Office of the Historian

Department of State Executive Secretariat Files: Lot 62D1

Record of Action by the National Security Council by Memorandum Action as of April 18, 1950

top secret
[Washington, April 18, 1950.]

Action Number: 288

Subject: The Position of the United States With Respect to Indochina.

(NSC 64;1 Memos for NSC from Executive Secretary, same subject, dated February 27, 1950, and April 18, 1950)2

Adopted the reference report by the Department of State on the subject.

Note: The Secretary of the Treasury participated in this Council action. In approving NSC 64, the Secretary of Defense commented as follows:

“In connection with the implementation of Paragraph 12 of the Conclusions, which I have approved, it is the desire of the Department of Defense to include not only Indochina but also Southeast Asia, and to develop and execute a program by expeditious administrative arrangements, as a matter of urgency.

At my request the Joint Chiefs of Staff have prepared a strategic assessment of this area3 which I am forwarding herewith with the [Page 787] request that it be circulated to the Council members. These views of the Joint Chiefs have my general approval.”

NSC 64 subsequently submitted to the President for consideration4 together with the comments of the Secretary of Defense and the strategic assessment by the Joint Chiefs of Staff referred to above. JCS assessment circulated for the information of the Council by the reference memorandum of April 18.

  1. Ante, p. 744.↩
  2. Neither printed.↩
  3. See letter, dated April 14, from Secretary of Defense Johnson to Secretary of State Acheson, p. 780.↩

  4. In a memorandum of April 24 to the National Security Council, Executive Secretary James S. Lay, Jr. stated the following: “The President has this date approved the Conclusions contained in the reference report on the subject [NSC 64] and directs their implementation by all appropriate executive departments and agencies of the U.S. Government under the coordination of the Secretary of State.

    “In approving this report the President expressed the desire that the program prepared pursuant to paragraph 12 thereof be submitted for his consideration.” (Department of State Executive Secretariat Files: Lot 62D1)

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