Nsc-68 called for the united states torrent

Written by hardliner paul nitze, it took the worst case scenario in dealing with the soviet union. National security council report 68 excerpt this national security council report from april 1950 outlines the u. Us has killed more than 20 million people in 37 victim nations since world war ii. To understand americas actions during the cold war, it is essential to understand nsc 68 the 1950 report, requested by president truman and prepared by the national security council nsc, that guided american foreign policy for nearly forty years. Within the past thirtyfive years the world has experienced two global wars of tremendous violence. Arrayed against the free world are large and menacing forces.

Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. The united states is pledged and determined, along with other free peoples, to cheek sic aggression and to advance freedom. The report has since been declassified and become one of the classic historical documents of the cold war era. Nsc682, in which truman approves the basic approach of nsc68 but directs additional work on the costs nsc683, the revised,analysis of programs and costs called for in nsc682 nsc684, trumans approval of nsc683 as the basis of a fouryear military and security program buildup. Barrett to acheson on public relations and nsc68, 1950 the. United states objectives and programs for national security, it was sent to truman in midapril, two months before the north koreans invaded the south to start the korean war. Nsc 68 seemed confirmed by the invasion and led truman to order the containment policy to take effect, with american troops sent to korea. Section i nsc 68 is a document, or policy paper, written in april of 1950 to analyze the courses of action available to the president of the united states in defense to the u. Nsc68, 1950 national security council paper nsc68 entitled united states objectives and programs for national security and frequently referred to as nsc68 was a topsecret report completed by the u. Jul 10, 2017 national security council paper nsc68 was classified until 1975.

Nsc 68 represented something new in the american politicalmilitary experience. In particular, the united states now faces the contingency that within the next four or five years the soviet union will possess the military capability of delivering a surprise atomic attack of such weight that the united states must have substantially increased general air, ground, and sea strength, atomic capabilities, and air and civilian. In the new postwar world, the report argued, the united states could no longer retreat toward isolationism without encouraging the aggressive expansion of communism across the globe. Nsc68 is considered to be one of the most significant documents in the history of the u. Oxford university press usa publishes scholarly works in all academic disciplines, bibles, music, childrens books, business books, dictionaries, reference books, journals, text books and more. Nsc 68 was a 58page classified report written in februaryapril 1950 by paul nitze and issued by the united states national security council on april 14, 1950 during the presidency of harry truman. United states objectives and programs for national security. In 19491950, when western european governments feared armed insurrection, soviet military expansion, and the power of a revived west germany, the united states constructed the north atlantic treaty organization to maintain stability, improve morale, block revolution, restrain soviet pressure, and ease fears about the revival of west germany. Identifying the soviet union as the primary threat to the united states, nsc68 depicted soviet leaders as fanatical totalitarians bent on world domination. Nsc68 1950 in 1950, the national security council produced a 58page, topsecret report proclaiming the threat of soviet communism. Nsc 68 presented truman with a comprehensive plan of action to meet the soviet challenge. It was one of the most important american policy statements of the.

In 1947, in an article published in foreign affairs titled the sources of soviet conduct, kennan had argued that the united states should pursue a policy in which soviet moves were contained by the adroit and vigilant application of counterforce. Excerpt and link the scoop on historyapush and more. A blueprint for the cold war 1950 united states objectives and programs for national security, or nsc 68, was a secret government memorandum written mostly by paul h. A report to the president pursuant to the presidents directive of january 31, 1950. Nsc 68 was a virulent anticommunist document which profoundly shaped american foreign policy during the cold war. United states objectives and programs for national security, better known as nsc 68, was a 66page top secret national security council nsc policy paper drafted by the department of state and department of defense and presented to president harry s. The aim was to force a retraction of soviet powerto get the soviets to recede by creating situations of strength. Nsc68 seemed confirmed by the invasion and led truman to order the containment policy to take effect, with american troops sent to korea. National security council memorandum number 68 nsc68 called for the creation of the central intelligence agency cia false perhaps the crucial military maneuver in the korean conflict involved. United states objectives and programs for national security april 14, 1950 a report to the president pursuant to the presidents directive of january 31, 1950 top secret washington, april 7, 1950 contents terms of reference analysis i. War also hastened implementation of nsc68, a document drafted by paul nitze that called for a vigorous program of atomic and conventional rearmament to meet americas global commitments. Favorite answer nsc68 was a 58page classified report written in februaryapril 1950 by paul nitze and issued by the united states national security council on april 14, 1950 during the presidency. This program must light the path to peace and order among nations in a system based on freedom and justice, as contemplated in the charter of the united nations.

National security council paper nsc68 entitled united states objectives and programs for national security and frequently referred to as nsc68 was a topsecret report completed by the u. Truman quickly decided that the united states should proceed with the development of a hydrogen bomb. The foregoing analysis indicates that the probable fission bomb capability and possiblethermonuclear bomb capability of the soviet union have greatly intensified the soviet threat to thesecurity of the united states. A blueprint for the cold war 1950 united states objectives and programs for national security, or nsc68, was a secret government memorandum written mostly by paul h.

