Office of the Historian

378. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Korea0

June 18, 1960, 4 p.m.

Todel 17. For the President. The White House has passed to Department a copy of Prime Minister Macmillan’s letter to you of June 15 regarding Skybolt and Polaris.1 [10-1/2 lines of source text not declassified]

[3 lines of source text not declassified] I recommend, therefore, that you send the following telegram directly to our Embassy in London for delivery to Prime Minister Macmillan so that it will reach him prior to June 21. Defense concurs in desirability this action:

“Thank you for your letter of June 15. I, too, am pleased that the talks between your Minister of Defense and Secretary Gates results in general understanding of the program and mutual cooperation in Skybolt. I feel confident that the details can be worked out to meet the requirements of both Bomber Command and our own Strategic Air Command.

“I fully appreciate the political difficulties confronting you and your colleagues regarding provision of facilities for our Polaris submarines in the Clyde. Nevertheless, I do hope that you will find it possible to proceed this year with the arrangement upon which we reached agreement in principle at Camp David, and I will look forward to hearing from you on the outcome of your Cabinet consideration.”

Dillon
  1. Source: Eisenhower Library, Staff Secretary Record, International Series. Top Secret. A handwritten note on the source text by Goodpaster reads: “President has seen & OK’d—Notified State. G.”↩
  2. Document 377.↩