FOREIGN RELATIONS, 1950, VOLUME I


  (4) Question: Would possession of the super bomb increase the
United States retaliatory power and strength to the extent that it
would be decisive?
  Comment: Possession of the super bomb would most certainly in-
crease the United States retaliatory power and total military strength.
Whether the increase would be sufficient to produce of itself a decision,
the Joint Chiefs of Staff are not certain. They believe, however, that
there is a possibility that such a weapon might be a decisive factor
if properly used and prefer that such a possibility be at the will and
control of the United States rather than of an enemy.
   (5) Question: If the value of the super bomb is regarded as
only that of retaliation, would the atomic bomb also be relegated to
that category?
  Comment: If any type of atomic weapon is to be used for retalia-
tion only, then it must be assumed that all types of atomic weapons
will be relegated to this category. However, the Joint Chiefs of Staff
cannot accept as a premise that either the super bomb or the atomic
bomb is valuable only as a weapon of retaliation.
   (6) Question: What would be the effect of a program for the
development of the super bomb upon the improvement of existing
weapons and other means of defense?
  Comment: Such a program is certain to cost the United States
a large number of dollars, and would require considerable fissionable
materials and industrial effort. Based on the assumption that the
present atomic bomb program will be carried out, various estimates
indicate that between one hundred and two hundred million dollars
will be necessary to produce the additional materials for a super
weapon. The assignment of some facilities and materials to the super
weapon would to some extent interfere with the research and develop-
ment program    for military and peacetime application of atomic
energy. However, the cost in money, materials, and in industrial and
research effort in developing a super bomb appears to be within the
capability of the United States without materially interfering with
improvement of existing weapons and other means of defense.
   (7) Question: What would be the effect of the development and
production of the Super upon the capability of the United States
industrial potential for conversion to a wartime basis?
  Comment: The Joint Chiefs of Staff are of the opinion that, based
upon the estimated cost of a normal super bomb development program
(not a "crash" program), the development of a super bomb is within
the capability of the United States and will not interfere materially
with the conversion to a wartime basis of the United States war poten-
tial. It is true that the development program will interfere somewhat
but they are of the opinion that the advantages to be gained through


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