DEFENSE POSTURE HEARINGS BEFORE SENATE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE-5 APRIL 1961-AFTERNOON SESSION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01676R003400130016-6
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 17, 2003
• Sequence Number: 16
• Publication Date: April 6, 1961
• Content Type: MF

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OGC 61-4563
6 April 1961
MEMORANDUM FOR.: Director of Central Intelligence
SUBJECT: Defense Poster. Hearings Before Senate
Armed i e-rmices Committee 5 April
1961 - Afternoon Session
1. This memoraad is for information only.
Z. During the afternean of 5 April, General Lemnitner presented
his prepared posture statement a mpting to discuss the Soviet military
posture vis-a-vis the U. S. miller posture. General Lsnaitser pointed
out that his statement melded both" TOP SECRET material and TOP
SECRET RSSTRICTEG DATA and that there would be no unclassified
version available. As a pselimiaary to his prepared statement he
pointed out that the intelligence, an the Soviet military strength was
based on the work of the entire intelligence co ,community but indicated
that we never had enough intelligence en all phases of the program.
General Lernnitsar Ares a sd three basic slides on the
M program. The first dealt with the Soviet program
ivin
the
g
g
upper and lower limits of the current estimate. tin the second slide
the three illustrative programs were marked and Oral Lemaitser
carefully explained the position of each of the intelligence comp..eats
and their reasoning. The third slide ores basically the sewed slide
with the U. S. program superimposed. -Senator $altoastall inquired
what was based` on hard evidence and what was based on soft evidence.
General Lemnitsor indicated that with respect to the qUestion of
production and deployment the evidence is fragmentary and equivocal
but as to the testing program, range, and CEP he would consider the
evidence as bard. -
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4. Senator Symington queried the longer reaction On*
attributed to the Soviet missiles as compared with U. S. missiles.
General Lemnitser went off the record to explain bow we followed
their activity with electronic aids. Senator Camnoa asked the
question of why the Soviet ICBM was credited with a range of 6500
nautical miles when in fact they have exhibited capability to shoot
for longer distances. General Lemnitser gave no answer to this,
simply saying that this was what the estimate was. In view of the
wide spread in the estimates, Senator Russell asked what was the
Joint Chiefs of Staff view and could not they come to any specific
conclusion from the varying views. General Lemnitner stated that
as planners they had to take into account the entire range as indicated
by the estimate without -pting to decide whether one component
of the community was sight and another was wrong. Lemnitsor did
indicate that this sub jest was under current review with the hope that
the range in the views could be narrowed.
5. Discussion thou turned to Cuba. Senator Symington referred
to Senator Smothers' statement that there is "irrefutable evidence that
missile bases are being built in ?Cuba". General L itser at first
stated that the current intelligence estimate is beat there is no positive
evidence that there are jet aircraft, nuclear weapons or missile bases
in Cuba. In discussing it further, Lsmnitssr stated "there is no positive
evidence that missile sites are being constructed according to the
intelligence agencies. " General Lemnitser stated that the situation
is getting worse in Cuba and that time is not on our side. He mentioned
the recent actions whereby the Cuban refugees had selected Verona as
a provisional president. General Lemaeit.sr was then asked the legal
effect of a U. S. blockade of Cuba. He stated it was Us understanding
that this would mesa war. H. was asked his personal view on what
should be done with Cuba. General Lem nitser stated that his personal
view was that he would like to see Cuba isolated and insulated. Senator
Russell then stated that he believed that as soon as it became apparent
that Cuba was Communist dominated we should have invoked the Monroe
Doctrine. He was very strong in his views on this and was joined by
Senators Case, Sygtes, Thurmond and Bush. In fact, Senator Bush
requested that there be inserted in the record his resolution introduced
in January 1960 calling for a Senate F`oreliga Relations Committee to hold
hearings to determine if there had been a violation of the Monroe Doctrine.
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4. Senator Symington raised specific questions concerning
the estimates on Soviet fighter strength for this year as compared
with last year asking about the decrease and why these changes were
made. He also queried the difference in bomber figures. In the
context of the discussion at this point, General Lezunitner did not
respond to these specific points.
7. General Lemnitser was asked about Laos and he gave a
general background briefing of the situation in Laos going back to
the Geneva Convention. Senator Symington inquired whether or not
we had the capability of conducting limited war in Laos if the
Communist Chinese intervened. General Lemnitser indicated this
would create a very serious problem although he did state that
under the current situation probably we had the capability of seising
the principal communications and control points in Laos but we would
be left with a guerrilla warfare problem.
8. General L.emnitser had presented a quantitative-type chart
on the forces available to NATO which caused considerable discussion
since upon questioning be agreed that the figures did not represent the
true strength of the NATO forces. For example, he had included on a
quantitative basis the French divisions which are in fact in Algeria.
Distribution:
Orig - DCI ?
1 - DDCI
1 - ER
1 - IG
1 - ONE/Stoertz
2 - Legislative Counsel
OGC/LC:JSW:mks
JOHN S. WARNER
Legislative Counsel
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