Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, National Security Affairs, Volume II, Part 2

Atomic Energy files, lot 57 D 688, “OCB General, 1953–58”

Minutes of the Meeting of the Operations Coordinating Board, August 18, 1954¹

[Extract]

top secret

August 18, 1954

Present:

• Mr. Harold E. Stassen, Director of Foreign Operations Administration, Acting Chairman
• Mr. Robert Murphy, Alternate for General Walter B. Smith, Under Secretary of State
• Mr. William H. Godel, Alternate for Mr. Robert B. Anderson, Deputy Secretary of Defense
• Lt. General C. P. Cabell, Alternate for Mr. Allen Dulles, Director of Central Intelligence
• Mr. Robert Cutler, Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs
• Mr. Theodore Streibert, Director, U.S. Information Agency
• Mr. Herbert Hoover, Jr.
• Mr. Elmer B. Staats, Executive Officer, Operations Coordinating Board and their Assistants.

The Board took the following actions:

. . . . . . .

Report Item 5. Nuclear Energy Projects and Related Information Programs

(a) Noted report by General Cutler that the President is planning a Labor Day speech in connection with the start of construction of the first nuclear power reactor at Shippingport, Pennsylvania. The speech will stress peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Noted availability of an OCB working group draft of such a speech. Also noted State report that Secretary Dulles will address the UNGA on U.S. plan for the international nuclear energy pool.

(b) Noted that three major activities will be proceeding simultaneously in the near future: (1) The implementation of NSC 5431/1² by the Secretary of State and the Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, (2) The NSC Planning Board’s development of a detailed policy with respect to the construction of power reactors overseas and (3) The OCB working group’s activities under its approved terms of reference.

(c) Instructed the OCB working group to develop a contingency plan for the detailed implementation of the U.S. policy for the construction of power reactors abroad on the assumption that the forthcoming NSC policy will provide for U.S. assistance in establishing power reactors abroad and that an implementation plan will be needed that takes into consideration the interests of the various governmental agencies involved.

(d) Agreed that the working group’s terms of reference should be reviewed for appropriate adjustment after the NSC policy paper is approved.

. . . . . . .

1. Signed by Director of the Foreign Operations Administration Harold E. Stassen as Acting Chairman.
2. Supra.