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

367. Message From Macmillan to Eisenhower¹

London, August 20, 1958

My dear Friend,

My first reaction to your proposed statement was one of grave concern. I will not pretend that I was not influenced to some extent by the technical side of the problem, to which I have referred. My concern on that account has now been dispelled. But I should like to make it plain to you that I was influenced almost as much by the political consideration which I set out in my second message. Two factors, in particular, weighed heavily with me. First, I thought it would be a profound mistake to concede suspension without securing Russian acceptance of an international control system. Secondly, I was seriously apprehensive about de Gaulle’s reaction. On both these points I have been reassured by your messages of today. On the first, I think that Foster’s new draft is a great improvement. Though, even now, I am not sure whether the Russians will accept a truly international system of control. If they should take the line that each country should man the control posts within its own territory, we shall not have achieved our essential purpose. I hope we shall both keep a careful eye on this. On the second, I would feel happier if I knew what de Gaulle himself was thinking. But I am relieved to know that Couve, at any rate, seems to be taking this quite quietly. I think that I must send the General a personal message about this just before the announcement is made. Perhaps you would consider whether you could do so too.

Finally, I note your anxiety about the state of world opinion. I had thought that a statement on the lines originally proposed might seem to be a little precipitate and that there was time for us to proceed in a more deliberate way. This is after all a pretty serious step and it did not seem unreasonable that we should spend a little more time in considering it. But I do understand, especially in view of what you say in the second paragraph of your message, that you think it important to proceed more quickly in order to recover the initiative with world opinion; and, as you will have seen from the separate massage which I have sent to Foster, we are prepared to go along with you in this and to make a parallel statement in support of yours.

With warm regards,

As ever,

Harold Macmillan

1. Source: Agrees to statement on cessation of nuclear testing. Secret. 2 pp. NARA, RG 59, Presidential Correspondence: Lot 66 D 204, Macmillan to Eisenhower.