Office of the Historian

742.5/8–2354

No. 997
Memorandum by the Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs (Merchant) to the Under Secretary of State (Smith)1

secret
[Washington,] August 23, 1954.
  • Subject: Canadian Government’s Approval in Principle of the Distant Early Warning Line in the Far North

Discussion:

At the July meeting of the Permanent Joint Board on Defense the U.S. Section sought the approval in principle of the Canadian Government to the DEW line in the Far North. The Canadian Section agreed that studies and surveys by the USAF and the RCAF should proceed immediately, even before a formal decision from the Canadian Government.

On August 20 the Department was informed by the Canadian Embassy2 that:

(1)
The Canadian Government agreed in principle to the need for the establishment of a distant early warning line across the most northerly practicable part of North America, without prejudice, however, to the extent of Canadian participation and subject to further review when preliminary studies had been completed and the details and costs of the undertaking were available, and
(2)
The Canadian Government was concerned over present plans for the sea wings in the northeast and urged that the agencies responsible for planning the early warning line select an alternative route.

The Canadian Government wished to ensure that the agreement of the two governments not become public except by means of an agreed simultaneous release. Its tentative view was that a public statement would be desirable. The Canadians are now drafting [Page 2139] such a statement which they will send to the U.S. for coordination this week.3

Recommendation:

(1)
If occasion arises, that you express to the Canadian Chargé this Government’s satisfaction;
(2)
It is believed that a joint public statement might be desirable for political reasons in both countries. If you concur, I shall obtain the views of the Department of Defense on the proposed release.4
  1. Drafted by Wight and cleared by Farley.↩
  2. This was apparently an informal and oral communication.↩
  3. The statement was received by Raynor under cover of a letter addressed to him from Counselor of Embassy Glazebrook, dated Sept. 7. (742.5/9–754)↩
  4. The Under Secretary initialed his approval of these two recommendations at the close of the memorandum.↩