IV. Atoms for Peace: A Presidential Initiative 



"Atoms for Peace" is the name of a presidential exercise of diplo- 

 matic powers to foster foreign use of the science and technology of 

 nuclear energy. It signaled the start of U.S. diplomatic efforts to cre- 

 ate an international atomic energy agency; American encouragement 

 to two European regional, multinational agencies for nuclear energy: 

 establishment of a network of bilateral agreements between the United 

 States and individual nations for technical assistance in nuclear en- 

 ergy: and a treaty to establish international safeguards over nuclear 

 fuel materials. These diplomatic ventures sought to foster civil use of 

 nuclear energy abroad, ranging from applications of radioisotopes 

 for research and for diagnosis and treatment in medicine to the demon- 

 stration of nuclear power for the generation of electricity. I underlying 

 the publicized, idealistic purpose of sharing U.S. nuclear science and 

 technology were pragmatic, practical considerations of advantages to 

 the United States. In this way. the idealism of American nuclear 

 scientists and engineers was coupled effectively to the support of U.S. 

 foreign policy objectives. 



Three basic goals of I'.S. policy and interest in Europe have re- 

 mained constant since the end of World War II: integration of the 

 nations of Western Europe, the defense of I '.S. security, and the quest 

 for East-West detente. ' Atoms for Peace was to have implications 

 for all three goals. 



Origins of Atoms for Peoxn 



Atoms for Peace grew out of a frustrating era for United States 

 diplomacy. The Soviet Union had exploded an atomic bomb in 1949, 

 an unexpectedly early date. Military forces of North Korea had in- 

 vaded South Korea in 1950. The attempts in Europe to establish a 

 European Defense Community had failed and international dis 

 armament negotiations were deadlocked. One U.S. response was a 

 policy that threatened "massive retaliation" with nuclear weapons 

 against Communist aggression. Another was the President's Atoms for 

 Peace proposals as an alternative to the arms race. 



president Eisenhower's ct.n. address 



By 1953, President Eisenhower was persuaded thai the world was 

 courting disaster in the continuing armaments race and that something 

 had to be done to put n brake on its momentum. lie sought "any kind 

 of an idea thai could bring the world to look at the atomic problem 

 in a broad and intelligent way and -till escape the impasse to action 

 created by Russian intransigence. . . ." :rj After discussion with Prime 



*' l ;on1 recent discussion of U.S. interests find objectives In Western Europe from 



the standpoint of n diplomat, see the speech of I»;i\i<l B. Bolen, First Secretary of the 

 American Ei In Bonn, in the Congressional Record, September 20, 1971, pp. S14589 



14592 



'Dwiffht l> Elsenhower, Mandate for Change: 1953 1956 (Garden City, N.Y. : Double 

 day, 1963 I, p. 252 



(150) 



