561. Memorandum of Discussion Between Eisenhower and McCone1
MEMORANDUM OF DISCUSSION WITH THE PRESIDENT AT 11:15 AM, APRIL 22, 1960
I met with the President for fifteen minutes this morning and reviewed the content of my discussions with President de Gaulle as outlined in my cable to Secretary Herter; reviewed the details of my visits to the French production plants, laboratories, etc. and my discussions [Typeset Page 2042] with the Commissariat and members of the foreign office as outlined in my memoranda to the files, dated April 18, 1960.
The President expressed himself as feeling our present laws are forcing other countries to develop a weapons capability; that we might stop this if we would develop a somewhat different approach to the plan of handing weapons in conjunction with other countries, but under appropriate controls. I agreed.
The President expressed himself as becoming increasingly alarmed over atmospheric testing, stating he felt our scientists and others had been overly optimistic in minimizing the dangers from fallout. I said I concurred and that, as I had told him many times in the past, I would not in my present position recommend a resumption of atmospheric tests.
I pointed out underground testing was another thing as there was no danger from fallout. He concurred.
I told the President that our monitoring stations had picked up the radioactivity resulting from the French tests.
- Source: McCone’s visit to France; nuclear testing. Confidential; Eyes Only. 1 p. Eisenhower Library, McCone Papers, Sealed File No. 5.↩