154. Editorial Note
At its 373d meeting on July 24, the National Security Council agreed to NSC 5810/1, “Basic National Security Policy,” which the President approved on July 28. (Department of State, S/S–NSC (Miscellaneous) Files: Lot 66 D 95, Records of Action by the National Security Council) A memorandum of discussion on this subject at the July 24 NSC meeting and the text of NSC 5810/1 are scheduled for publication in volume III. The fifth sentence of paragraph 18 of NSC 5810/1 reads as follows:
“The United States should consider the long-term development of a NATO nuclear weapons authority to determine requirements for, hold [Page 356] custody of, and control the use of nuclear weapons in accordance with NATO policy and plans for defense of NATO areas.”
On August 14, Acting Secretary of State Herter wrote a letter to Secretary of Defense McElroy in which he suggested “that the Defense and State Departments should, together with the Atomic Energy Commission, undertake a responsible study of the feasibility and desirability of establishing a NATO nuclear authority, along the lines set forth in NSC 5810/1.” He also noted that Gerard Smith, Assistant Secretary of State for Policy Planning, would be the Department’s representative for this study. (Department of State, Central Files, 740.5/8–1458) Deputy Secretary of Defense Quarles’ reply to Herter, August 30, has not been found, but Herter’s letter to Quarles, September 16, noted Quarles’ agreement to the study and the designation of Lieutenant General Alonzo P. Fox, Special Assistant to the Secretary of Defense, as the Defense representative on it. (Eisenhower Library, Herter Papers) Attached to this letter is a copy of Herter’s letter to John A. McCone, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, September 16, requesting his cooperation in this study.
No subsequent documentation on the activities of this study group has been found. As late as August 13, 1959, the minutes of a Policy Planning Staff-JCS Joint Staff Meeting on the subject of the status of planning for NATO nuclear authority noted: “Those present were unaware of any current planning on this subject.” (Department of State, PPS Files: Lot 67 D 548, State-Defense Relationships)
The study group, if it ever met, was apparently superseded by the actions of the National Security Council. At its 415th meeting on July 30, 1959, the National Security Council adopted NSC 5906/1, “Basic National Security Policy,” which the President approved on August 5. (ibid., S/S–NSC (Miscellaneous) Files: Lot 66 D 95, Records of Action by the National Security Council) NSC 5906/1 superseded NSC 5810/1. Paragraphs 24-a and -b of NSC 5906/1 noted that the United States should discourage the development or acquisition of nuclear weapons capabilities by additional nations, but if that did not succeed and if the President determined that it was in U.S. security interests to do so, “the United States should enhance the nuclear weapons capability of selected allies by the exchange with them or provision to them as appropriate of (1) information; (2) materials; or (3) nuclear weapons, under arrangements for control of weapons to be determined.” The next subparagraph stated that “the United States should now urgently consider within the Executive Branch plans for the development of NATO arrangements for determining requirements for, holding custody of, and controlling the use of nuclear weapons.” The memorandum of discussion of the NSC meeting on this subject, July 30, 1959, and the text of NSC 5906/1 are scheduled for publication in volume III.