181. Telegram Tocah 162 to Herter in Geneva1
Tocah 162. For Secretary from Acting Secretary. Reference: Cahto 154.
At PB meeting Friday Defense member indicated SecDef willing go along with Gray’s paragraph 12–a as drafted providing agreement reached on inclusion of following sentence as footnote or in record of action:
“Paragraph 12–a of NSC 5906 was approved by the President with the understanding that it is not to be interpreted as a change in policy but rather as a clarification of exiting policy with respect to the use of nuclear weapons and the requirement for maintaining balanced forces.”
Department PB member said proposal probably acceptable to State but would prefer have language above in record of action rather than footnote. Treasury, Budget, OCDM agreed; Chiefs reserved; sentence believed satisfactory because makes no change in substance of Gray S draft paragraph 12–a which we willing accept. Additionally, refers “requirement” for balanced forces which not elsewhere mentioned.
Remaining question merely whether policy is to be considered “change” or “clarification” but since we have already agreed to Gray formula further argumentation this point in NSC would certainly be unproductive. Accordingly I called McElroy and confirmed Department’s acceptance of his suggested sentence for inclusion in record of action. When I saw him on Sunday I told him that we felt language represented new policy but if he preferred to call it clarification that would be satisfactory by us as long as it understood that new language as such would henceforth be guiding without reference to superseded languages. This seemed satisfactory to McElroy and unless you have other instructions this is line I intend to take in NSC.
- Source: Discussion of proposed revisions in NSC 5906, basic national security policy. Top Secret. 1 p. NARA, RG 59, S/P–NSC Files: Lot 67 D 548, Military and Naval Policy.↩