75. Letter From McElroy to John Foster Dulles1
I am sending the enclosed Memorandum on Basic National Security Policy (NSC 5810/1) to the National Security Council today. In view of our recent conversations on this subject I wanted you to have a copy simultaneously.
You will note that this Department considers that the military section of NSC 5810/1 provides adequately for this segment of our security policy. Our belief is that there is plenty of flexibility in this statement to let us adjust our balance of forces as may be desirable. At the same time, by retaining the present language we do not suggest to any of our allies that there is any retreat in the offing from our past policy of firm resolution to use all required military force for whatever may be the situation that must be met.
I think it would be highly constructive if State and Defense might have reached a common point of view on this matter before the meeting of the Security Council next Thursday. If you find difficulty in accepting the position we have taken in the attached, perhaps you would phone me and give me your views.
Sincerely,
- Source: Department of Defense position on retaining current strategic concept. Top Secret. 1 p. NARA, RG 59, S/S–NSC Files: Lot 63 D 351.↩