Preparations for SALT, January 27–November 12, 1969
2. Paper Prepared in the Department of Defense
Source: Ford Library, Laird Papers, Box 22, SALT, Chronological File. Top Secret. Laird transmitted this paper to Kissinger under cover of a February 13 memorandum for discussion at an NSC meeting scheduled for February 14. Laird also attached a JCS paper of the same title, which he noted contained a few modifications from the Department of Defense paper. Another copy of this paper indicates that it was drafted in ISA and SA with the Joint Staff in response to a request at the February 6 NSC Review Group meeting. (Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD Files: FRC 330–75–0103, USSR, 388.3) See footnote 2, Document 12.
3. Paper Prepared by the National Security Council Staff
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–020, NSC Meeting Biafra, Strategic Policy Issues 2/14/69. Top Secret. This summary of a 21-page paper, entitled “Strategic Policy Issues” was included in the President’s briefing book for the February 14 NSC meeting. The full text of the summary is printed in Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, volume XXXIV, National Security Policy, 1969–1972, Document 6.
5. Minutes of a National Security Council Meeting
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–109, NSC Minutes Originals 1969. Top Secret; Sensitive. According to the President’s Daily Diary, the meeting was held in the Cabinet Room of the White House from 10:26 a.m. to 12:26 p.m. and was attended by: President Nixon, Kissinger, Agnew, Rogers, Laird, David Kennedy, Lincoln, Wheeler, Helms, Packard, Gerard Smith, and Ellis H. Veatch, Director of the Bureau of the Budget’s National Security Programs Division. (Ibid., White House Central Files) The participants were continuing the discussion of strategic policy issues initiated during the February 14 NSC meeting; see Document 4. The full text of the minutes of this meeting is printed in Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, volume XXXIV, National Security Policy, 1969–1972, Document 8.
7. Memorandum From the Director of Defense Research and Engineering (Foster) to the Deputy Secretary of Defense (Packard)
[Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD Files: FRC 330–75–0103, Box 16, USSR, 388.3. Top Secret. 3 pages not declassified.]
8. Memorandum From President Nixon to Acting Secretary of State Richardson
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 873, SALT, Volume I, January–May 1969. Secret; Nodis.
9. Memorandum From Acting Secretary of State Richardson to President Nixon
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 845, ABM–MIRV, MIRV Test Program, Vol. I, Closed June 30, 1969. Secret. The date is handwritten at the bottom of the last page. The memorandum was forwarded to Nixon on May 27 under a covering memorandum from Kissinger explaining that it outlined the relationship of the MIRV program to the forthcoming SALT negotiations. Kissinger also sent Richardson’s memorandum to Laird with a request for comment by May 30. (Ibid.)
10. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 873, SALT, Volume II, June–July 1969. Secret; Nodis. Sent for information. A notation on the memorandum indicates the President saw it. Another notation indicates it was returned on June 2. Haig asked Sonnenfeldt to prepare this memorandum for the President “to keep him abreast of this fast moving epic.” (Memorandum from Haig to Sonnenfeldt, May 19; ibid.)
11. Letter From the Deputy Secretary of Defense (Packard) to the Director of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency (Smith)
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 383, ACDA Files:FRC 383–98–0089, Box 1, Director’s Files, Smith Files, Correspondence for and by Smith on MIRVs, ABM, and other Arms Control Issues, February–December 1969. Secret.
12. Minutes of a Review Group Meeting
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–111, SRG Minutes, Originals, 1969. Top Secret. The meeting took place in the Situation Room at the White House. The full text of the minutes and documentation related to NSSM 3 are printed in Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, volume XXXIV, National Security Policy, 1969–1972, Document 32.
13. Memorandum From the Deputy Secretary of Defense (Packard) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)
Source: Ford Library, Laird Papers, Box 22, SALT, Chronological File. Secret; Confidential. A notation on the memorandum indicates Laird saw it on August 1. Foster drafted Packard’s letter after receiving concurrence from the Director, Joint Staff and the Department of Navy.
14. Paper Prepared by the Interagency SALT Steering Committee
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–139, National Security Study Memoranda, NSSM 28. Top Secret. Sent under a May 30 covering memorandum from Smith to Kissinger. The full report is ibid. The SALT Steering Committee was under the chairmanship of ACDA and included representatives of the Secretaries of State and Defense, the Chairman of the JCS, the Director of Central Intelligence, the Chairman of the AEC, the President’s Science Advisor, and the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs. The first meeting of the SALT Steering Committee was held on March 19, and meetings were held biweekly until the report was issued. Memoranda about those meetings are in Washington National Records Center, RG 383, ACDA Files: FRC 383–98–098, Director’s Files, Smith Files, NSSM 28, Preparation of US Position for Possible SALT Talks.
