Date

Nov 7, 1956

Description

While MC 48 had given nuclear weapons a central role in NATO military strategy, most of the members had no prospect of acquiring the atomic capability that NATO had deemed all-important for defense. It was for this reason, among others, including facilitating NATO cohesion and U.S. plans to disperse nuclear weapons, that in the fall of 1956 U.S. officials discussed training their NATO partners in the use of the weapons.

Political considerations influenced thinking about the training offer. The Suez Crisis had just ended with the collapse of the Anglo-French-Israeli invasion of Egypt, which Washington had opposed with financial pressure. In that context, the “earliest possible recementing of the ties among the allies” was seen as an important reason for a nuclear initiative.

The training offer was to be made at the NATO ministerial meeting. According to the memorandum to Eisenhower, if the allies asked whether the U.S. would make the weapons available to them, the U.S. was prepared to “reply … that we would make atomic weapons available to NATO forces trained in their use if and when this should become necessary in view of an emergency facing NATO.” Both the Defense Department and the State Department interpreted such a move as consistent with the Atomic Energy Act. Whether such a discussion took place at the December 1956 NATO meeting remains unclear, but in remarks to the NATO Council Secretary of Defense Wilson made an offer of training in the use of “new weapons.”

Source

DNSA

Document published in following posting(s):

The U.S. Nuclear Presence in Western Europe, 1954-1962, Part I

Jul 21, 2020

[Assistant Secretary for European Affairs Burke] Elbrick to the Acting Secretary, “Program to Increase NATO Nuclear Capability and Secure Certain Base Rights,” 7 November 1956, with attached memoranda and cover memorandum, including undated memorandum to President Eisenhower, Secret