Foreign Relations of the United States, 1949, National Security Affairs, Foreign Economic Policy, Volume I

Under Secretary’s Meetings: Lot 53D250

Action Summary of the Under Secretary’s Meeting, May 2, 1919, 10 a. m.¹

top secret

[ Washington ,] May 2, 1949.

1. U.S. Objectives With Respect to Russia (D–30²) (Top Secret)

No action on the above paper is necessary. It was submitted to the Meeting for discussion in connection with the views which had been expressed by the Staff (April 15) on the paper entitled “Measures Required to Achieve U.S. Objectives with Respect to the U.S.S.R.” (NSC 35³)

With a view to assembling material for the National Security Council on the general requirement of U.S. foreign policy which will meet the needs of the President and member agencies:

a. Mr. Kennan will re-examine a paper entitled “Factors, Affecting the Nature of the U.S. Defense Arrangements in the Light of Soviet Policies” (PPS 33, June 23, 1948⁴) which was noted by the NSC. This paper will be submitted to the Under Secretary’s Meeting for consideration with the possibility of sending it to the NSC again.⁵

b. Mr. Kennan will submit to the Under Secretary an outline of a project (which his Staff will undertake in cooperation with the necessary personnel in the Department) to set forth the foreign policy framework which the Department anticipates for 1951. The paper produced through this project, it is anticipated, will provide the basis for the President to appraise, among other things military and domestic needs in terms of budgetary requirements.

1. No more detailed record of this meeting has been found.
2. Document UM D–30, not printed, consisted of a brief summary memorandum and the full text of document PPS 38, August 18, 1948, “U.S. Objectives with Respect to Russia.” For an extract of PPS 38, printed as NSC 20/1, setting forth its principal recommendations, see Foreign Relations, 1948, vol. i, Part 2, p. 609.
3. The draft paper entitled “Measures Required to Achieve U.S. Objectives with Respect to the U.S.S.R.,” March 30, 1949, appears on p. 271. NSC 35, November 17, 1948, a report to the NSC by the Secretary of Defense, transmitted a memorandum by the Joint Chiefs of Staff on “Existing International Commitments Involving the Possible Use of Armed Forces.” NSC 35 was submitted by Secretary of Defense Forrestal in connection with the preparation of the report on “Measures.” For text, see Foreign Relations, 1948, vol. i, Part 2, p. 656.
4. For text, printed as NSC 20/2 of August 25, 1948, see Foreign Relations, 1948, vol. i, Part 2, p. 615.
5. There is no indication in the available files that the Under Secretary’s Meeting subsequently considered PPS 33.