Memorandum of Telephone Conversation with Secretary of State Dean Acheson and Deputy Secretary of Defense Robert Lovett

404 43 of February 5, 1951 Memorandum of Telephone Conversation Participants: Mr. Lovett Mr. Acheson In a telephone conversation today with Mr. Acheson, Mr. Lovett discussed the current thinking in the Pentagon on the proposed reorganization of NSC. I missed a small portion of this conversation which appeared from what was said later to relate to the internal organization in the Pentagon. The only portion I heard on this was a reference which Mr. Lovett made to setting up one man as a central point. Moving into the NSC organization itself, Mr. Lovett said there were three major things which must be worked out before it could be effective. The first of these was to get the Senior Staff of the NSC abolished or to resolve the problems raised by it in some way. The second, was to get the Council back to its original concept as a "war council". The third, was to get someone to head up the Council who would have drive and imagination, and would serve as a prodder in order to give guidance and direction to the organization. He said that a full time man of the stature of Mr. Harriman was essential. Mr. Lovett said it was important that the Council slough off trivial matters which come to it and deal only with major policies. He mentioned here that in many problems State should deal with the major questions of foreign policy and Defense consider the question of U.S. capabilities. Mr. Lovett said we would put two parties on the paper at the start; let them determine those areas in which they are in DECLASSIFIED E.O. 12065, Sec. 3-402 State Dept. Guideline, June 12, 1979 OCD GUIDELIMÉ 6-18-99 By NLT- we NARS, Date 4-1-11