' _ ·· - S P-583ll-3A TOP SECRET MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY Subject Oral Presentation of the Annual Report of the Net Evaluation Subcommittee 1 I understand that ou will receive the same briefing given laet week to the President and to the NSC 2 I submit the following observations based on my hearing this briefing and asking a few queetions last week in the Pentagon a The claim that SAC plans to over-destroy targets seems to be borne out For example I understand that the assumptions used in this study in regard to target Moscow called for weapons having a total explosive yield or 100 megatons of which some 66 megatons are assumed to have actually reached the target For comparison 100 megatons 1s the explosive equivalent of 5 000 Hiroshima-type bombs I was advised that the study assumed that Moscow would be hit by IRBMs fleet ballistic m1ssilee air-to-surface missiles and ICBMs before being hit by SAC airplane delivered bombe You may wish to address some questions to this point b You will note that the study assumes a destruction of targets throughout China I believe that this was based on an assumption that the North Koreans had attacked the South Koreans 3 You will note the heavy fatalities from fall-out Thie will not be limited to the Soviet Union and China Leaving aside the question of the R£PAOOUCeo AT THE N4TIONAI AAO IVl S I• • TOP SECRET -2morality or this type of general destruction or the Soviet Union I have serious doubts as to the morality or a retaliation against the Soviet Union which would have serious effects on non-belligerent nations 4 We used to be advised that a doctrine or restraint governed the planning or our strategic bombing operations It is difficult to see any fruits or any such doctrine in this briefing • Gerard C Smith •