283. Editorial Note
In a letter from Eisenhower to Dillon, January 2, 1960, the President explained that he made some changes in the draft letter to the Shah that Herter submitted for his approval on December 31, 1959. Eisenhower’s letter reads as follows:
“I have somewhat changed the draft of the suggested letter to the Shah of Iran. I was anxious to make certain that there was no misunderstanding of what I said in Tehran.
“I eliminated the expression in the second paragraph “directly or indirectly” because it was precisely on this point that the Shah bases his plans for revision. By this I mean that he thinks the indirect threat now much greater than the direct and believes that all of us should recognize this.
“Another purpose of my revision of your draft is to assure him that we are making our studies on the basis of the current situation, even though future political developments may require a revision of our defensive system.” (Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Administrative Series, Iran)
The substantive portion of the draft letter as submitted by Herter to Eisenhower reads as follows:
“As I indicated to you during our talks, I believe that now and in the foreseeable future, the principal threat to our mutual interests is most [Page 662] likely to come from the Soviet Union, directly or indirectly, and that our mutual efforts to maintain appropriate defense postures should continue to be directed primarily toward that threat. I appreciate, however, the wisdom of taking a fresh look from time to time at our security problems. It will be, then, in that spirit that your thoughts will be given the full and careful consideration that I am sure they will deserve.
“In considering your plans, we will have to take account of our capabilities. I know that I need not tell you that the resources of my country, as well as yours, are limited, and that we shall fail in our larger objectives if we impose too great a burden on our economies. These basic considerations are limiting factors to any sound planning.” (Department of State, Central Files, 788.5–MSP/12–3159)
Eisenhower changed the first substantive paragraph to read as follows:
“As I indicated to you during our talks, I believe that now and in the foreseeable future, the principal threat to our mutual interests is most likely to come from the Soviet Union and that our mutual efforts to maintain appropriate defense postures should continue to be directed primarily toward that threat. Should any other country in the region become clearly controlled and directed by the U.S.S.R. the nature of the defensive situation would be, of course, greatly altered. It will be in the light of the current situation that your thoughts will be given by our Defense officials the full and careful consideration that I promised while in your capital. As I understood your presentation to me at Tehran, your chief preoccupation is a modernization of your forces even if such a process should require a diminution in total numbers.” (Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Administrative Series, Dillon, Douglas C. (1))
The letter as revised by Eisenhower was sent to Tehran in telegram 1955, January 4. (Department of State, Central Files, 788.5–MSP/1–460)