Foreign Relations of the United States, 1947, General; The United Nations, Volume I

SPA Files: Lot 55D323

Memorandum by the Director of the Office of Special Political Affairs (Rusk) to the Secretary of State

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[Washington,] July 24, 1947.

Policy Regarding the Eventual Destruction of Atomic Weapons

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1. The Department of State must instruct the United States representative on the United Nations Atomic Energy Commission as to how he should vote on the question of eventual destruction of atomic weapons. Specifically the question is whether, when the proposed system of international control of atomic energy comes into effect and when the stage is reached which calls for the elimination of atomic weapons from national armanents, atomic weapons then existent should be destroyed or otherwise disposed of.

2. The position on this issue proposed to the Secretaries of War and Navy and to the Chairman of the United States Atomic Energy Commission by the Department of State (Tab A)¹ is that:

“Our atomic weapons will not be destroyed or disposed of unless or until a fully effective system of international control of atomic energy including international inspection, operation and ownership of dangerous atomic activities, has been established and has progressed to that, stage at which it shall have been agreed atomic weapons are to be eliminated from national armaments. The United States considers that at that point all atomic weapons should be destroyed, and that nuclear fuel contained therein should be diverted to peaceful purposes.”

3. The Joint Chiefs of Staff have commented on this position as follows: (Tab B):

“The Joint Chiefs of Staff see no objection, after successful establishment by treaty or convention of a control agreement embodying the principles of the United States (Baruch Plan) proposal for the control of atomic energy, and after adequate demonstration of the plan’s effectiveness, to the disposal of existing atomic weapons by any means, including destruction, which may be agreed upon at that time.

“From the point of view of the National Security, the Joint Chiefs of Staff are of the opinion that an agreement by the United States as to the ultimate disposition of atomic weapons should not be made at this time.”

4. It is understood informally that the Secretary of War concurs-with the view of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Secretary of the Navy, however, has withheld his concurrence pending discussion with the three Secretaries. The Chairman of the United States Atomic Energy Commission has stated that he favors the principle of ultimate destruction.

5. Attached is a series of quotations from important documents and published statements which set forth the attitude previously taken by the United States Government on this question. (See Tab C)

6. On the basis of these quotations it seems clear beyond reasonable doubt that our primary purpose has been to bring about the elimination of atomic energy as a weapon and to insure its use for peaceful purposes only.

7. Staff discussions have indicated that the reluctance of the military to reach a decision on this issue now is affected strongly by their view that we may some day wish to place atomic weapons in the hands of a force controlled by an international agency.

8. The moral and political commitments to eliminate atomic weapons from national armaments apply with equal or greater force to the use of such weapons for international police action. The United States cannot afford to defend the continued existence of the bomb on the basis of any such theory.

9. The USSR has seized upon our apparent reluctance to agree to ultimate destruction of the bomb as a propaganda point which they can be expected to use to fullest advantage. It is believed that the State Department proposal would deprive them of this particular propaganda fuel.

10. On the other hand, there is evidence of some concern in Congress over the possibility of an agreement to “destroy the bomb”. The Department believes that the safeguards contained in the proposed policy would go far to meet this concern.

11. On the clear issue of the ultimate destruction of the bomb the United States would find at least ten of the twelve members of the United Nations Atomic Energy Commission favoring destruction.

recommendation

That the Secretary should seek to obtain at the next meeting of the Committee of Three the agreement of the Secretaries of War and Navy and of the Chairman of the United States Atomic Energy Commission with the proposed policy statement indicated in paragraph two (2) above as a basis for a recommendation to the President.

1. The three attachments to this memorandum, tabs A, B, and C, are not printed.