Office of the Historian

108. Memorandum From Murphy (G), Reinhardt (C), and Smith (S/P) to John Foster Dulles1

Washington, November 8, 1958
[Facsimile Page 1]

SUBJECT

  • Your conversation with Mr. McElroy and Mr. Quarles this afternoon

You asked us to suggest some thoughts for your meeting with McElroy. We believe that it would be unwise for you to get involved in any discussion of various weapons systems or any Department of Defense operational matters.

We believe that you should say that from a foreign policy point of view it would be well if the United States posed a more impressive military capability to meet less than all-out war situations. If additional budget cuts are essential the foreign policy argument favors a placing of the burden of the reduction on the massive retaliation capability and not on the limited war capability.

We see great political dangers in the suggestion that the United States security would permit of over-all inferiority militarily to the Communist bloc.

  1. Source: Suggestions for conversation with McElroy on Department of Defense budget. Top Secret. 1 p. NARA, RG 59, Central Files, 611.00/11–858.↩