Office of the Historian

174. Notes for an Oral Report to the Operations Coordinating Board by the Chairman of the Special Committee on Soviet and Related Problems (Beam)1

Washington, November 7, 1956.

STEPS WITH SPECIFIC REFERENCE TO HUNGARY

(1)
Dramatic statements by American leaders (the timing up until now has been good but of course such statements should not be overdone).
(2)
The US Delegation at the UN has been requested to take follow-up steps; (a) to ask Secretary General to report to early General Assembly meeting on action envisaged in Resolution of November 52 including arrangements to send observers to Hungary and nature appeals he may have made to Moscow and Budapest. (b) to consider asking Asian abstainers on resolution to reconsider and further explain their position. (c) to suggest possible further resolution calling on USSR and Hungary to facilitate International Red Cross activities in Hungary, again urging contributions from member states. (d) to urge Pakistan to continue with its reported willingness to suggest and provide contingent for an international police force in Hungary. (e) to endeavor to arrange appearance of former Hungarian Cabinet Minister, Anna Kethly before UN, or reading of statement by her, or her appearance before one of the committees of the regular General Assembly session.
(3)
Propaganda appeals in Russian to Soviet troops in Hungary and East Germany by leaflet and by radio (in process of being done).3
(4)
Continue with US assistance to refugees from Hungary; coordinate these activities on longer range basis; and early issuance by White House of vigorous statement (already drafted in State) reporting on US assistance activities and appealing for further support (all of these steps now being taken).
(5)
Press with the Hungarian authorities for the distribution of US relief through the International Red Cross or other international agencies (This has been done in response to an inquiry from the Hungarian Legation in Washington concerning the President’s offer of 20 million dollars of relief).4
(6)
Assistance to select refugees to travel to key countries to tell their story (This being started and would include US tour by Anna Kethly, if she is willing to go).
(7)
Early announcement of administrative action to restore immigration quotas for Hungary (being set in motion).
(8)
White book on Hungary to be issued by RFE;5 composite program of radio recordings of appeals by Hungarian patriots; collection of film (already being done).
(9)
Expression of US appreciation of assistance being rendered Hungarian refugees by Western European countries; suggest they might broaden this by reception and care of Hungarian children in the same manner as was done by these countries after World War I (it would be appropriate for inclusion in a speech at UN).
(10)
Emphasize meaning of Hungarian experience in propaganda especially directed to neutralist countries, also Iceland, in view of base question.

ACTIONS AIMED SPECIFICALLY AGAINST USSR

It is not recommended that we revive the cold war on the scale of intensity of the late Stalin period. We shall certainly take some steps, and very definite ones, to register our revulsion against the Soviet attack on Hungary. These will include a suspension of the exchange of official delegations under the East-West contacts program and also non-attendance at Soviet social functions. We would also view sympathetically steps such as are now being undertaken by labor organizations in various countries to refuse to handle Soviet ships and goods.

On the other hand, we would not wish to jeopardize some of the gains, small as they may be, resulting from the Geneva conferences. Thus, we would like the Amerika magazine exchange to continue and we should be willing to go ahead with limited cooperation with the USSR in the International Geophysical Year. Unless Soviet actions become generally more threatening, it would seem best to refrain from drastic measures such as blocking Soviet assets, intensifying trade embargoes, etc.

  1. Source: Department of State, S/S–NSC Files: Lot 63 D 351, NSC 5616 Series. Confidential. Attached to a memorandum from Beam to Fisher Howe, dated November 7, and forwarded, in turn, to W. Tapley Bennett by Archer Blood of the Reports and Operations Staff (S/S–RO) on November 9 and circulated as well to C, S/P, EUR, IO, P, and U/MSA.↩
  2. Resolution 1004 (ES–II) had been passed on November 4.↩
  3. See footnote 2, Document 171.↩
  4. See Document 155.↩
  5. See footnote 10, Document 171.↩