FOREIGN RELATIONS, 1950, VOLUME I


Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense to undertake a re-
examination of our objectives in peace and war and of the" effect of
these objectives on our strategic plans, in the light oftheprobable
fission bomb capability and possible thermonuclear bomb Capability of
the Soviet Union.
  I have also decided to indicate publicly the intention of this- Govern-
ment to continue work to determine the feasibility of a thermonuclear
weapon,3 and I hereby direct that nofurther official information be
made public on it :without my approval.
  I am sending an identical letter to the Secretary of Defense, and a
copy of both letters to the Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commis-
sion for the information of the Commission.
  Sincerely yours,                                   HARRY TRU31AN

  'For Itext of the President's announcement, January 31, see footnote 1,
p. 513.


Policy Planning Staff Files
Record of the Eighth Meeting (1950) of the Policy Planning Staff
  of the Departvwent of State, Washington, February 2, 1950, UI a. m,.
  to 1 p. m.
TOP SECRET
  Present: Paul Nitze'              Dorotihy Fosdick 6
            Ware Adams2            " Robert Hooker'7
            Lampton Berry3           Carlton Savage-8
            George Butler4          Harry H. Sehwartz9
            John Davies 5
                        Mr. Scammon, R 10
                        Mr. Schwinn, P
  Mr. Nitze said that at the Secretary's Meeting this morning Z-12his
opinion had been asked aslt-othe ldanger of war, and he had replied

  'Director of the Policy Planning S~taff.
  XMember ,of the Policy Planning Staff.
  'James Lampton-Berry, Member of the Policy Planning Staff.
  'George H. Butler, Deputy Director of the Policy Planning Staff.
  J .Tohn Paton Davies, Jr..-Member of the Policy Planning Staff.
  Member of the Policy Planning Staff.:
  SRobert-G. Hooker, Jr., Member of the Policy-Planning Staff.
  sMember ,of the Policy Planning Sitaff. . .
  Executive Secretary of the Policy Planning Staff.
  ".°Richard M. Scammon, Chief of the Division oof Research for'Europe.
  "Walter K. Schwinn, Acting Chief, Public Affairs Policy Adviso-ry
Staff. .
  "Secretary Acheson customarily met several times a week with T nder
Secre-
tary Webb, Nitze, Deputy Under Secretary Rusk, Kennan, Assistant Secretary
McFall, and others to coordinate Depýa~rtmental activities, exchange
information,
and ooccasionally render policy decisions. The summary of the Secretary's
meeting
of February 2 does not describe ,the discussion here mentioned by Nitze,
(Secre-
tary's Daily Meetings: Lot 58D609)


142