S/S–NSC
Files: Lot 63D351: NSC 79 Series
Report to the National Security Council by the Secretary
of Defense (Johnson)
top secret
Washington, August 25,
1950.
NSC 79
Note by the Executive Secretary to the National
Security Council on United States and Allied War Objectives in the Event
of Global War
| References: |
A. NSC 20/41
|
|
B. NSC 682
|
|
C. NSC 73/43
|
At the request of the Secretary of Defense, the enclosed memorandum by the
Joint Chiefs of Staff on the subject is circulated herewith for the
information of the National Security Council and the Secretary of the
Treasury and referred to the NSC Staff for
use in the preparation of a report for Council consideration.
In transmitting the enclosure the Secretary of Defense requested that action
be initiated in the National Security Council as recommended by the Joint
Chiefs of Staff to develop a clear-cut statement of the war objectives of
the United States and that further action be taken leading to the adoption
of a concerted statement of the war objectives of the United States and its
allies, all in the eventuality of possible global war.
[Enclosure]
Memorandum by the Joint Chiefs of
Staff to the Secretary of Defense (Johnson)
top secret
Washington, 22 August
1950.
Subject: Statement of United States and Allied War
Objectives in the Event of Global War.
- 1.
- The Joint Chiefs of Staff consider that, from the military point
of view, there are certain compelling reasons for an early
determination of clear-cut United States objectives in the event of
war. Such a clear-cut statement of war objectives is necessary to
serve as a basis for military planning, both prior to and during
hostilities, in order
[Page 391]
to
provide that our military efforts are directed toward the winning of
the ultimate peace as well as to the winning of the war. Such a
statement would be of major military value, in the event of
hostilities, in order to assure for the war effort that degree of
popular support which is essential to the fighting spirit of
military forces, regardless of their numbers. Further, a well
considered statement of allied war objectives would be of importance
in insuring that our military operations would be supported by the
forces of our allies, as nearly as possible with the same
determination as we would expect of our own forces.
- 2.
- An effective statement of war objectives should not only be so
worded as to arouse the American people and our allies to concerted
support of the war effort but should also be so expressed as to
cause enemy dissidents to oppose the Kremlin actively as well as
passively, and, if possible, to encourage defections among the
people and military forces of the USSR.
- 3.
- Because they are so broadly worded and since they were intended
for other purposes the statements of national objectives appearing
in NSC 20/4 entitled “U.S.
Objectives with Respect to the USSR to Counter Soviet Threats to
U.S. Security” and in NSC 68
entitled “United States Objectives and Programs for National
Security” and the study by the staffs of the Departments of State
and Defense, dated 7 April 1950, fail to meet the above
requirements. Further, it is believed that there exist no approved
policies or studies which fill the requirement expressed in the two
preceding paragraphs.
- 4.
- While the Joint Chiefs of Staff do not consider that a global war
is necessarily imminent, they nevertheless feel that it would be of
prime importance, were war to eventuate, for the United States and
its allies to have available an agreed statement of their war
objectives in time for its early use—certainly before possible
results would be felt from the early heavy successes which are
anticipated as being within the military capabilities of the
USSR.
- 5.
- Accordingly, the Joint Chiefs of Staff recommend that action be
initiated in the National Security Council to develop a clear-cut
statement of the war objectives of the United States and that
further action be taken leading to the adoption of a concerted
statement of the war objectives of the United States and its allies,
all in the eventuality of possible global war.
For the Joint Chiefs of Staff:
Omar N. Bradley
Chairman
Joint Chiefs of Staff
