Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, Volume III, Microfiche Supplement, National Security Policy; Arms Control and Disarmament

128. Memorandum of Conference with the President¹

Washington, January 14, 1959

OTHERS PRESENT

• General Twining
• General Goodpaster

General Twining said he wished to give the President a further report on the proposal for dispersal of certain high-yield weapons to [text not declassified]. A certain number are to be there in storage, another number in aircraft that are always there on the ground, and an additional number would be authorized to be sent in, and kept in aircraft on the ground, if reason developed to send in such aircraft.

The President said that he saw the reason for this but that, if this is what is proposed, the authorization should be stated in these terms. Otherwise it would seem we are being insufficiently strict in our arrangements. He thought a provision should be introduced indicating that for brief transit, during authorized maneuvers or in an emergency, this third group of weapons is authorized to be there, in aircraft, but never to be unloaded. General Twining said he was confident this could be worked out.

General Twining next brought out, for the President’s information, that, following coordination with State and CIA, the Air Force is training a certain very limited number of Chinese Nationalist pilots in the U–2 aircraft. No commitment whatsoever has been made concerning their future use. The President stated that he thinks we must stay out of the northern area of mainland China; but the same considerations do not apply in the south.

General Twining next reported that meetings have been held on planning for the Berlin situation, with representation from State, JCS and CIA. He added that the French and the British are showing some tendency to talk about use of airlift as a possible line of action but that our State Department is strongly opposed to this type of solution. The President recalled a recent exchange he had had with Macmillan on this subject. He commented also that we are handicapped by the fact that our rights on the ground for access to Berlin are not fully clear and explicit.

Finally, General Twining asked that when the President visits Colorado Springs in mid-year he dedicate the golf course there, in the process making clear that it was not built at government expense. The President did not think he could dedicate the golf course since it is named for him, but would be glad to have some kind of ceremony there at which he would be able to make this point clear.

A.J. Goodpaster
Brigadier General, USA

1. Source: Dispersal of nuclear weapons, training Chinese Nationalists in the U–2, Berlin. Secret. 2 pp. Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, DDE Diaries. Drafted on January 15.