STATE-JCS MEETING HELD 1130, 27 SEPTEMBER 1957

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP86T00268R000300040024-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 22, 2013
• Sequence Number: 24
• Publication Date: September 27, 1957
• Content Type: MEMO

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YEMORANDUM FOR RECORD
27 September 1957
SUBJECT: State-JCS Meeting Held 11 S, 27 September 1957
The State Department was represented by Messrs. Murphy, Robertson
and Reinhardt.
General Taylor was Acting Chairman of the Joint Chiefs
ahd with him were Admiral Burke, Generals 'White and Pate. The meeting
lasted one hour and all of the five topics which I will deal with here-
under were put on the agenda by the Department.
1.
Agenda Item 1: Burma
The Department referred to the
many months ago that Burma would receive
decision
made by the President
military aid in the amount of
ten million dollars. Robertson, who handled this topic, stated that
the provision of assistance seemed to be on dead center and he wished
to inquire Whether the Joint Chiefs had any second thoughts in the matter.
He stressed that the orientation of Burma was strongly toward the West
and that Under Secretary Herter, during his recent trip, had been taken
aside by U Nu and been told categorically that the US could rest assured
that Burma's orientation would remain strongly pro West and inquired
again as to when Burma might expect assistance in the military field.
Robertson referred to a draft outgoing cable which he had with him which
he stated he had had difficulty in obtaining Pentagon concurrence on
and -which he felt should be dispatched to advise the Burmese Government
that the US was prepared in the near future to receive a Burmese delegation
to work out the details of accounting, etc. with respect to the military items.
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)
General Taylor thereupon inquired from his staff what the status of
the Burmese problem was and was advised that the Joint Chiefs would
shortly receive a staff study -which would, it was indicated, permit the
machinery of military aid to start functioning. General Taylor also
indicated that he would respond to the Department during the day on the
question of clearing the cable in question.
2. Agenda Item 2: US Force Reductions in Europe and Far East
Mr. Murphy said that the Department was concerned lest publicity
regarding proposed troop reductions in Europe and the Far East might be
released before the Department had the occasion to prepare the way both
within NATO and with certain countries who would be directly affected.
General Taylor, speaking for the Army, said that for the Fiscal Year 1958
the troop reductions in Europe would amount to 2,000 and that he felt
that this was not likely to cause undue alarm. Be added, however, that
this figure did not include a planned reduction of US forces in Iceland
which he said he could well understand might require careful preparation
with the Icelanders and he requested that a specific target date be set
for planning purposes both to permit the orderly withdrawal and to permit
the Department to take the necessary action with the Icelandic authorities.
It was agreed that the Department would make a recommendation in this
instance and they seemed to have 1 January in mind. General Taylor then
want on to state that it was his personal view that substantial reductions
in US forces abroad would probably be required by budgetary considerations
in Fiscal Year 1959 but he was not prepared to give any estimates at this
time. Admiral Burke then, speaking for the Navy, said that the dispositions
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K.11 I
overseas of naval vessels would not be modified to an extent which
he thought would become noticeable but that the reduction in overseas
waters of naval units was largely being made at the expense of cur-
tailing the vessel strength in home waters and that this would amount
to approximately 10 per cent of the present fleet strength. He stressed
that the moth balling of over 100 vessels would. undoubtedly be publicized
in the US press. He also referred to a contemplated reduction of carrier
strength in the Pacific from 4 to 3 carriers but indicated that this
would be closely held and that he considered it a sensitive item. Burke
also emphasized that for the Fiscal Year 1959 he foresaw that future
reductions in naval forces would probably be required. General White
in reviewing the air commitments to NATO stated that in the Fiscal Year
1958 which SACEUR was on record for a commitment of 75 squadrons, that
this figure, while earmarked for NATO, would be met only to the extent-
of 42 squadrons actually located in Europe and it was his estimate that
for the Fiscal Year 1959 a further reduction of 5 additional squadrons
in place in Europe would probably be the actual situation. The Department
requested that it be informed as promptly as possible of specific con-
templated reductions in US forces abroad so that it could pave the way
both within NATO and the countries involved and this was readily agreed
to by the Joint Chiefs.
3. Agenda Item 3: Evaluation of Troop Movements -- Egypt and Syria
Mr. Murphy requested the Joint Chiefs to comment on whether they
had any knowledge that Syria had moved troops recently to the Turkish
border and also whether they had knowledge of any Egyptian troop movements
which might be in support of Syria. The Joint Chiefs' response in both
instances was negative. They did not believe that the Syrians had moved
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C.)
troops to the Turkish border and referred to the Syrian troop maneuvers
which had recently been in progress. They also said that they had no
indication or information that there had been any change during the past
few months in Egyptian troops dispositions.
4. Agenda Item 4:
Desirability of Liaison between State Policy
Planning Staff and Joint Staff
Mr. Murphy raised the desirability of closer liaison between
State's Policy Planning Staff and the Joint Staff. There was a brief
discussion on this subject and Mr. Murphy said that he would send the
Joint Chiefs a memorandum outlining the Department's views and the
ways and means by which it was hoped a closer day-by-day working arrange-
ment could be effected and General Taylor voiced his approval in principle
of the proposal.
5. Agenda Item 5: French Desire for IRBMs
Mr. Murphy raised as a query and for information purposes a
recent approach by the French that they be furnished IRBMs by the IE.
He stated that this appeared to be a preliminary sounding on the part
of the French, that no specific numbers or terms of payment had been
mentioned and that it was the Department's present intention to reply
to the French that this matter would be taken under advisement and that
the US would answer the French specifically after further study. There
was some expression both on the part of the Department and the Joint
Chiefs that furnishing the French with some IRBMs might be constructive.
STAT
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Acting Deputy Director/Intelligence
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