174. Memorandum of a Conference With the President, Washington, December 19, 1956, 2:30 p.m.1
OTHERS PRESENT
- Secretary Wilson
- Mr. McNeil
- Admiral Radford
- General Twining
- Admiral Burke
- General Taylor
- General Pate
- Colonel Randall
- Colonel Goodpaster
The President said he thought we should be devising means of drawing people close to us, for example in the Middle East, and felt that we had unusual opportunities in the present movement. We can thereby displace Soviet influence in many areas through our standing firm in the United Nations in opposition to the invasion of Egypt, and through the revulsion against Soviet action in Hungary we can, he thought, make an advance. When it comes to specific action, the matter becomes more difficult. The only thing suggested is to make a survey, in partnership with the Arabs, regarding what can be done economically to bring progress in their area. He aid that Nehru has some of these same ideas, but they are also vague in his mind.
[Here follows discussion of various types of weaponry, the budget, the status of world communism, and matters pertaining to the armed services.]
Colonel CE, US Army
- Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, DDE Diaries. Secret. Drafted by Goodpaster on December 20.↩