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

S/S–NSC Files: Lot 63D351

Memorandum by the Secretary of Defense (Johnson)¹

[Washington,] 3 August 1949.

Memorandum for:

The Secretary of the Army

The Secretary of the Navy

The Secretary of the Air Force

The Chairman, Munitions Board

The Chairman, Research and Development Board

The Joint Chiefs of Staff

The Chairman, Personnel Policy Board

The Chairman, Military Liaison Committee

Subject: Organization for the Handling of Politico-Military Matters in the National Military Establishment.

1. This memorandum is designed to assign and delineate functions for the handling of politico-military matters within the National Military Establishment.

2. Coordination of Politico-Military Matters in General. In order to provide an agency which can effectively and continuously coordinate and supervise planning, and the execution of approved policies, in the politico-military field (exclusive of foreign military assistance and matters relating to the occupied areas) within the National Military Establishment, I am hereby establishing the Office of Foreign Military Affairs in my office. Under the direction of the Secretary of Defense and with the advice of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Munitions Board, respectively, on the military and economic aspects thereof, the Office of Foreign Military Affairs will perform the following functions with respect to all politico-military matters except those relating to occupied areas and military assistance:

a. Keep the Secretary of Defense and other appropriate authorities advised of the status of major matters of a politico-military character which are under consideration or which require attention.

b. Consistent with the functions and responsibilities of the several departments and agencies of the National Military Establishment, as heretofore or hereafter approved by me, assign responsibility for the handling of particular problems or areas of problems in the politico-military field to such departments and agencies, and monitor their progress.

c. Coordinate planning within the National Military Establishment with respect to politico-military affairs.

d. Supervise and coordinate the execution within the National Military Establishment of approved politico-military policies of the National Security Council or of other authority.

e. Assist the Secretary of Defense in coordinating the activities of the National Military Establishment in the politico-military field with those of the National Security Council, the Department of State and any other agencies of government that may be concerned.

In discharging its functions the Office of Foreign Military Affairs will make the maximum use of the facilities of the several departments and agencies of the National Military Establishment which are concerned with politico-military matters.

3. Responsibility for Matters Affecting the Occupied Areas. Mr. Tracy Voorhees, Assistant Secretary of the Army, is hereby designated as my deputy to handle all policy matters affecting the occupied areas and to represent the National Military Establishment with the Department of State and other agencies of the Government in connection therewith. In performing these duties, he will obtain the advice of the Joint Chiefs of Staff with respect to the military aspects thereof. In addition, his office will keep the Office of Foreign Military Affairs generally advised with respect to occupation matters of outstanding importance and of other matters relating to the occupied areas which have important politico-military implications extending beyond those areas themselves. In this connection, my memorandum to the Secretary of the Army, dated 27 April 1949, and entitled “Responsibility for the Development and Approval of NME Policy with respect to Military Government and Civil Affairs in the Occupied Areas”² is hereby rescinded.

4. Responsibility for Military Assistance Matters. Major General Lyman Lemnitzer, Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Foreign Military Assistance, will continue to perform those functions with respect to military assistance which have heretofore been delegated to him, including the representation of the National Military Establishment with the Department of State and other governmental agencies. In performing these duties, he will obtain the advice of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Munitions Board, respectively, with respect to the military and economic aspects thereof. In addition, he will keep the Office of Foreign Military Affairs generally advised concerning important matters in this area and coordinate with that office on problems which have politico-military implications extending beyond the field of military assistance itself.

5. Responsibility for Advising on Military Aspects of Politico-Military Matters, The Joint Chiefs of Staff are charged with the duty of advising all officials having cognizance over politico-military affairs on the military aspects of such affairs.

6. Responsibility for Advising on the Economic Aspects of Politico-Military Matters. The Munitions Board is charged with advising all officials having cognizance over politico-military affairs on the economic aspects of such affairs. In addition, and subject to any further instructions from me, the Munitions Board will continue to discharge those functions with respect to foreign economic matters which it is currently performing. In this connection, it will keep the Office of Foreign Military Affairs generally informed concerning important matters in this area.

7. Role of the War Council.³ Politico-military problems of major importance, and particularly those which are before, or are to be submitted to, the National Security Council, will, whenever appropriate, be submitted to the War Council for consideration.

8. Special Consultant on Politico-Military Matters. Major General James H. Burns, U.S.A. (Retired), has agreed to be available as a special consultant to me on politico-military matters. He is prepared, from time to time as circumstances may require, to serve as a policy advisor on important issues in this field (except as they relate to the occupied areas) and, on such occasions and in such capacity, to discuss the policies relating to such issues, if required, with the ranking officials of the National Security Council, the Department of State and other government agencies which may be concerned. As and when called upon to perform these duties, he will have the status of a deputy to the Secretary of Defense in the field of politico-military matters. General Burns will have no administrative or executive duties and will not be responsible for the handling of the many day-to-day problems of mutual concern to the National Military Establishment and the Department of State, or for the coordination of such matters within the National Military Establishment, or between the two agencies. On the other hand, I am sure he will be glad to give his advice and guidance to those who are working on such matters whenever he can be available and the occasion warrants, and I request, except as to matters affecting the occupied areas, that major policy matters in the field of politico-military affairs be brought to him for consideration whenever he is available. In addition, I request that all agencies of the National Military Establishment provide him with such information and assistance as he may require in handling assignments which he undertakes at my request, and, in particular, I charge the Office of Foreign Military Affairs with keeping him generally abreast of developments in the politico-military field and with preparing materials which he may need.

9. I am hereby designating Mr. N. E. Halaby as Director of the Office of Foreign Military Affairs.

10. The term “politico-military matters” as used herein means matters of a military character which are affected with a foreign relations interest, foreign relations matters affected with a military interest, and any other matters which are of mutual concern to the Department of State and the National Military Establishment or over which the National Security Council has jurisdiction, exclusive of matters relating to internal security.

Louis Johnson

1. Copy received by Deputy Under Secretary of State Rusk on August 5.
2. Not found in the files of the Department of State.
3. The membership of the War Council consisted of the Secretary of Defense (Chairman) and the Secretaries and military chiefs of the three services. Later in the year, this body was renamed the Armed Forces Policy Council, with the new positions of Deputy Secretary of Defense and Chairman of the Joints Chiefs of Staff added to its membership.