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{
    "localId": "193676",
    "label": "USSR: Vienna meeting: Background documents, 1953-1961: General",
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    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/193676"
}

{
    "id": "193676",
    "sourceUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/193676",
    "contentType": "document",
    "title": "USSR: Vienna meeting: Background documents, 1953-1961: General",
    "description": "This file contains materials collected by the office of President John F. Kennedy's secretary, Evelyn Lincoln, concerning the Soviet Union. Materials in this file include newspaper articles, background papers on nuclear science and possible cooperative space exploration projects, a summary of a telephone conversation between President Kennedy and French President General Charles de Gaulle, an itinerary for President Kennedy's trip to Vienna, Austria, and copies of a joint statement issued by the President and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev concerning nuclear weapons, disarmament, and Germany following discussions in Vienna. The majority of this file consists of telegrams and memoranda to President Kennedy from Cabinet members and advisors regarding suggested strategies for discussing subjects such as nuclear weapons, disarmament, Berlin, and Laos with Premier Khrushchev.",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/193676",
    "identifierLocal": "JFKPOF-126-001",
    "collections": [
        "Papers of John F. Kennedy: Presidential Papers: President's Office Files",
        "Country Files"
    ],
    "subjects": [
        "Soviet Union",
        "Khrushchev, Nikita Sergeevich, 1894-1971",
        "International relations"
    ],
    "iiifBase": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/76/1936/193676/content/presidential-libraries/kennedy/POF/JFKPOF-126-001/JFKPOF-126-001-p0002.jpg",
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    "source": "import",
    "hasTranscription": false
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{
    "url": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/193676",
    "naId": 193676,
    "coverageEndDate": {
        "day": 21,
        "logicalDate": "1961-06-21",
        "month": 6,
        "year": 1961
    },
    "coverageStartDate": {
        "day": 13,
        "logicalDate": "1961-04-13",
        "month": 4,
        "year": 1961
    },
    "itemCount": 22,
    "levelOfDescription": "fileUnit",
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{
    "seq": 4,
    "pageIndex": 0,
    "type": "photo",
    "url": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/76/1936/193676/content/presidential-libraries/kennedy/POF/JFKPOF-126-001/JFKPOF-126-001-p0005.jpg",
    "mediaId": "b866e71489330259",
    "ocrText": "RICHARD B. RUSSELL, GA., CHAIRMAN\nHARRY FLOOD BYRD, VA.\nLEVERETT SALTONSTALL, MASS.\nJOHN STENNIS, MISS.\nSTYLES BRIDGES, N.H.\n4\nSTUART SYMINGTON, MO.\nMARGARET CHASE SMITH, MAINE\nHENRY M. JACKSON, WASH.\nFRANCIS CASE, S. DAK.\nSAM J. ERVIN, JR., N.C.\nPRESCOTT BUSH, CONN.\nSTROM THURMOND, s.c.\nJ. GLENN BEALL, MD.\nStates Senate\nCLAIR ENGLE, CALIF.\nE. L. BARTLETT, ALASKA\nHOWARD W. CANNON, NEV.\nCOMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES\nROBERT c. BYRD, W. VA.\nHARRY L. WINGATE, JR., CHIEF CLERK\nMay 8, 1961\nThe Honorable Mike Mansfield\nThe Honorable J. W. Fulbright, Chairman\nMajority Leader\nCommittee on Foreign Relations\nUnited States Senate\nUnited States Senate\nWashington, D. C.\nWashington, D. C.\nGentlemen:\nA remark by former Vice-President Nixon at Chicago last Friday\n(May 5), makes politically possible what might be a resultful meeting\nbetween President Kennedy and Mr. Khrushchev. See thermofax copy of\nEarl Mazo's Herald Tribune report attached.\nThe President is going to Paris the latter part of May. Everybody\nknows that. It is only a few hours from there to the Geneva conference\non suspension of nuclear tests. Only top level decisions can break the\ndeadlock. Why shouldn it the President in Paris go over to see our dele-\ngation?\nThen, IF Ambassador Thompson were tipped off, why not a hint to\nMr. Khrushchev to drop in at the same time?\nThis could be a \"summit conference\" with no advance fan-fare.\nNothing expected, no sunken hopes if nothing results. But if\n:\nAnd, once meeting, they might find a modus vivendi for some other\nsteps away from a hot war.\nFor instance, an agreement to extend to the Kiel Canal and the\nBerlin-Helmstadt railroad the joint operation used for the surface trans-\nportation between West Berlin and East Berlin. You can buy a ticket in\none part of the city and go to the other. Street car operators are paid\nso much in East-marks, so much in West. If it works in the city, why not\nin the country?\nNo agenda and no announcement other than a decision by President\nKennedy in Paris to slip over to Geneva to see how the suspension talks\nwere proceeding -- and a like decision by Mr. K.\nSeems to me this might be a natural -- and politically possible.\nWith esteem and regards,\nSincerely yours,\na\nFrancis Case, U.S.S."
}