Western Europe Regional, 1973–1976


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

Summary: Kissinger discussed the supply of B61 tactical nuclear bombs to certain NATO members and support for the German and Italian multi-role combat aircraft (MRCA).

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–248, Policy Papers 1969–1974, NSDM 258. Top Secret. Tab A was not attached. Attached but not published is Tab B, a March 29 memorandum from Schlesinger to Nixon. A stamped notation on the memorandum indicates the President saw it. Nixon initialed his approval of Kissinger’s recommendation. Kissinger signed both NSDM 258, Nuclear Weapon Yield: Amendment to NSAM 143 and NSAM 199, and NSDM 259, Programs of Cooperation for Nuclear Bomb Support of Non-U.S. NATO Nations, on June 20. (Ibid.)


62. Memorandum for the President’s File Prepared by the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Summary: Kissinger recorded a meeting with the NATO Ambassadors.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Presidential Agency Files, Box 13, NATO, 8/12/74–9/30/74. Confidential. Kissinger did not initial the memorandum. On August 9, Richard Nixon resigned the Presidency and was succeeded by Gerald Ford.


63. Telegram 229458 From the Department of State to All North Atlantic Treaty Organization Capitals

Summary: The Department instructed recipients to relay information on NATO Ministerial guidance to their host governments.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy Files, 1974. Confidential. Also sent for information to the MBFR Delegation in Vienna, USNMR SHAPE, USCINCEUR, USLOSACLANT, CINCLANT, USDEL MC, CINCUSAREUR, CINCUSNAVEUR, and CINCUSAFE. Drafted by James Tyler in OASD/ISA; cleared by Wickham, ASD/ISA, PM/ISP, EUR/RPM, EUR/WE, EUR/SE, C, and S/S; and approved by Lowenstein.


64. Memorandum of Conversation

Summary: Schlesinger, Leber, and U.S. and FRG officials discussed various issues in U.S., FRG, and NATO defense.

Source: Washington National Records Center, OASD/ISA Files: FRC 330–77–0054, 333 Germany 20 Nov 74. Secret. Drafted by Assistant for Central Europe, European Region, Colonel David Hartigan, Jr.; and approved by Ellsworth on November 20.


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

Summary: Kissinger discussed the U.S. response to the NATO Defense Planning Questionnaire.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Presidential Agency Files, Box 13, NATO, 12/11/74–2/21/75. Secret. Attached but not published is Tab A, a December 24 memorandum to Schlesinger that Ford signed. A stamped notation on Kissinger’s memorandum indicates the President saw it.


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

Summary: Kissinger reported on the status of the F–104 replacement issue.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Presidential Country Files for Europe and Canada, Box 1, Europe—General (1). Secret. Sent for information. Scowcroft initialed the memorandum on Kissinger’s behalf. A stamped notation on the memorandum indicates the President saw it. Ford initialed the memorandum.


67. National Security Study Memorandum 222

Summary: The President directed the Secretary of Defense, the Deputy Secretary of State, and the Director of Central Intelligence to undertake a review of U.S. and Allied security policy in Southern Europe and along NATO’s southern tier over the near- and mid-term.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, National Security Decision Memoranda and National Security Study Memoranda, NSSMs File, Box 2. Secret; Exdis. A copy was sent to the Chairman of the JCS.


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

Summary: Kissinger reported on a recent review of the U.S. approach toward enhancing the European contribution to the defense of NATO.

Source: Ford Library, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box 59, NSDM 293—U.S. Approach Toward Enhancing the Allied Contribution to the Defense of NATO (1). Confidential. Sent for action. Tab A is Document 285. Tab B is Document 69. A stamped notation on the memorandum indicates the President saw it. Ford initialed his approval of the first recommendation and signed the letter to Schmidt.


69. National Security Decision Memorandum 293

Summary: The President specified the U.S. approach toward enhancing the Allied contribution to the defense of NATO.

Source: Ford Library, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box 59, NSDM 293—U.S. Approach Toward Enhancing the Allied Contribution to the Defense of NATO (1). Confidential. Copies were sent to the Director of the OMB, the Chairman of the CEA, the Chairman of the JCS, the DCI, and the Director of the CIEP.


