02/18/97 TUE 13:12 FAX 913 263 4218 _vight D. Eisenhower Library Eisenhower: Papers, 1953-61 (Ann Whitman file) EISENHOWER LIBRARY INL pa, p / ES Uk i ¥ ws *u03 eee : of their nuclear weapons. It sometimes took as long as a year $6 achieve final egreement as to the yield of the weapon. Secretary Dulles inquired whether it wasn't a fact the estimate of the yleld of a weapon consisted of a composite & a number of estimates which varied greatly among themselves. Admiral Strauss replied that the divergence was not quite as widelas Secretary Dulles suggested, but there were certainly differences &@s great as 10% in the initial stages of an appraisal of the magnitude of any given explosion. Mr. Allen Dulles pointed out in this connection that Ib - Cherwell hed stated that the British initially estimated the yialé of the first Soviet thermomiclear explosion at approximately more than the United States had estimated the yield. He underatpod that since then the British estimste had been revised downwerd. by the United States of the British calculations as to the chare of each Soviet weapon test. Admiral Strauss said he thought ths ' preise these tests. He was not inclined to place high valueon British calculations. The President then inquired what would be the largest Weapon the Sovieta could set off without our knowing about it. mirel Strauss replied that we would know of any explosion which yielded more than 10 KT equivalent, unless the Soviets took the 1 of weapons tests this mumer. Accordingly, it behooved us to regch @ decision soon if we proposed to gain any advantage fran agreetag to a moratorium on further testes. The President reiterated the view he had expressed at yre- vious meetings of the Council, that he cculd perceive no final ark to the problem of nuclear warfare if both sides simply went ahee ing bigger and better nuclear weapons. While, of course, he did fnot want the Soviets to gain a lead on us in this field, it was neve less a matter of despair to look ahead to a future which containg nothing but more and more bombs. He therefore believed it wrong For the United States merely to take a negative view of this terrible problem. We must try to find seme positive answer, and to do so will have a stockpile of these banbs, and then we will be in @ megs. Admiral Strauss cbserved that it would be quite a long Fime before the little countries were in a position to manufacture nuchear weapons. -R- besos.