Memorandum of Conference with the President Authored by Andrew J. Goodpaster

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TOP SECRET
July 8, 1959
MEMORANDUM OF CO NFERENCE WITH THE PRESIDENT
July 8, 1959
Others present:
Secretary Herter
Mr. Allen Dulles
Mr. Bissell
General Goodpaster
The President said he had asked for the meeting because he
wanted to hear Mr. Herter's views about a proposal for a
0
reconnaissance flight. He expressed his own concern over
Dwight
the possibility of getting involved in something costly and
141
L
harmful.
Mr. Herter said that the intelligence objective in his view outweighs
the danger of getting trapped. He noted that a single operation
was being proposed. He recognized that there is always the chance
of loss of the plane, but our experience has been very good. He
had been much interested in the idea of a flight straight through,
but understood that this was not practicable. Mr. Dulles confirmed
this, commenting that the proposed flight will enter through one
country and leave through another.
It was agreed that, in case of protest, we would defend ourselves
with an absolute disavowal and denial on the matter.
Mr. Bissell said that the Soviets have a fighter which could prob-
ably zoom to the altitude of this plane.
The President then said that Khrushchev seems almost to be look-
ing for excuses to be belligerent. By doing nothing he can put us
in a terrible hole in Berlin. Holding the cards he does, he could
very readily say that such an event as this mar ks the end of
serious negotiations. There remains in the President's mind
the question whether we are getting to the point where we must
decide if we are trying to prepare to fight a war, or to prevent one.
DECLASSIFIED
E.O. 12958, SEC. 3.6(b)
MR94-35442
TOP BLUNET SCODET
BY
BBM
DATE
8/17/99
TOP UF SECRET
- 2 -
After all the discussion, the President indicated that in
view of the unanimous recommendation of the officials hav-
ing the operating responsibility, he would assent to the opera-
tion being conducted.
b.
A. J. Goodpaster
Brigadier General, USA
The Dwight 0.
TOD GEORET
LIVOTO JAI

Document source description

This memorandum records a discussion of the risks and benefits of additional U-2 spy plane overflights over the Soviet Union, given the political situation and the need for negotiation with the Soviets.

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Page: 3
Source index: 0
Type: document
Media ID: a89cb5ca875f5346
Size: unknown

Document data

ID: 12008907
Core: doc
Type: document

DTO data

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Context sent to Scholar

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"ocrText": "TOP SECRET\nJuly 8, 1959\nMEMORANDUM OF CO NFERENCE WITH THE PRESIDENT\nJuly 8, 1959\nOthers present:\nSecretary Herter\nMr. Allen Dulles\nMr. Bissell\nGeneral Goodpaster\nThe President said he had asked for the meeting because he\nwanted to hear Mr. Herter's views about a proposal for a\n0\nreconnaissance flight. He expressed his own concern over\nDwight\nthe possibility of getting involved in something costly and\n141\nL\nharmful.\nMr. Herter said that the intelligence objective in his view outweighs\nthe danger of getting trapped. He noted that a single operation\nwas being proposed. He recognized that there is always the chance\nof loss of the plane, but our experience has been very good. He\nhad been much interested in the idea of a flight straight through,\nbut understood that this was not practicable. Mr. Dulles confirmed\nthis, commenting that the proposed flight will enter through one\ncountry and leave through another.\nIt was agreed that, in case of protest, we would defend ourselves\nwith an absolute disavowal and denial on the matter.\nMr. Bissell said that the Soviets have a fighter which could prob-\nably zoom to the altitude of this plane.\nThe President then said that Khrushchev seems almost to be look-\ning for excuses to be belligerent. By doing nothing he can put us\nin a terrible hole in Berlin. Holding the cards he does, he could\nvery readily say that such an event as this mar ks the end of\nserious negotiations. There remains in the President's mind\nthe question whether we are getting to the point where we must\ndecide if we are trying to prepare to fight a war, or to prevent one.\nDECLASSIFIED\nE.O. 12958, SEC. 3.6(b)\nMR94-35442\nTOP BLUNET SCODET\nBY\nBBM\nDATE\n8/17/99\nTOP UF SECRET\n- 2 -\nAfter all the discussion, the President indicated that in\nview of the unanimous recommendation of the officials hav-\ning the operating responsibility, he would assent to the opera-\ntion being conducted.\nb.\nA. J. Goodpaster\nBrigadier General, USA\nThe Dwight 0.\nTOD GEORET\nLIVOTO JAI"
}