The Joint Chiefs of Staff Readiness Test


89. Memorandum Prepared in the Central Intelligence Agency

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 351, Subject Files, Exercise High Heels—69. Top Secret; Sensitive; [codeword not declassified]. No drafting information appears on the memorandum. Deputy Director for Intelligence R.J. Smith sent the memorandum to Kissinger under a covering memorandum dated October 27. Haig then forwarded it to Kissinger under an undated, handwritten memorandum that reads: “It appears we might spice up the package without undue risk.” Kissinger initialed the CIA’s memorandum. (Ibid.)


90. Telegram From the Joint Chiefs of Staff to All Commanders of Unified and Specified Commands

Source: National Archives, RG 218, Records of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Records of the Chairman, General Wheeler, Box 111, 381, World-Wide Increased Readiness Posture (Oct. 69). Top Secret; Noforn; Immediate. Drafted by Lieutenant Colonel R. W. Sennewalt, Operations Directorate, Joint Staff, JCS. Copies were sent to Westmoreland, Moorer, Ryan, and Chapman. A handwritten note on the original indicates that Deputy Secretary of Defense Packard concurred.


91. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 710, Country Files, Europe, USSR, Vol. VI. Top Secret; Sensitive; Nodis. The meeting took place in Kissinger’s office. The entire memorandum is published in Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, volume XII, Soviet Union, January 1969–October 1970, Document 99.


92. Memorandum From the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Wheeler) to Secretary of Defense Laird

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 351, Subject Files, Exercise High Heels—69. Top Secret; Sensitive; [codeword not declassified]. A stamped note indicates that Laird saw it on November 10. Pursley forwarded the memorandum to Haig under a covering memorandum of November 10 that reads as follows: “Secretary Laird asked the Chiefs to evaluate the recent ‘Military Readiness’ exercise. Attached is General Wheeler’s report. Secretary Laird felt Dr. Kissinger would find the report interesting.” (Ibid.)


93. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon

Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Box SCI 17, Memoranda to the President, 1969. Top Secret; Sensitive; [codeword not declassified]. Sent for information. Drafted by Jonathan Howe of the NSC Staff on November 30.