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Copy 2 of 2. Series B
SECURITY INFORMATION
Dilnited States Senate
WASHINGTON, D.C.
wai
August 29, 1958
Honorable Dwight D. Eisenhower
The White House
Dear Mr. President:
C.
Allen Dulles, Director of CIA, briefed me in his office in late
July re the current position of the Soviet in the long-range
missile field, intermediate range ballistic missiles and inter-
E
continental ballistic missiles.
I subsequently received information that would appear to show
that Mr. Dulles heavily underrated Soviet missile development
to date, as well as planned capabilities.
Upon receiving this information I analyzed our own missile pro-
grams and thereupon became convinced the latter are inadequate
to meet the growing danger.
This conclusion would seem obvious if our planning has been
based on incorrect information - and that is why I am present-
ing this paper to you.
More specifically, if the information contained is correct, we
believe the planning incident to our weapons system, primarily
missiles, beginning now and lasting at least into 1964, is so
insufficient in this area as to leave ourselves and our allies
subject to overt political, if not actual military aggression
from the Sino-Soviet alliance - with a relatively slight chance
of effective retaliation &gainst such aggression between 1960
and 1962.
On August 6, therefore, I again saw Mr. Dulles with Mr. Thomas
G. Lanphier, Jr. We pointed out to Mr. Dulles in some detail
our reasons for believing that his estimates were inaccurate.
In each case where there was disagreement, the figures presented
to Mr. Dulles were much greater as to Soviet accomplishment than
the figures he had presented me a few days previously.
DECLASSIFIED
Electrostatig reproduction made
for preservation purposes by the
Authority MR 76-145,+1
Eisenhower Library for replacement
Rf
TOP SEGRET
of a deteriorating manuscript item.
By
NLE Date 5/29/79
SECURITY INFORMATION
Document source description
Letter to President Eisenhower from Senator Stuart Symington concerning the position of Soviets and long range missiles.
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"ocrText": "TOP SEGRET\nCopy 2 of 2. Series B\nSECURITY INFORMATION\nDilnited States Senate\nWASHINGTON, D.C.\nwai\nAugust 29, 1958\nHonorable Dwight D. Eisenhower\nThe White House\nDear Mr. President:\nC.\nAllen Dulles, Director of CIA, briefed me in his office in late\nJuly re the current position of the Soviet in the long-range\nmissile field, intermediate range ballistic missiles and inter-\nE\ncontinental ballistic missiles.\nI subsequently received information that would appear to show\nthat Mr. Dulles heavily underrated Soviet missile development\nto date, as well as planned capabilities.\nUpon receiving this information I analyzed our own missile pro-\ngrams and thereupon became convinced the latter are inadequate\nto meet the growing danger.\nThis conclusion would seem obvious if our planning has been\nbased on incorrect information - and that is why I am present-\ning this paper to you.\nMore specifically, if the information contained is correct, we\nbelieve the planning incident to our weapons system, primarily\nmissiles, beginning now and lasting at least into 1964, is so\ninsufficient in this area as to leave ourselves and our allies\nsubject to overt political, if not actual military aggression\nfrom the Sino-Soviet alliance - with a relatively slight chance\nof effective retaliation &gainst such aggression between 1960\nand 1962.\nOn August 6, therefore, I again saw Mr. Dulles with Mr. Thomas\nG. Lanphier, Jr. We pointed out to Mr. Dulles in some detail\nour reasons for believing that his estimates were inaccurate.\nIn each case where there was disagreement, the figures presented\nto Mr. Dulles were much greater as to Soviet accomplishment than\nthe figures he had presented me a few days previously.\nDECLASSIFIED\nElectrostatig reproduction made\nfor preservation purposes by the\nAuthority MR 76-145,+1\nEisenhower Library for replacement\nRf\nTOP SEGRET\nof a deteriorating manuscript item.\nBy\nNLE Date 5/29/79\nSECURITY INFORMATION"
}