Foreign Relations of the United States, 1950, Central and Eastern Europe; The Soviet Union, Volume IV

S/S–NSC Files: Lot 63 D 351: NSC 91 Series

Memorandum by the Joint Chiefs of Staff to the Secretary of Defense (Marshall)¹

top secret

Washington, 22 November 1950.

Subject: East-West Trade

1. This memorandum is in response to the request contained in your memorandum of 17 November 1950² that the Joint Chiefs of Staff furnish you not later than 1700 on Tuesday, 21 November 1950, their comments and recommendations with regard to NSC 91/1,³ a proposed statement of policy on “East-West Trade.”

2. The Joint Chiefs of Staff note that the paper addresses itself not only to trade between the Soviet Bloc and the Western European countries but also to such trade on the part of some but not all other non-Soviet countries. The Joint Chiefs of Staff consider that the paper should be amended so as to have uniform application to all non-Soviet countries except those specifically excluded therefrom in the subject draft.

3. In connection with the current negotiations in London of the Consultative Group countries regarding items to be embargoed to the Soviet Bloc, the Joint Chiefs of Staff recommend that, if any Consultative Group country fails to reach agreement with the United States regarding the inclusion of crucial items on the approved United States 1A List, then consideration be given to a new United States policy. Such a policy might lump together all List 1 items with the items on the approved United States 1A List as a single package, the export of which should be denied to a country refusing assurances of embargo of any of the crucial items on the approved United States 1A List. This policy should be made applicable to all non-Soviet nations except those specifically excluded therefrom in the subject draft.

4. All of the foregoing considerations, excepting those in paragraph 3, are reflected in the enclosed revision of NSC 91/1 which has been prepared by the Joint Chiefs of Staff. This revision also includes certain other minor changes. The Joint Chiefs of Staff recommend, from the military point of view, that the enclosed revision be adopted by the National Security Council as United States policy on East-West Trade.⁴

For the Joint Chiefs of Staff:

Omar N. Bradley

Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff

1. The source text was circulated to the National Security Council at the request of the Secretary of Defense under cover of a brief explanatory memorandum of November 22 by Council Executive Secretary Lay, not printed. The National Security Council considered the views set forth in this memorandum in conjunction with its consideration of NSC 91/1, November 17, p. 227. At its 72d Meeting, November 22, at which President Truman presided, the Council, in Action 387a, noted an oral statement by General Bradley summarizing the views of the Joint Chiefs of Staff with respect to NSC 91/1.
2. Not printed.
3. November 17, p. 227.
4. The revision of NSC 91/1 under reference here is not printed.