For whatever reason, people have begun adding the dash, including even the office of the historian. Nsc68 was a classified report written by paul nitze and issued by the united states national security council on april 14, 1950 during the presidency of harry truman. Presented to president harry truman on april 14, 1950, the document concluded that, following the end of wwii, revived russian expansionism required the united states to embark upon a massive political, economic, and military buildup to contain the soviet threat and expansion of communism. Their handshakes and toasts in beer and vodka celebrated their common victory over nazi germany and marked the collapse of old europe altogether. It was nothing less than an attempt to set down in the unforgiving medium of cold type a comprehensive statement of what united states national security policy should be.

The symbolic first meeting of american and soviet soldiers occurred at torgau, ger. How did the united states and the soviet union become world superpowers dominant powers. Nsc68 presented truman with a comprehensive plan of action to meet the soviet challenge. Nato became a working alliance, the united states provided military assistance to europe, the soviet union detonated an atomic bomb, and the mao zedongs communist party took control of mainland china.

The following report was produced by the national security council study group headed by paul nitze in 1950. Nsc68 was a 58page classified report written in februaryapril 1950 by paul nitze and issued by the united states national security council on april 14, 1950 during the presidency of harry truman. Written by hardliner paul nitze, it took the worst case scenario in. Nsc68 united states objectives and programs for national.

Memo for nsc from executive secretary, same subject, dated april 14, 1950 the enclosed letter by the president and the report by the secretaries of state and defense referred to therein are trans. Nsc68 was a virulent anticommunist document which profoundly shaped american foreign policy during the cold war. Apr 02, 2007 the united states, as the principal center of power in the nonsoviet world and the bulwark of opposition to soviet expansion, is the principal enemy whose integrity and vitality must be subverted or destroyed by one means or another if the kremlin is to achieve its fundamental design. This was why nsc68 called for such a massive buildup of u. The execution of such a buildup, however, requires that the united states have an affirmative program beyond the solely defensive one of countering the threat posed by the soviet union. National security council paper 68 nsc68 atomic heritage. United states objectives and programs for national security april 14, 1950 a report to the president pursuant to the presidents directive of january 31, 1950. What was his viewpoint on the soviet unions foreign policy. United states objectives and programs for national security, a top secret report outlining u.

National security council paper nsc68 was classified until 1975. The events of 1949 made foreign policy the nations top priority. However the specific costs were left to subsequent group in the nsc to analyze and budget. Department of states policy planning staff on april 7, 1950. United states objectives and programs for national. Nsc 68 is considered to be one of the most significant documents in the history of the u. He defined the key components of american military strength as a modernized and trained conventional capacity and a nuclear edge over the communists. The report, written in the aftermath of the decision to build a hydrogen bomb, was declassified in 1977 and has become one of the classic. Nsc 68 was a cold war policy paper that examines how to deter the ussrs world domination plans. The top secret report, completed by the department of states policy planning staff on april 7, 1950, set the stage for the. This document was designed to frighten its readers into accepting a policy considered extreme at the time. Nsc68 united states objectives and programs for national security. Nsc68 called explicitly for a policy of calculated and gradual coercion.

The great manpower under the control of soviet communism is being driven with fanatic zeal to build up military and industrial strength. In addition, a strong united states military position, plus increases in the armaments of the nations of western europe, should strengthen the determination of the recipient nations to counter soviet moves and in event of war could be considered as likely to delay operations and increase the time required for the soviet union to overrun western. The united states, as the principal center of power in the nonsoviet world and the bulwark of opposition to soviet expansion, is the principal enemy whose integrity and vitality must be subverted or destroyed by one means or another if the kremlin is to achieve its fundamental design. President truman receives nsc68 report, calling for containing soviet expansion president harry s. Nsc68 nsc 68 the document is clearly marked nsc 68 see bottom left. Department of state s policy planning staff on april 7, 1950. Nsc 68 was a classified report written by paul nitze and issued by the united states national security council on april 14, 1950 during the presidency of harry truman. Nsc68 demonstrated that the federal government regarded the cold war as limited to differences between the united states and the soviet union. Nsc68 was a topsecret report written by paul nitze of the us state departments policy planning office. The usas nuclear monopoly ended as the ussr tested its own atomic bomb in september 1949.

United states objectives and programs for natioial security references. What does the nsc 68 document reveal about the origins of the. Governments response to the challenges presented by the cold war, including the policy of containment that sought to limit soviet expansion by all means short of war. In the new postwar world, the report argued, the united states could no longer retreat toward isolationism without encouraging. Truman receives national security council paper number 68 nsc68. The fundamental purpose of the united states is laid down in the preamble to the constitution.