Department of State Atomic Energy Files
Memorandum of Conversation, by Edmund A. Gullion, Special Assistant to the Under secretary of State (Acheson)
As he does at frequent intervals, Mr. Maclean asked me if any progress could be reported on the British desire to secure from this country information relating to the construction of a large-scale atomic energy plant in Britain. He asked whether the departure of Mr. Acheson1 from the Department would have a bearing on this question and whether any answers could be expected before his departure.
I replied that I did not think that Mr. Acheson’s resignation would, per se affect the question but that Mr. Lovett’s taking over from Mr. Acheson would be an occasion for us to review once more the various pertinent considerations. I referred to the fact that the next report of the United Nations Atomic Energy Commission would be made to the Security Council in September and that, as he was aware, the result would certainly have a bearing on the question if it had not been resolved by that time.
I said nothing to give Mr. Maclean any impression as to whether we would or would not have resolved the problem by September.
- Robert A. Lovett succeeded Dean Acheson as Under Secretary of State on July 1, 1947.↩