Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, National Security Policy; Arms Control and Disarmament, Volume III

174. Memorandum of Conference With President Eisenhower⁰

Washington, August 20, 1958, 5:20 p.m.

OTHERS PRESENT

• Secretary Dulles
• Under Secretary Herter
• Mr. Wadsworth Allen Dulles
• Secretary Quarles
• Mr. McCone
• Dr. Killian
• General Persons
• General Goodpaster

By the time of this meeting messages had come in from the British requesting assurance that information on two technical points relating to nuclear weapons would be made available to them in the event of a test suspension.¹ The President asked if we are making that information available to the British in the exchange planned for next week. Mr. Quarles said that we plan for an initial exchange next week not going as far as to provide what the British request. The President stated most strongly that we cannot conduct our operations on such a basis. We have got to be prepared to provide them such information needed for their further weapons development as will be precluded by carrying out such a suspension. Mr. McCone said that the AEC has told the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy that we are going quite far toward providing the information the British are seeking. A copy of the President’s assurance to Macmillan that we would be generous in furnishing everything permitted by the law had been checked with the other AEC members, and all supported that undertaking.² Mr. Quarles said that we could give Macmillan what he asked within the scope of the law; it is just a question of conducting discussions and finding out what they really need. The President then recalled that he had indicated to Macmillan that there were two areas we would not be ready to talk about immediately.

Mr. Quarles suggested that the President approve the initial list of information to be exchanged and instruct our negotiators to move ahead as the British needs are developed. The President said he wanted to turn this around, and give Macmillan the assurance he seeks.³ Mr. Quarles then suggested that the President advise Macmillan that we intend to give the information; that we are ready for an initial exchange; and that we are ready to go beyond this as discussions may indicate. The President said this seemed good to him, if we made clear that in successive steps we will tell the British what we know regarding their two questions.

The President asked Mr. McCone to check with Dr. Libby and General Starbird as to the testimony they were giving to the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy at the same time of the meeting in order to make sure that there is no difference between their testimony and the position as developed during the discussion.

At this point, all except the State Department representatives left the meeting.

A.J. Goodpaster⁴
Brigadier General. USA

0. Source: Eisenhower Library, White House Office Files, Staff Secretary Records, AEC Vol. II. Secret. Drafted by Goodpaster.
1. These messages were from Macmillan to Eisenhower, August 20. (Department of State, Presidential Correspondence: Lot 66 D 204) See the Supplement. The technical points concerned reduction of weight of large-yield weapons and invulnerability of nuclear weapons to pre-initiation. (Memorandum from Strauss to Eisenhower, August 20; Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Administrative Series, Strauss, Adm. Lewis) See the Supplement.
2. The assurance was in the form of a letter, transmitted in telegram 1969 to London, August 20. (Department of State, Central Files, 700.5611/8–2058) See the Supplement.
3. On the next day, Eisenhower informed Dr. Libby of the AEC of “his philosophy” on exchange of atomic information with the British. The President stated that “such exchange should be full and generous; any attempt to do otherwise with true allies is bound to alienate them.” Eisenhower reminded Libby of British assistance to the United States during World War II in intelligence, development of atomic weapons, radar, and jet engines. Libby assured the President that he understood the President’s point of view and would seek to carry it out. (Memorandum of conference with the President on August 21 by Goodpaster, August 23; Eisenhower Library, White House Office Files, Staff Secretary Records, AEC Vol. II) See the Supplement.
4. Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.