Memorandum of Conversation: Brezhnev, Ford, 24 November 1974

This document is a classified memorandum of a conversation held on November 24, 1974, between Leonid I. Brezhnev, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU, and President Gerald R. Ford. The conversation focused on the topic of nuclear war. Brezhnev proposed a treaty between the United States and the Soviet Union, in which both countries would agree not to use nuclear weapons against each other or any other country. The treaty would be defensive in nature and aimed at preventing nuclear war. President Ford expressed interest in the idea and raised questions about the scope of the treaty, including whether it would cover tactical or strategic nuclear attacks. The conversation concluded with an agreement to continue discussions and make efforts to encourage other countries to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty. The document ends with declassification information.

The document appears to contain an era version of the premise that a nuclear war can never be won and must never be fought.