Foreign Relations of the United States, 1950, Western Europe, Volume III

740.5/8–450: Telegram

The United States Deputy Representative on the North Atlantic Council (Spofford) to the Secretary of State

top secret

London, August 4, 1950—midnight.

Depto 42. US proposal given Depto 38 adopted this afternoon with following changes:

Last sentence paragraph 4 now reads: “Important thing is for each government, on its own initiative, begin at once task of achieving first year’s augmentation combat forces contemplated as its contribution under medium term defense plan.” Paragraph 5 reads:

“5. To enable deputies to take appropriate steps in furtherance of foregoing resolution, it is proposed that deputies take further following action:

(a) Each deputy, having consulted with his government, is requested to report to Council Deputies by 28 August steps being taken, or presently planned to be taken, to increase his country’s total combat forces readily available, as regards number, equipment, training and, as far as possible, location, for defense of North Atlantic area. Such reports should, for information of deputies, indicate in general terms following:

(i) Increases over present strength of total combat forces, to become effective by 1st July 1951, and for which equipment is available or can be provided under existing arrangements;

(ii) 3Further increases in such total combat forces which they would be prepared to make effective by 1st July 1951, provided that necessary additional equipment is made available from domestic or external sources.

Such reports should contain, where appropriate, indications as to measures intended to improve state of training and mobilization of existing forces. They should also take into account considerations referred to third paragraph Council resolution 4/2.¹

(b) Chairman requested to consult with chairman Defense Committee with view to obtaining recomendations as to further action deputies might take with view to immediate strengthening of defense forces.

(c) Council Deputies will consider before next meeting of Council of Ministers actions which they might take or further recommendations which might be made on this subject to Council of Ministers or to governments.

It is appreciated that this request by deputies may in part duplicate work or inquiries already being undertaken by other agencies of NATO and, in particular, Military Committee and Standing Group. Deputies have, however, felt matter to be of such importance that they should lose no time in communicating directly on it with individual governments. It is clearly important that Military Committee and Standing Group be informed of action taken by deputies and, in due course, of replies made by individual governments to questions addressed to them.”²

Department pass Defense; sent Department Depto 42, repeated info Paris 201 (pass OSR), The Hague 36, Brussels 36, Copenhagen 28, Olso 22, Ottawa 13, Lisbon 18, Rome 50, Frankfort 118 (pass Heidelberg for Handy as 13).

[Spofford]

1. See footnote 2, p. 185.

2. This revised U.S. proposal for action by the Council Deputies was approved at the Council Deputies final meeting in London on August 4. It is referred to, in its revised and approved form, as Council Document D–D/18 (Revised).

   Spofford informed the body that its next meeting was scheduled for August 22. He said that if it were warranted, there would be a 1-day meeting of the Deputies in New York prior to the meeting there of the North Atlantic Council. The summary of business covered in the final meeting is in Depto 43 from London, August 4, midnight; not printed (740.5/8–450).