52. Editorial Note

According to a memorandum of a telephone conversation between President Eisenhower and Secretary Dulles, July 30 at 6:31 p.m., “the Sec said another balloon is down in the interior of the SU—the one they thought would come down around Denmark. The Pres would take the man who ordered that and fire him. There will be a great thing before the Supreme Court but in the meantime the man will suffer.” (Eisenhower Library, Dulles Papers, White House Telephone Conversations) According to telegram 273 to Moscow, August 8, it was believed this balloon as well as a third one came down in the vicinity of Kiev in the Soviet Union. (Department of State, Central Files, 761.5411/8–858)

The Soviet Union protested these aerial balloon flights over Soviet air space. For the September 3 Soviet note and the U.S. reply of September 5, see Department of State Bulletin, September 29, 1958, pages 504–505. The Soviet note of October 13 renewing the protest was transmitted in telegram 826 from Moscow, October 13. (Department of State, Central Files, 761.5411/8–1358) For text of the U.S. reply, October 22, see Department of State Bulletin, November 10, 1958, pages 739–740. A further Soviet protest on November 20 was transmitted in telegram 1125 from Moscow, November 20. (Department of State, Central Files, [Page 181] 761.5411/11–2058) According to a memorandum from Richard M. Service to Richard H. Davis, May 23, 1960, the United States did not answer this last Soviet note. (Ibid., 761.5411/5–2360)