39. Memorandum by the Secretary of State’s Staff Assistant (Boster)0
The following is an excerpt from a conversation between the Secretary and Secretary McElroy on November 28, at the Pentagon:
“We spoke of the budget. Mr. McElroy said that with the prospective cuts it was almost impossible to preclude some reductions in Germany, Korea and/or Iceland. I said that some reduction could probably be dealt with if we had sufficient time. Mr. McElroy said he thought it important to have a military establishment adequate to do what the State Department felt had to be done to back up our political policies for the peace and security of this country. I asked when this budget matter would come before the NSC. He said it might come up next week, Wednesday or Thursday.1 I said I would probably not be here. Mr. McElroy asked that I speak to Mr. Herter.”2
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 700.5/11–2858. Confidential.↩
- The Defense budget was discussed at the NSC meeting held on Saturday, December 6; see Document 41.↩
- According to notes by Bernau of the Secretary’s telephone conversation with Herter on the morning of December 4, Dulles referred to the impending discussion of the Defense budget at NSC and stated that “what they do to get our support of a big budget is they come up with cuts where it will hurt the most and the Sec told McElroy that. They know we will fight cuts in Germany and Korea—they say that will be where they come and will get us on their side. They don’t say cut in duplication of weapons. We would say that is all right. They say they will cut what we will oppose. The Pres indicated how he was strongly against the carriers—the older ones will be all right.” (Eisenhower Library, Dulles Papers, General Telephone Conversations)↩
- Printed from a copy that bears this typed signiture.↩