70. Memorandum of Conversation

Summary: Giscard, Ford, and Kissinger discussed U.S.-West European relations, among other topics.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Memoranda of Conversation, Box 12. Secret; Nodis. All brackets are in the original except those indicating text that remains classified. The meeting took place in the Royal Palace. On April 18, Ford asked Kissinger about Giscard’s decision not to attend the May 29 to 30 NATO meeting in Brussels. Kissinger replied, “It is a disgrace. To think he can meet with the Communists but not the Allies. I can point out to the Ambassador that you would not take it lightly.” Ford said, “I personally resent it.” Kissinger noted, “It is not limited against you. He did the same thing last year.” (Ibid., Box 11) On May 8, Giscard suggested to Ford by telephone that he, Giscard, attend a May 29 dinner being given in Ford’s honor in Brussels, after which the two leaders could talk. (National Archives, RG 59, Records of the Office of the Counselor, Helmut C. Sonnenfeldt, 1955–1977, Entry 5339, Box 4, France 1975) On May 9, Sonnenfeldt told Kosciusko-Morizet that Ford accepted Giscard’s offer. (Memorandum from Sonnenfeldt for the record, May 9; ibid.)


71. Memorandum of Conversation

Summary: Ortoli, Soames, Ford, and Kissinger discussed U.S.–EC relations.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Memoranda of Conversation, Box 12. Secret; Nodis. The meeting took place in the U.S. Ambassador’s residence. Ford was in Brussels from May 28 to 31, where he attended a NATO meeting, addressed the North Atlantic Council, and met with other NATO leaders.


72. Memorandum of Conversation

Summary: Ford, Kissinger, and Schlesinger briefed Congressional leaders on their trip to Europe.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Memoranda of Conversation, Box 12. Confidential. Attached but not published is a list of meeting participants. All brackets are in the original except those indicating text omitted by the editors, and “[a]”, added for clarity. The meeting took place in the Cabinet Room at the White House. Ford and Kissinger briefed the Cabinet on their trip on June 4. (Memorandum of conversation, June 4; ibid.)


73. Memorandum of Conversation

Summary: Callaghan, Sauvagnargues, Genscher, and Kissinger, as well as British, French, West German, and American officials, discussed NATO’s southern flank.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Records of Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Entry 5403, Box 12, NODIS Memcons, Aug. 1975, Folder 9. Secret; Nodis. All brackets are in the original except those indicating text omitted by the editors. The meeting took place in Kissinger’s Apartmment at the Waldorf Towers. In a September 3 memorandum to Kissinger, Sonnenfeldt and Lord provided strategy and talking points. (Ibid., Box 14, Briefing Memos, 1975, Folder 2) On August 28, Kissinger directed that an undated 57-page paper prepared in S/P, with help from EUR and INR, entitled, “Problems of Southern Europe,” be given to British officials as a working paper. (Memorandum from Lord to Kissinger, August 23; ibid., Policy Planning Council, Policy Planning Staff, Director’s Files (Winston Lord), 1969–1977, Entry 5027, Box 354, Aug. 16–31, 1975)


74. Telegram 8010 From the Mission to the European Communities to the Department of State

Summary: Greenwald reported Soames’ concerns about U.S.–EC relations.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy Files, 1975. Confidential; Exdis. Sent for information to all EC capitals.


75. Memorandum of Conversation

Summary: Kissinger, Coleman, and Barnum discussed Concorde.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy Files, P820123–2263. Secret; Nodis. Drafted by Alfred White in the Office of Aviation, Bureau of Economic Affairs, Department of State; and approved by Covey in S on October 21. Kissinger’s letter to Coleman was not found. On October 7, Ford told Kissinger that he was disposed to veto a Congressional ban on Concorde landings in the United States. (Memorandum of conversation, October 7; Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Memoranda of Conversation, Box 15) On February 4, 1976, Coleman approved a 16-month trial of limited Concorde service to New York and Washington.


76. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Scowcroft) to President Ford

Summary: Scowcroft requested Ford’s approval of the release to NATO of the U.S. reply to the 1975 NATO Defense Planning Questionnaire.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Presidential Agency Files, Box 14, NATO—1975 NATO Defense Planning Questionnaire (DPQ–75) (1). Secret. Sent for action. Ford initialed his approval of Scowcroft’s recommendation. Tab A was not attached. Attached but not published is Tab B. Minutes of an October 17 SRG discussion of the DPQ are ibid., NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box 24, Meeting Minutes—SRG—Originals, June–October 1975.