16. Paper Prepared in the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency
Source: Ford Library, Laird Papers, Box 22, SALT, Chronological File. Top Secret. Smith sent this paper to Packard under cover of a June 12 memorandum. He also sent Kissinger a copy on June 12. (National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 873, SALT, Volume II, June–July 1969)
17. Minutes of a Review Group Meeting
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–109, NSC Minutes Originals 1969. Top Secret; Sensitive. The meeting was held in the White House Situation Room. Halperin forwarded the minutes to Kissinger under a covering memorandum on June 16.
19. Minutes of a National Security Council Meeting
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–109, NSC Minutes Originals 1969. No classification marking. According to the President’s Daily Diary, the meeting was held in the Cabinet Room of the White House from 10:14 a.m. to 12:48 p.m. (Ibid., White House Central Files) Among the briefing materials he sent to Nixon on June 17, Kissinger included a summary of Presidential decisions that he recommended should result from the meeting. These included obtaining NSC endorsement of the four criteria of strategic sufficiency presented in the NSC Staff paper “U.S. Strategic Posture: Basic Issues” (see footnote 2, Document 12). The paper listed four conditions that defined strategic sufficiency “maintain high confidence that our second strike capability is sufficient to deter an all-out Soviet surprise attack on our strategic forces; maintain forces to insure that the Soviet Union would have no incentive to strike the United States first in a crisis; maintain the capability to deny to the Soviet Union the ability to cause significantly more deaths and industrial damage in the United States in a nuclear war than they themselves would suffer; and, deploy defenses which limit damage from small attacks or accidental launches to a low level” (see Document 34, Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, volume XXXIV, National Security Policy, 1969–1972). Kissinger explained endorsement of the criteria was “important because it will establish clear guidelines for the SALT talks and for consultations with our allies.” (National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 873, SALT, Volume II, June–July 1969)
20. Minutes of a Review Group Meeting
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H–Files), Box H–038, Review Group, SALT “SWWA” 6/19/69. Top Secret. The meeting was held in the White House Situation Room. On June 23 Halperin forwarded these minutes through Lord to Kissinger. A notation on the covering memorandum indicates that Kissinger saw it on June 26.
21. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–023, NSC Meeting 6/25/69 SALT NSSM 28. Secret; Nodis. Sent for action. A notation on the memorandum indicates the President saw it.
22. Minutes of a National Security Council Meeting
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–109, NSC Minutes Originals 1969. Top Secret. According to the President’s Daily Diary, the meeting took place in the Cabinet Room from 11:02 a.m. until 12:48 p.m. (Ibid., White House Central Files)
23. Memorandum From Secretary of Defense Laird to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD Files:FRC 330–75–103, Box 1b, USSR, 388.3. Top Secret. This memorandum was in response to Kissinger’s request made during the Review Group meeting on June 19; see Document 20.
24. National Security Study Memorandum 62
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–154, National Security Study Memoranda, NSSM 62. Top Secret; Nodis.
25. Minutes of a Review Group Meeting
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–039, Review Group SALT 7/17/69. Top Secret; Nodis. The meeting took place in the White House Situation Room.
26. Letter From President Nixon to the Director of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency (Smith)
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 197, Agency Files, ACDA, Jan 69–Dec 70, Vol. I. Secret; Nodis. Drafted by Kissinger and Sonnenfeldt. According to an attached note, Kissinger ordered no distribution of the President’s letter.
27. Summary of Response to National Security Study Memorandum 62
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 873, SALT, Volume II, June–July 1969. Top Secret; Noforn. Drafted by the SALT Steering Committee (see footnote 1, Document 14). Kissinger sent Nixon this summary of the response to NSSM 62 as an attachment to an undated memorandum with the recommendations that Smith be instructed to prepare an opening position for SALT that contained more than one alternative package based on I, II, and III in the summary and that the possibility of broadening the alternatives to include MIRV proposals be held open. Although Kissinger’s memorandum bears the handwritten remark that the President saw it on July 22, Nixon did not initial either approval or disapproval of the recommendations. Nixon did, however, send a letter to Smith instructing him to follow this course of action in the SALT negotiations (see Document 26).
28. Minutes of a Verification Panel Meeting
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–107, Verification Panel Minutes Originals 1969–3/8/72. No classification marking. Chaired by Kissinger, this was the first meeting of the Verification Panel, which included members from the Departments of State, Defense, and Justice; the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency; the Central Intelligence Agency; the Office of Management and Budget; the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and the NSC staff.
29. Memorandum From Frank Perez of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)
Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Box SCI 18, NSC Files, MIRV Panel. Top Secret.