Eisenhower Library, papers as President, Whitman file, NSC records
Memorandum of Discussion at the 141st Meeting of the National Security Council on Tuesday, April 28, 19541
eyes only
Present at the 141st meeting of the National Security Council were the President of the United States, Presiding; the Vice Pesident of the United States; the Secretary of State; the Acting Secretary of Defense; and the Director for Mutual Security. Also present were the Secretary of the Treasury; the Director of Defense Mobilization; General Vandenberg for the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff; the Director of Central Intelligence; Mr. Robert Cutler, Special Assistant to the President; Mr. C. D. Jackson, Special Assistant to the President; Major General Wilton B. Persons, USA (Ret.), Special Assistant to the President; Colonel Paul T. Carroll, Military Liaison Officer; the Executive Secretary, NSC; and the Deputy Executive Secretary, NSC.
There follows a general account of the main positions taken and the chief points made at this meeting.
[Here follows discussion of matters relating to NATO, the situation in Indochina, and United States policy with respect to Formosa and the Nationalist Government of China.]
4. Sale of modern aircraft to Latin American nations
Secretary Kyes said that he wanted General Vandenberg to inform the Council of another matter which was of concern to the Defense Department.
General Vandenberg stated that the British were currently sending greatly increased quantities of modern aircraft to several Latin American countries, whereas the United States, in accordance with its policy [Page 147] and its desire that these nations not use military matériel to engage in hostilities with one another, was sending very little. If the present situation continued we must anticipate that the British will take over our military missions in the Latin American republics. If, on the other hand, it is a U.S. objective to maintain our missions in this area, we would be obliged to sell a larger number of modern aircraft to these governments.
The President answered that he had never wholly sympathized with the State Department view that munitions sent to Latin America would be used by the republics for hostilities against each other. He inquired as to whether the State Department still maintained this position, and directed General Vandenberg to take up his problem directly with the State Department.
Mr. Cutler suggested that the Secretary of State report back to the Council on this subject at its next regular meeting.
The National Security Council:
- a.
- Noted an oral report by General Vandenberg for the Chairman, JCS, of increased British sales of modern aircraft to Latin American nations, and the adverse effect upon the position of U.S. military advisory and assistance groups.
- b.
- Noted that the President directed the Departments of State and Defense to study this problem and be prepared to make recommendations thereon at the Council meeting on May 6.
Note: The action2 in b above subsequently transmitted to the Secretaries of State and Defense for implementation.
[Here follows discussion of United States national security policies and President Eisenhower’s address to the American Society of Newspaper Editors on April 16, 1953.]