Foreign Relations of the United States, 1948, Western Europe, Volume III

S/S–NSC Files Lot 63D351, NSC 9 Series¹

Report by the National Security Council

top secret

[Washington,] June 28, 1948.

NSC 9/3

The Position of the United States With Respect to Support for Western Union and Other Related Free Countries²

the problem

1. To assess and appraise the position of the United States with respect to adequate support for the free nations of Europe: to strengthen their determination to resist aggression, to increase their confidence that they can successfully do so, and to reduce the risk of war by deterring any government from attempting further aggression through confronting it with evidence of collective determination, including that of the United States, to resist.

conclusions

2. Senate Resolution 239 which was approved during the recent session of Congress (text attached in the Annex³) should be implemented to the fullest extent possible in so far as its provisions apply to the problem discussed in this paper.

3. The Department of State now should undertake the Washington conversations requested by Bevin and Bidault with representatives of the British, French and Benelux Governments. They should be advised that the President is prepared to designate United States military representatives to attend the London Five Power military talks on a non-membership basis with a view to participating in conversations on military plans and on the matters set forth in paragraph 6 below. We should seek to convince them of the wisdom of proceeding with military talks during the next several months without seeking U.S. commitment more formal than that given in the President’s March 17th message and the Senate Resolution at least until there has been more time for the development and practical implementation of the Brussels Treaty system.

4. The Department of State should explore with the five Governments the problem of increasing the security of Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Italy and perhaps Portugal and Sweden through integration into or through some form of association with the Brussels Treaty system or otherwise. When circumstances permit, the matter of adherence to the Brussels Treaty of other countries, such as Spain, Germany (or the Western zones) and Austria (or the Western zones) which logically might belong in the Brussels Treaty group, should be explored.

5. The Department of State should seek to arrange Canadian participation in the London military talks, provided the Canadian Government is prepared to take part.

6. The National Military Establishment should participate in the continuing military conversations in London. It should be made clear throughout that the ERP precedent should be followed and that: (1) they must first plan their coordinated defense with the means presently available, (2) they must then determine how their collective military potential can be increased by coordinated production and supply, including standardization of equipment, (3) we would then be prepared to consider and screen their estimates of what supplementary assistance from us was necessary, (4) we would expect reciprocal assistance from them to the greatest extent practicable, and (5) legislation would be necessary to provide significant amounts of military equipment but the President would not be prepared to recommend it unless the foregoing conditions have been met.

7. If, as a result of its diplomatic talks with the British, French and Benelux representatives, the U.S. Government became convinced that some further political commitment was necessary at this time to bolster public confidence in Western Europe, the U.S. Government should discuss with the parties to the Brussels Treaty some form of association by the U.S., and if possible Canada, with them along the lines recommended in the Senate resolution. No U.S. commitment should be entered into in such talks without the fullest bi-partisan clearance here. Nothing should be done requiring Congressional action prior to next January.⁴

1. Serial master file of National Security Council documents and correspondence and related Department of State memoranda for the years 1947–1961, as maintained by the Executive Secretariat.
2. President Truman approved without change on July 2 the conclusions contained in this report and directed that they be implemented by all appropriate Executive Departments and Agencies of the U.S. Government under the coordination of the Secretary of State (memorandum for the National Security Council, by Admiral Souers, July 2, 1948, not printed: S/S–NSC Files, Lot 63D351).
3. Text printed on p. 135.
4. National Security Council paper NSC 9/3 (PPS 27/2) differs from NSC 9/2 of May 11, not printed, in its omission in paragraph 3 of direct mention of possible USSR aggression, its addition in paragraph 4 of the possibility of later adherence to the Brussels Treaty of countries such as Spain, Germany and Austria, and its slight alteration of wording both in the main section and in the annexed text of Senate Resolution 239.