4. Civil Disturbances
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5. French Hydrogen Bomb
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6. Project 693 and FY 1970 Budget
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7. Legislative Matters
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8. F-111
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9. South Vietnamese Navy
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10. Czechoslovakia Postscript
General Chapman said that the Soviet’s [sic] invaded Czechoslovakia because Mother Russia was directly threatened. We would expect the Soviets to take additional preemptive actions under similar circumstances.
The meeting adjourned at 1053
R. Eugene Livesay, Staff Secretary
“Top Secret” Secretary of Defense Staff Meeting, 3 September 1968
Mr. Clifford, Mr. Nitze, Mr. Resor, General Palmer (for Westmoreland), Mr. Ignatius, Admiral Clarey (for Admiral Moorer), Dr. Brown, General McConnell, General Wheeler et al.
1. Secretary Clifford’s First Six Months
Mr. Clifford began meeting 0935 stating that it was thoroughly fitting and proper to state that on 1 September he marked his first six months of service as the present Secretary of Defense.
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3. Eastern Europe
At one stage during the past week there were a number of reports that Soviet military forces were engaged in large scale maneuvers. Troops and arms appeared to be moving toward Rumania. There were also activities in Bulgaria and Hungary. Only Yugoslavia was not involved. These reports came in with such consistency as to create the greatest concern here. Mr. Clifford noted that the President’s statements of the threat to world peace if the Soviets moved into Rumania. The Soviets have assured the President that they have no intentions toward Rumania and no desire to create trouble. They state that the Czechoslovakia situation is a family problem which is no concern to or of interest to the United States or otherwise. We should leave their personal problems to them and they will leave ours to us. All this is said in an amicable and conciliatory manner. They have stated that they hoped that the events of the last few weeks will not effect U.S./USSR talks on strategic weapons. Mr. Clifford said our posture should be one of careful, guarded, watchful waiting. He asked General Wheeler to report on the military situation in Eastern Europe.
General Wheeler said there are from fourteen to seventeen Soviet divisions, four Polish divisions, and elements of East German, Bulgarian and Hungarian forces of less than division size in Czechoslovakia. The Soviets have moved some aircraft back to their home stations. These moves appear to be consolidating their hold on Czechoslovakia and do so with lower visibility. Western military attaches have seen no evidence of troop activity in Hungary. There have been field training exercises in Bulgaria. To date there have been primarily communications exercises, with no movement of ground troops. Yugoslavia is in a high state of alert. Rumania is on alert but has been dampening their polemics. We should keep an attitude of watchful waiting. General Wheeler is not convinced at all that we have seen the end of this.
Mr. Clifford said NATO is faced with a situation of considerable concern. NATO has noted with alarm the considerable number of Soviet troops in Czechoslovakia which has a common border with West Germany. NATO has demonstrated deep concern at the movement of Warsaw Pact forces which are in position to effect the interest of one of the NATO countries, Germany. There will be more discussion this week and he will report on these at next Monday’s staff meeting.
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The meeting adjourned at 1052
R. Eugene Livesay, Staff Secretary
“Top Secret” Secretary of Defense Staff Meeting, 9 September 1968
Mr. Clifford, Mr. Nitze, Mr. Resor, General Palmer (for General Westmoreland), Mr. Ignatius, Admiral Moorer, Dr. Brown, Dr. Enthoven, Mr. Warnke et al.
1. Eastern Europe and NATO
Mr. Clifford began meeting at 0935. […]
Mr. Clifford said that each Monday he says this has been quite a week. The fact is that each week has been quite a week. There were a number of meetings at the White House. The Tuesday luncheon meeting was held on Wednesday with a long list of agenda items. The NSC meeting on Wednesday was devoted to Czechoslovakia and problems in Central Europe. The Cabinet meeting Thursday was devoted to Vietnam and reports on Czechoslovakia and Central Europe. A great deal of effort last week was devoted to these problems.
At this point the existing situation in Czechoslovakia is fluid. It is difficult to say which way it will turn. The Czechs are taking it as you would suppose they would. This has been an extraordinarily bitter pill for them to swallow. It will take a long time to get over the Soviet invasion. A disturbing factor in the whole situation is the erratic manner in which the Soviets went about their move. Militarily it went well, politically very bad. He would have expected the Soviets to have a good plan for the takeover. He would have expected that they would have had a group set up to invite them in, however, they couldn’t find anyone who would step forward and say it was they who invited the Soviets in. This made the Soviets look foolish. Further they produced no evidence of either internal or external aggression. Mr. Clifford takes some comfort from the fact they did it so badly. However, if they can make mistakes in Czechoslovakia they could make them elsewhere. Apparently it is a dichotomy in the Kremlin. Apparently the hardliners have prevailed over the softliners. Since the hardliners took over they moved immediately without laying the diplomatic and political basis for their moves. We have to watch the Soviets with the greatest care.
Where Yugoslavia is now is also a matter of great concern. The Soviets have long deplored what went on there. If there is continued trouble in Czechoslovakia and the Rumanian comments are disturbing to the Soviets, the hardliners in the Kremlin might decide the time has come to clean up the whole situation. As far as Austria is concerned, if they should move against the Austrians we have a strong involvement there.
What NATO should do has been the subject of discussions and different approaches. Mr. Clifford said that he and General Wheeler had recommended that this is a good time for a NATO meeting. There are substantial Warsaw Pact forces across from a NATO ally, West Germany. Also, should NATO give attention to the Yugoslavia and Eastern Europe situation. Sometimes aggressors are held back by warnings.
Mr. Clifford said that he, Mr. Nitze and Mr. Warnke met with Ambassador Cleveland. He reported that our NATO allies are concerned that our reaction to the Soviet/Czechoslovakian venture continues mild and restrained. Some Europeans have the impression that our desire to have negotiations with the Soviets on Strategic Missiles is so great that there is an implied understanding that the Soviets will look after their sphere and we ours and that we will move towards agreement. An interesting sideline of this is that during the initial days of the Soviet invasion there was an alert in Cuba. The Cubans were concerned that the United States would move in and take them over because they were in our sphere. Mr. Clifford said we could put a stop to this type of talk by having a NATO meeting. It would show that we are deeply concerned over these events.