Memorandum of Telephone Conversations with Secretary of State Dean Acheson, Secretary of Defense Robert Lovett, Averell Harriman, Secretary of the Treasury John Snyder, and Others

481 THINKIN ARCHIVES SERVICA" "NATIONAL RECORDS AND TOP SEGRE 79 March 10, 1952 MEMORANDUM OF TELEPHONE CONVERSATIONS Subject: Lord Ismay as Secretary General of NATO The Secretary telephoned Mr. Lovett to say that he had just received a telegram on a top secret basis from London which informed us that the British were suggesting Lord Ismay as Secretary General of NATO. Mr. Lovett said he thought that this would be all right; that Lord Ismay was very favorably disposed toward this country and had a very excellent sense of history. Lord Ismay might not be the best possible choice but had many advantages that some of the others who had been suggested did not have. He thought that Lord Ismay would need a strong staff and that probably Draper would have more influence under Ismay than under some of the others. The Secretary then telephoned Mr. Harriman and told him of the suggestionAthat and the British had asked us to keep the matter very secret because it involved Cabinet changes. Mr. Harriman expressed a great deal of pleasure and satisfaction with the sug- gestion. He said that he had worked very closely with Lord Ismay during World War II and that Lord Ismay had basically sound judgments. He said he was never bewildered by difficult situations that developed. He thought Lord Ismay was absolutely straight and had an excellent sense of the relative importance of things. Mr. Harriman agreed with what Mr. Lovett had said, that Lord Ismay would need a strong staff particularly in such matters as production problems and on details such as in the matters that arose under the TCC. He reiterated that he thought Lord Ismay had an excellent sense of balance as between political, military and economic con- siderations. He thought that the appointment would give NATO a lift. DECLASSIFIED The Secretary the O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and 5(D) or 5-12-76 Dupr. of Stame letces, Ang 2,1979 e m.r. HC MARS Date 2-15-26 TOP SECRET SECURITY INEORMATION