Ask the Scholar

Page 1 of 3
I can add historical knowledge about this page.

Page image

Page 1

OCR

( - February 8, 1960 MEMORANDUN FOR THE RECORD: In the meeting of the President and his Board of Consultants on Foreign Intelligence Activities on February 2, there was discussion of the question of overflights. The group had proposed that this source of intelligence be utilized to the maximum degree possible. The President commented that this is one of the most "soul-searching" questions to come before a President. General Hull said he recognized the difficulty but pointed out that, for example, we had saved our- selves a lot of money through the knowledge that the Bison air- craft was not being produced in the quantities originally esti- mated. He added that a recent flight disclosed military deployments and dispositions that gave no sign of a slackening off in Soviet military power, as might have been suggested by the "spirit of Camp David. 'r T he President stated that he knew of no "spirit of Camp Cavid. 11 What was accomplished was frank and respectful discussion of important issues, and a mutual recognition of the overriding importance of avoiding general war. He added that every bit of information he has seen corroborates what Khrushchev told him at Camp David -- for example regarding the Soviet cut- back in surface ships, aircraft, atomic power production, etc. Khrushchev added that he was not too much interested in short- range missiles. The President said he recognizes that intelligence has value, but in today's circumstances the ICBM is taking on central importance. If the Soviets concentrate on big missiles they have only one mode of action to attempt a knock-out blow, and to receive such a blow in return. General Hull mentionedthat there are a great many unknowns in the equation of Soviet military strength and preparation. The President said that he has one tremendous asset in a summit meeting, as regards effect in the free world. That is his reputa- tion for honesty. If one of these aircraft were lost when we are engaged in apparently sincere deliberations, it could be put on DECLASSIFIED TOD E.Q. 12958, SEC. 3.6(b) MR9433444 BY BBM DATE 8/17/99

Document source description

Memo of a February 2, 1960 meeting with President Eisenhower and Board of Consultants on Foreign Intelligence activities to discuss overflights.

Page data

Page
1
Source index
0
Type
photo
Media ID
7513d00cdbe9c963
Size
unknown

Document data

ID
72736213
Core
doc
Type
document
DTO data
{
    "id": "72736213",
    "sourceUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/72736213",
    "contentType": "document",
    "title": "Memorandum for the Record",
    "description": "Memo of a February 2, 1960 meeting with President Eisenhower and Board of Consultants on Foreign Intelligence activities to discuss overflights.",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/72736213",
    "collections": [
        "White House Office, Office of the Staff Secretary: Records of Paul T. Carroll, Andrew J. Goodpaster, L. Arthur Minnich, and Christopher H. Russell",
        "Alphabetical Subject Files"
    ],
    "iiifBase": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/eisenhower/186628/intelligencememorecord_Page_1.jpg",
    "thumbnailUrl": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/eisenhower/186628/intelligencememorecord_Page_1.jpg",
    "largeImageUrl": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/eisenhower/186628/intelligencememorecord_Page_1.jpg",
    "imageCount": 3,
    "hasImages": true,
    "source": "import",
    "hasTranscription": false
}

Context sent to Scholar

Document identity
{
    "localId": "72736213",
    "label": "Memorandum for the Record",
    "core": "doc",
    "dtoType": "document",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/72736213"
}
Document source metadata
{
    "id": "72736213",
    "sourceUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/72736213",
    "contentType": "document",
    "title": "Memorandum for the Record",
    "description": "Memo of a February 2, 1960 meeting with President Eisenhower and Board of Consultants on Foreign Intelligence activities to discuss overflights.",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/72736213",
    "collections": [
        "White House Office, Office of the Staff Secretary: Records of Paul T. Carroll, Andrew J. Goodpaster, L. Arthur Minnich, and Christopher H. Russell",
        "Alphabetical Subject Files"
    ],
    "iiifBase": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/eisenhower/186628/intelligencememorecord_Page_1.jpg",
    "thumbnailUrl": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/eisenhower/186628/intelligencememorecord_Page_1.jpg",
    "largeImageUrl": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/eisenhower/186628/intelligencememorecord_Page_1.jpg",
    "imageCount": 3,
    "hasImages": true,
    "source": "import",
    "hasTranscription": false
}
Document source extras
{
    "url": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/72736213",
    "naId": 72736213,
    "levelOfDescription": "item",
    "productionDates": [
        {
            "day": 8,
            "logicalDate": "1960-02-08",
            "month": 2,
            "year": 1960
        }
    ],
    "recordType": "description",
    "ocrSource": "nara-archive"
}
Page context
{
    "seq": 1,
    "pageIndex": 0,
    "type": "photo",
    "url": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/eisenhower/186628/intelligencememorecord_Page_1.jpg",
    "mediaId": "7513d00cdbe9c963",
    "ocrText": "(\n-\nFebruary 8, 1960\nMEMORANDUN FOR THE RECORD:\nIn the meeting of the President and his Board of Consultants\non Foreign Intelligence Activities on February 2, there was\ndiscussion of the question of overflights. The group had\nproposed that this source of intelligence be utilized to the\nmaximum degree possible. The President commented that\nthis is one of the most \"soul-searching\" questions to come\nbefore a President. General Hull said he recognized the\ndifficulty but pointed out that, for example, we had saved our-\nselves a lot of money through the knowledge that the Bison air-\ncraft was not being produced in the quantities originally esti-\nmated. He added that a recent flight disclosed military\ndeployments and dispositions that gave no sign of a slackening\noff in Soviet military power, as might have been suggested by\nthe \"spirit of Camp David. 'r\nT he President stated that he knew of no \"spirit of Camp Cavid. 11\nWhat was accomplished was frank and respectful discussion of\nimportant issues, and a mutual recognition of the overriding\nimportance of avoiding general war. He added that every bit\nof information he has seen corroborates what Khrushchev told\nhim at Camp David -- for example regarding the Soviet cut-\nback in surface ships, aircraft, atomic power production, etc.\nKhrushchev added that he was not too much interested in short-\nrange missiles. The President said he recognizes that intelligence\nhas value, but in today's circumstances the ICBM is taking on\ncentral importance. If the Soviets concentrate on big missiles\nthey have only one mode of action to attempt a knock-out blow,\nand to receive such a blow in return.\nGeneral Hull mentionedthat there are a great many unknowns\nin the equation of Soviet military strength and preparation.\nThe President said that he has one tremendous asset in a summit\nmeeting, as regards effect in the free world. That is his reputa-\ntion for honesty. If one of these aircraft were lost when we are\nengaged in apparently sincere deliberations, it could be put on\nDECLASSIFIED\nTOD\nE.Q. 12958, SEC. 3.6(b)\nMR9433444\nBY BBM DATE 8/17/99"
}