122. Memorandum From Secretary of State Herter to President Eisenhower0
SUBJECT
- Offer of Nuclear-Capable Weapons to France
In view of our current difficulties with the French on atomic cooperation, you will be interested in the instructions sent to our Embassy in Paris on June 27,1 authorizing a formal offer of Nike and Honest John battalions to France. In accordance with recommendations of General Norstad, our message instructs the MAAG to request French confirmation that these weapons will be utilized by NATO-committed forces; that they will be stationed in Germany and that nuclear warheads will be supplied and serviced from the NATO Atomic Stockpile in Germany; and that the equipment will be made available for recovery when no longer so used. Heretofore, offers of advanced weapons to France have referred to the bilateral Mutual Defense Assistance Agreement2 without requiring confirmation of these specific points. French agreement with respect to the currently offered weapons will, however, apply to Honest John battalions previously accepted by the French and scheduled for delivery later this year; it will not be prerequisite to delivery of a previously accepted Nike battalion which is scheduled to begin in late July [Page 236] but will be required before this unit is provided with a nuclear capability.
Implicit in the conditions of the current offer of Nike and Honest John equipment is an offer to the French to arrange to use the NATO Atomic Stockpile in Germany. This is the first time such an offer will be extended. We hope acceptance might in time possibly increase French willingness to permit the establishment in France of the NATO Atomic Stockpile for United States and French use (once French forces gain some experience with the Stockpile). Eventually, a Stockpile agreement, even if only for French forces in Germany, would necessitate a 144(b) atomic cooperation agreement to permit training to enable the French to achieve full operational atomic capability. Until then, however, training would be given to enable them to achieve a limited atomic capability.3
- Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, International File. Secret.↩
- Telegram 5119 to Paris, June 27. (Department of State, Central Files, 751.5–MSP/6–2759)↩
- Reference is to two agreements: the Mutual Defense Assistance Agreement signed at Washington January 27, 1950, and entered into force the same date (1 UST 34) and the agreement relating to the disposition of equipment and material no longer required in the furtherance of the Mutual Defense Assistance Program for which notes were exchanged at Paris September 23, 1955, and entered into force the same date. (6 UST 5971)↩
- Babcock, Chief of MAAG at the Embassy in Paris, handed the formal proposal, transmitted in telegram 166 from Paris, July 10, to Guillaumat on July 13. (Department of State, Central Files, 751.5–MSP/7–1059) On October 8, Babcock received a letter from Labaud stating that he wished to confirm that the French Government accepted the conditions posed by Babcock’s letter of July 13. The letter stated: “Furthermore, the fact is specified that acceptance of these conditions applies also to the Nike and Honest John units previously accepted by France.” This letter was transmitted in telegram 1578 from Paris, October 8. (Ibid., 751.5–MSP/10–859)↩
- Printed from a copy that bears this stamped signature.↩