77. Memorandum of Conversation

Summary: Kissinger, Callaghan, Sauvagnargues, and Genscher, along with U.S., British, French, and West German officials, discussed European Communist parties within the context of East-West relations.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Records of Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Entry 5403, Box 23, (Classified External Memcons). Top Secret; Nodis. All brackets are in the original except those indicating text omitted by the editors. The meeting took place in the U.S. Ambassador’s residence. On November 25, Kissinger met with French Socialist Party First Secretary Francois Mitterrand for a discussion of West European Socialism and the French political scene. (Memorandum of conversation, November 25; ibid., Central Foreign Policy Files, P820123–2142)


78. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Scowcroft) to President Ford

Summary: Scowcroft reported the status of the NATO standardization initiative.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Presidential Agency Files, Box 13, NATO, 12/1/75–12/31/75. Secret. Sent for information. A stamped notation on the memorandum indicates the President saw it. Ford initialed the memorandum.


79. Summary of a Study Prepared in the Ad Hoc Interagency Group

Summary: The summary is of the study prepared in response to NSSM 222, U.S. and Allied Security Policy in Southern Europe.

Source: Ford Library, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box 35, NSSM 222—U.S. and Allied Security Policy in Southern Europe (2). Secret; Exdis. Attached but not published is the remainder of the study. Sent to Kissinger under cover of a December 18 memorandum from Sisco.


80. Memorandum From Stephen Hadley of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Scowcroft)

Summary: Hadley analyzed the Department of Defense’s proposal regarding NATO theater nuclear forces.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Presidential Agency Files, Box 13, NATO, 1/1/76–11/76. Secret. Sent for action. Hyland initialed his approval of the fourth option on Scowcroft’s behalf. Under cover of a January 6 memorandum to Scowcroft, Hadley forwarded and commented on a December 12, 1975 Department of Defense paper entitled, “Improving the Effectiveness of NATO’s Theater Nuclear Forces.” (Ibid.) In a September 3, 1975 letter to Schlesinger, Haig discussed the effects of U.S. efforts to raise the nuclear threshold and modernize the NATO theater nuclear force posture in Europe on its NATO allies. (Washington National Records Center, OSD Files: FRC 330–78–0059, NATO 320.2, 3 Sep 75)


81. Memorandum for the Record Prepared by the Senior Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense (Wickham)

Summary: Wickham recorded a discussion between Rumsfeld and Kissinger on NATO theater nuclear forces and the modification of the Poseidon commitment to NATO.

Source: Washington National Records Center, OSD Files: FRC 330–79–0049, NATO 320.2, 14 Jan 76. Secret. Copies were sent to Clements, Ellsworth, the Chairman of the JCS, ASD/ISA, and ATSD/AE. A stamped notation on the memorandum indicates the Secretary of Defense saw it on January 15. In an undated memorandum to Rumsfeld, Wickham noted, “Scowcroft agrees with releasing the Tac Nuc paper to NATO and with modifying the Poseidon commitment.” (Ibid.)


82. Telegram 8875 From the Department of State to the Embassies in the Federal Republic of Germany and the United Kingdom

Summary: The Department forwarded a letter from Kissinger for delivery to SPD Chairman Brandt concerning the problem of communism in Western Europe.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy Files, 1976. Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Drafted by Sonnenfeldt and David Anderson in EUR/CE; cleared by Woods and Lowenstein; and approved by Kissinger. In his January 23 reply to Kissinger, Brandt noted SPD efforts to strengthen the non-Communist left and commented on the situations in Italy, Portugal, and Spain. He also affirmed, after noting that the situations of some non-Soviet Communist parties posed problems for the notion of a centralized world Communism, that “there is certainly no reason to relax our watchfulness regarding the challenges posed by Communism.” (Telegram 1275 from Bonn, January 23; ibid.)


83. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Scowcroft) to President Ford

Summary: Scowcroft recommended that Ford approve Rumsfeld’s proposal to offer an additional 250 Poseidon reentry vehicles for SACEUR’s General Strike Plan.

