104. Letter From the Secretary of State to the British Ambassador (Makins)1
Dear Mr. Ambassador: I am instructed by the President to request you to transmit the following to Sir Anthony Eden:
“Dear Anthony:
While we are a bit surprised that you have gone so far in your thinking as to present your idea as a definite proposal, nevertheless [Page 166] Foster and I have together spent some hours on it, and I give you my immediate reactions as follows:2
We appreciate the importance to you of this project under existing circumstances, and are naturally disposed to do everything we can to further it. On the other hand, you will understand that we also have our local problems, including public opinion, to consider. We believe that it would be wholly impractical to have such a meeting with a previously announced specific agenda covering global variety of subjects. At the other extreme, we think it would be most unwise to meet without giving the world some clear intimation of the generality of the subjects to be discussed. The reason for this is that almost every nation in the world will believe its interests are in some way to be affected by such a conference and would therefore be resentful at its lack of representation.
If there were to be a meeting, general subjects to be talked about might, we suppose, include some or all of the following: Exploration of ways and means of eliminating or minimizing atomic activity and armaments; the general subject of disarmament by the large nations; the limitation of forces in Continental Europe that belong to nations outside that area; and, possibly, a general limitation of armaments in the European area. Another subject that might be added would be the reunification of Germany, but for this one the announcement should specify that Germany would be represented. To this of course could be added the perennial question of lessening of world tensions.
Even if such a procedure could prudently be followed, it would seem to us most unwise to attempt to hold a meeting without some form of preparation through our Secretaries of State. If those officials could meet informally—possibly when they are in Vienna—and discuss this matter and each suggest to his own Government that these or similar subjects might be well talked about ‘at the summit’ in order to discover whether or not there was a general willingness to proceed on an honest search for some answers, such a meeting would probably make sense even to the die-hard opponents of any contact with the Communists. I wonder whether such a scheme could be implemented without delaying too long the ability to issue the invitation, which delay might defeat the purposes you may be seeking.
In any event, Foster and I have discussed this at such length that he will be far more capable of clarifying our views to Macmillan and possibly to you than I can do in this hastily written cable.3
[Page 167]With warm personal regard
As ever,
D.E.”
Sincerely yours,
- Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Dulles–Herter Series. Top Secret. Attached to this letter was a note from Secretary Dulles to President Eisenhower, dated May 6, which states that Dulles redrafted the President’s draft reply into its present form. The major change was made in the third paragraph where Dulles cast the text into a more questioning tone. A copy of the President’s draft, also dated May 6, is ibid.↩
- Reference is to Eden’s letter supra.↩
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On May 8 Ambassador Makins delivered the following reply:
“Thank you so much for all the trouble you have taken. I am sure that we can now leave it to Harold and Foster to work something out. Your understanding help is so valuable to me.” (Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, International File)
↩ - Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.↩