briefed the Council on the reference Progress Report, and pointed out that a new National Intelligence Estimate on Italy had just been issued. He thought that Mr. Allen Dulles might wish to comment on this new estimate.

[3 paragraphs (18 lines of source text) not declassified]

Secretary Humphrey inquired whether President Gronchi was coming here for money.³ The President quipped that if he was, we were in a position to get tough with him.

Admiral Radford pointed out that whether or not President Gronchi was seeking U.S. funds, the Chief of Staff of the Italian Army would be seeking a lot more direct forces support, on grounds that otherwise Italy would be unable to maintain its current military force levels.

In conclusion, Secretary Dulles pointed out the rather relative prosperity of Italy at this time. In the light of this, the fact that Communism continued to maintain its position in Italy was further proof of the fallacy that Communism thrives only in desperately poor and undeveloped countries and that it can be reduced to ineffectiveness or eliminated by a high level of economic health.

The National Security Council:

Noted and discussed the reference Progress Report on the subject by the Operations Coordinating Board, and NIE 24–56.

S. Everett Gleason

1. Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, NSC Records. Top Secret. Drafted by Gleason on February 10.
2. Document 95 and supra, respectively.
3. On December 17, 1955, the Department of State announced that President Gronchi would visit the United States, beginning on February 28. (Department of State Bulletin, January 2, 1956, p. 16) On February 17, the Department announced that Gronchi and his party would visit the United States, February 27–March 14. During March 2–14, Gronchi would tour selected American cities. (Ibid., February 27, 1956, p. 331)