Source: Ford Library, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box 65, NSDM 328—Modification of SSBN Commitments to NATO. Secret. Sent for action. Ford initialed his approval of Scowcroft’s recommendation. Attached but not published is Tab A, a January 16 memorandum from Rumsfeld to Scowcroft entitled, “Modification of Poseidon Commitment to NATO.”


84. Telegram 16745/Tosec 10170 From the Department of State to Secretary of State Kissinger

Summary: The Department forwarded a memorandum on the outcome of the Helsingor Socialist conference.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy Files, 1976. Secret; Immediate. Drafted by Harlan Moen in EUR/WE; cleared by Mack in S/S and O; and approved by Laingen in EUR. From January 21 to 23, Kissinger was in Moscow for talks with Brezhnev and Gromyko. On January 23, he flew to Brussels to brief NATO representatives on these talks.


85. Memorandum From the Counselor (Sonnenfeldt) to Secretary of State Kissinger

Summary: Sonnenfeldt discussed the West German controversy over Communists in governments and Kissinger’s January 14 letter to Brandt.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Records of the Office of the Counselor, Helmut Sonnenfeldt, 1955–1977, Entry 5339, Box 5, Germany 1976. Eyes Only. Attached but not published is Tab A, a transcript of a television interview of Schmidt. Kissinger initialed the memorandum. For Kissinger’s January 14 letter to Brandt see Document 82. In a January 12 memorandum to Kissinger, Sonnenfeldt noted that he had drafted Kissinger’s letter to Brandt such “that if it leaks it will present as coherent a statement of our position as can publicly make, including for the benefit of the Italians, French, Russians, Yugoslavs, etc.” (Ibid.)


86. Memorandum of Conversation

Summary: Ford and Ortoli discussed U.S.–EC relations.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Memoranda of Conversation, Box 18. Secret; Nodis. The meeting took place in the Oval Office. On January 7, Belgian Prime Minister Leo Tindemans’ report on the next steps in achieving European union was made public.


87. Telegram 66408 From the Department of State to the Embassy in Belgium

Summary: The Department forwarded a letter from Kissinger for delivery to Tindemans.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Presidential Country Files for Europe and Canada, Box 1, Belgium—State Department Telegrams From SECSTATE—EXDIS. Confidential; Exdis. Drafted by Robert Homme in EUR/RPE; cleared by Sonnenfeldt, Moffat and Hartman; and approved by Kissinger. A memorandum of conversation recording the March 13 talk between Kissinger and Spaak is in National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy Files, P840145–2065.


88. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Scowcroft) to President Ford

Summary: Scowcroft discussed a message from Schmidt on NORTHAG, NATO conventional force levels, and U.S.–FRG consultations on out-of-theater use of U.S. forces.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Kissinger-Scowcroft West Wing Office Files, Box 35, West Germany (5) (12/11/75–3/29/76). Secret. Sent for action. Attached but not published is Tab A, a March 25 letter to Schmidt signed by Ford; and Tab B, a February 18 letter to Ford from Von Staden forwarding a February 11 letter from Schmidt. For the resolution of the NORTHAG financing issue, see Document 302. For U.S.–FRG defense relations in the event of another war in the Middle East, see Documents 283 and 284.


89. Memorandum From the Counselor (Sonnenfeldt) to Secretary of State Kissinger

Summary: Sonnenfeldt discussed the evolution and sensitivity of the quadripartite Foreign Ministers consultation forum.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Records of the Office of the Counselor, Helmut C. Sonnenfeldt, 1955–1977, Entry 5339, Box 6, Quadripartite Memcons, Feb. 1976–. Secret; Eyes Only. Sonnenfeldt did not initial the memorandum. Tab A, a memorandum of conversation for a February 20 Political Directors meeting; Tab B, a memorandum of conversation for a March 26 Political Directors meeting; and Tab C, a memorandum of conversation for a January 23 Ministerial meeting were not attached. The February 20 and March 26 memoranda of conversation are ibid; the January 23 memorandum of conversation was not found.


90. National Security Decision Memorandum 328

Summary: The President approved a proposal to modify the U.S. commitment of fleet ballistic missile warheads to NATO.

Source: Ford Library, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box 65, NSDM 328—Modification of SSBN Commitments to NATO. Top Secret. Copies were sent to the Chairman of the JCS and the DCI.