National Security Policy
31. National Security Decision Memorandum 242
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 364, Subject Files, NSDMs 145–264. Top Secret; Sensitive. Copies were sent to Ray and Moorer.
32. National Security Study Memorandum 191
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 365, Subject Files, NSSMs Nos. 104–206. Top Secret; Sensitive. Copies were sent to Ray and Moorer.
33. National Security Study Memorandum 192
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 365, Subject Files, NSSMs Nos. 104–206. Top Secret. A copy was sent to Moorer. Kissinger forwarded the NSSM to Nixon under an undated covering memorandum with the recommendation that he approve its issuance. (Ibid., NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–192, Study Memoranda, NSSM 157 [1 of 4])
34. National Security Study Memorandum 196
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–203, Study Memorandums, NSSM 196 [1 of 2]. Secret. Copies were sent to Moorer and Ash. Kissinger referred to this study in his staff meeting, January 7, the record of which is Document 29.
35. Minutes of the Secretary of State’s Staff Meeting
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Transcripts of Secretary of State Kissinger’s Staff Meetings, 1973–1977, Lot File 78D443, Box 3, Secretary’s Staff Meetings. Secret. Kissinger chaired the meeting. According to an attached list, attendees included: Kissinger, Rush, Sisco, Ingersoll, Weiss, Vest, Lord, Maw, Hyland, Springsteen, Kubisch, Buffum, Acting Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs Rodger P. Davies, Deputy Assistant Secretary for African Affairs James J. Blake, Deputy Assistant Secretary for European Affairs Wells Stabler, Director of PM’s Office of International Security Policy Leslie H. Brown, and Special Assistant to the Secretary L. Paul Bremer III.
36. Memorandum From the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Atomic Energy (Cotter) to Secretary of Defense Schlesinger
Source: Washington National Records Center, OSD Files: FRC 330–78–0010, A–381, 1974. Top Secret; Sensitive. Sent for action. A note, dated March 23, on the memorandum reads: “Sec Def Has Seen.”
37. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1028, Memcons—HAK & Presidential, March 1–May 8, 1974 [2 of 4]. Top Secret. The meeting took place in the Secretary of Defense’s Dining Room at the Pentagon.
38. Response to National Security Study Memorandum 196
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–203, Study Memorandums, NSSM 196 [1 of 2]. Secret. The study was prepared by an interagency NSC Ad Hoc group under the chairmanship of the Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Plans, and NSC Affairs, OASD/ISA, according to a May 25 covering memorandum under which Wickham forwarded the study to Scowcroft. Davis forwarded the study, under a June 7 covering memorandum, to Clements, Sisco, Ash, Colby, and Moorer for review. (Ibid., [2 of 2])
39. Paper Prepared by the National Security Study Memorandum 192 Ad Hoc Group
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H-202, Study Memorandums, NSSM 192. Top Secret. Guhin, the Ad Hoc Group’s chairman, forwarded the paper under a covering memorandum, June 6, to the other members of the group, drawn from the Department, OSD, CIA, and ACDA. Davis forwarded the paper for review to Schlesinger, Sisco, Ikle, Colby, and Moorer under a covering memorandum, June 11. (Ibid.)
40. Memorandum From the Acting Secretary of State (Sisco) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–203, Study Memorandums, NSSM 196 [2 of 2]. Secret.
42. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser Files, Memoranda of Conversations, 1973–1977, Box 4, August 13, 1974—Ford, Kissinger, Schlesinger, Joint Chiefs. Top Secret. The meeting, held in the White House Cabinet Room, lasted from 3:11 to 4:20 p.m. (Ibid., Staff Secretary’s Office, President’s Daily Diary) All brackets are in the original memorandum.
43. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser’s Files, Memoranda of Conversations, 1973–1977, Box 6, October 10, 1974—Ford, Schlesinger. Top Secret; Nodis. The breakfast meeting, held in the First Floor Private Dining Room of the White House, lasted until 8:58 a.m. (Ibid., Staff Secretary’s Office, President’s Daily Diary) All brackets, except for those included by the editor to indicate omissions in the text, are in the original.
44. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser’s Files, Memoranda of Conversations, 1973–1977, Box 6, October 31, 1974—Ford, Schlesinger, Ash, Ogilvie. Confidential. The meeting, held in the Oval Office, ended at 11:25 a.m. (Ibid., Staff Secretary’s Office, President’s Daily Diary)
45. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Subject Files, Box CL 431, Schlesinger, Memoranda of Conversations, 1973–1975. Secret; Nodis. The meeting was held in Kissinger’s State Department office.
46. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser’s Files, Memoranda of Conversations, 1973–1977, Box 7, November 15, 1974—Ford, Kissinger, Schlesinger. Top Secret. The meeting, held in the Oval Office, concluded at 1:09 p.m. Kissinger departed at 12:54 p.m. (Ibid., Staff Secretary’s Office, President’s Daily Diary)
47. Executive Summary Prepared in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Program Analysis and Evaluation (Sullivan)
Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Schlesinger Papers, Actions Memos, December 1974. Secret. Sullivan forwarded the paper to Schlesinger under a covering memorandum, November 25, and Schlesinger forwarded it to Kissinger under a covering memorandum, December 16. The study, Schlesinger wrote, “addresses many of the issues raised by NSSM 177 (Document 12), and I believe is as complete a response to that NSSM as is presently feasible.” He continued, “Much of the concern over naval modernization arises from the fact that during the Vietnam War the rate of modernization of the Navy lagged seriously. We are now in the early stages of a naval modernization program which, if supported by Congress, will reverse the decline in force levels.” He added that “substantial additional increases” in naval funding were unwarranted, however. “Given the current and projected status of the maritime balance, there appears to be a high probability that U.S./Allied maritime forces would prevail in an all-out conventional war with the Soviet Union. However, it must be recognized that the growth of Soviet naval capabilities has introduced substantial uncertainty into this assessment,” he concluded. Sullivan’s and Schlesinger’s memoranda are ibid.
