DEPARTMENT OF STATE Memorandum of Conversation
Date: December 5, 1949
Subject: Defense Committee Meeting in Paris on December 1
Participants: Secretary of State, Dean Acheson Secretary of Defense, Louis Johnson Assistant Secretary of State, George W. Perkins
Copies to: S - The Secretary S/P - Mr. Kennan U - Mr. Webb RA - Mr. Martin S - Mr. Sheppard WE - Mr. Achilles G - Mr. Rusk
Secretary Johnson reported on his trip to the Defense Committee meeting in Paris on December 1. He said the meeting had been very satisfactory. There had been several issues to be resolved, but none of these had resulted in the change of substance of the Strategic Concept submitted by the Standing Group and the Military Committee. In particular, there was English interest in setting up some separate form of shipping control. There was French desire to control communications in the Mediterranean, and there was Danish objection to including reference to the atomic bomb in the Strategic Concept.
In view of the circumstances surrounding the change in the latter suggestion, I pointed out that we were interested in seeing the record and considering the change in the light of the full discussion. I also indicated that I assumed there was no change in our freedom of decision as to the use of that or any other weapon.
Secretary Johnson also mentioned that he was looking into the matter of cutting down the number of Naval Attaches in Paris as a result of a request by Ambassador Bruce.
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