141. Letter From the Secretary of Defense (Wilson) to the Acting Secretary of State1
Dear Mr. Secretary: Reference the determination by the President at the NSC meeting on 24 May 19562 that the problem of U.S. adherence to the Baghdad Pact should be reviewed during the latter part of 1956 in anticipation of the January 1957 meeting of the Baghdad Pact Council, I am informed that the present tentative schedule would bring this question before the National Security Council sometime around the middle of December.
[Page 325]I believe that circumstances in the Middle East now render that schedule unsatisfactory and that consideration of this matter by the National Security Council must be given on an urgent basis if the vacuum created by recent developments is to be effectively filled. It seems to me that time is of the essence, and that immediate review is required.
I further believe that recent developments in the Middle East have created the most favorable opportunity for Congressional approval of U.S. adherence to the Pact.
I am sending a copy of this letter to the Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs.3
Sincerely yours,
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 780.5/11–1456. Top Secret.↩
- See footnote 7, Document 128. The National Security Council did not meet on May 24.↩
- Lay forwarded a copy of
Wilson’s letter to members of the National
Security Council under cover of a November 15 memorandum that
indicated that the letter was being referred to the NSC Planning Board. (Department of
State, S/S-NSC Files: Lot 63 D 351, NSC 5428 Memos)
Acting Secretary Hoover replied to Wilson on December 3 in part as follows: “I am sure you realize that the question of our adherence to the Pact is being given the most careful study in this Department and that the Department of Defense will be kept fully advised of our views.” (Ibid.,Central Files, 780.5/12–356)
↩ - Printed from a copy that bears this stamped signature.↩