Memorandum Proposing Themes for President Eisenhower’s 1961 State of the Union Address (1960)

Date: October 31, 1960

Original or Replica: Original

Era: The Cold War, The Presidency

Collection: Eisenhower Presidential Library

Citations: Ralph E. Williams Papers, Box 1, Chronological (1); NAID #16972132

This document is a Memorandum for File prepared by Ralph E. Williams on October 31, 1960, summarizing a discussion with Dr. Malcolm Moos, one of President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s principal speechwriters. The memorandum outlines several preliminary themes under consideration for President Eisenhower’s final State of the Union Address, which would be delivered to Congress in January 1961 during the closing months of his presidency.

The memorandum identifies several broad issues that Williams and Dr. Moos believed should be emphasized in the President’s address. Among the most notable is a warning about the growing influence of a permanent military-industrial establishment, arguing that the expansion of defense industries and the movement of senior military officers into private defense companies posed a potential threat to sound national policymaking. The memorandum also expresses concern over the rise of political violence and instability around the world, citing events in places such as Cuba, the Congo, and incidents of civil unrest more broadly. Finally, it recommends reviewing President Eisenhower’s previous major speeches to ensure consistency in the themes and principles presented during the closing months of his administration.

This memorandum is particularly significant because it foreshadows one of the central ideas of President Eisenhower’s Farewell Address, delivered less than three months later, in which he famously warned Americans about the dangers of the military-industrial complex.