48. Memorandum From Secretary of Defense Schlesinger to President Ford
Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Schlesinger Papers, Action Memoranda, December 1974. Secret. Wickham forwarded a copy of this memorandum to Clements under a covering memorandum, December 6. According to Wickham’s covering memorandum, Schlesinger discussed the memorandum with Ford on December 4. (Washington National Records Center, OSD Files: FRC 330–78–0011, 320.2 Strategic (September–December 1974))
49. Memorandum From the Assistant to the President for Management and Budget (Ash) to President Ford
Source: Ford Library, White House Special Files, Presidential Files, 1974–1977, Budget Review Decision Papers, 1974–1976, Box 8, 12/9/74—DOD, Small Agencies. No classification marking.
50. Memorandum From David D. Elliott of the National Security Council Staff and the Counselor of the Department of State (Sonnenfeldt) to Secretary of State Kissinger
Source: Ford Library, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box 14, Senior Review Group Meeting, 1/27/75—CW Policy (NSSM 192) (2). Top Secret. All brackets are in the original.
51. Minutes of Senior Review Group Meeting
Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, National Security Council, Box TS 71, Committees and Panels, Senior Review Group, Aug. 1973–Oct. 1975. Top Secret; Sensitive. The meeting was held in the White House Situation Room.
52. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Memoranda of Conversations, Box 9, February 6, 1975—Ford, Senators Pastore and Baker. Secret; Nodis. The meeting, held in the Oval Office, lasted until 5:30 p.m. (Ibid., Staff Secretary’s Office, President’s Daily Diary) All brackets, except those that indicate the omission of material, are in the original.
53. National Security Study Memorandum 223
Source: Ford Library, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box 35, NSSM 223 (2). Confidential. A copy was sent to General Brown. MacDonald forwarded the NSDM to Kissinger under a covering memorandum, May 2, with the recommendation that he sign it. A study, MacDonald wrote, would “allow us to analyze our interests and options in an area which is increasingly threatened by crippling Congressional restrictions on the power of the Executive to sell or transfer weapons.” He continued, “A NSSM response which puts the growth of arms sales into perspective and sets out the foreign policy rationale for sales should assist our efforts to dilute or avert some Congressional restrictions.” MacDonald’s memorandum is ibid., NSSM 223 (1). The FY 1975 Foreign Assistance Act (S 3394—PL 93–559), as passed on December 18, 1974, included language requiring the President to notify Congress of any proposed government-to-government arms sales in excess of $25 million and giving Congress the authority to disapprove such sales. (Congress and the Nation, Vol. IV, 1973–1976, pp. 858–860, 874)
54. Memorandum From the Chairman of the National Security Council Under Secretaries Committee (Ingersoll) to President Ford
[Source: Ford Library, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box 61, NSDM 312 (2). Top Secret; Limdis. Thirteen pages not declassified.]
55. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Memoranda of Conversations, Box 14, August 5, 1975—Ford, Kissinger, Schlesinger, Rumsfeld, Paul O’Neill. Secret; Nodis. The meeting was held in the Oval Office.
56. National Security Study Memorandum 228
Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, National Security Decision and Study Memoranda, Box 2, NSSM 228. Secret. Copies were sent to General Brown, Colby, and CIEP Acting Executive Director John M. Dunn. Kissinger forwarded the NSDM to Ford under a covering memorandum, August 13, with the recommendation that he sign it. The issue needed resolution, Kissinger noted, because the U.S. government had accumulated “excesses” since NSDM 203 (Document 3) had ordered a reduction in the strategic stockpile. Congressional opposition, led by Representative Charles Bennett (D–Florida), prevented the administration from disposing of the excess, however, “on the ground that the stockpile should support more than one year of a defense economy.” (Ibid.)
57. Action Memorandum From the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (Lynn) to President Ford
Source: Ford Library, Presidential Handwriting File, Box 18, Finance—Budget: Defense Department (5). No classification marking.
58. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Memoranda of Conversations, Box 16, October 15, 1975—Ford, Schlesinger. Secret; Nodis. The meeting was held in the Oval Office. Kissinger sent briefing materials to Ford in advance of the meeting. (Ibid., Presidential Agency File, Box 7, Defense, Department of, 9/8/75–10/19/75)
59. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Memoranda of Conversations, Box 16, October 16, 1975—Ford, Kissinger. Secret; Nodis. The meeting was held in the Oval Office. All brackets, except for those included by the editor to indicate omissions in the text, are in the original.
60. National Security Decision Memorandum 312
[Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, National Security Decision and Study Memoranda, Box 1, NSDM 312. Top Secret; Sensitive. Two pages not declassified.]