Subject: Collaboration With Friendly Governments on Exchange
of Information Concerning Operations Against Guerrillas
In accordance with the request of the Secretary of State contained in his
report to the National Security Council on “Collaboration With Friendly
Governments on Operations Against Guerrillas” (NSC 90), the Senior NSC Staff
has studied this subject with the results as indicated in the enclosed draft
statement of policy and NSC staff study,
circulated herewith for the information of the National Security
Council.
[Annex 1]
Draft Statement of Policy Prepared by the Senior Staff
of the National Security Council
secret
[Washington,] May 8, 1951.
Statement of Policy Proposed by the National
Security Council on Collaboration With Friendly Governments on
Exchange of Information Concerning Operations Against
Guerrillas
1. Communist-controlled guerrilla warfare represents one of the most
potent instrumentalities in the arsenal of communist aggression on a
world-wide basis. It is therefore in the important security interests of
the United States to take all practicable steps in collaboration with
its allies and friends to prepare to counter such guerrilla warfare on a
coordinated world-wide basis. As a prerequisite to such action, the
United States should:
-
a.
- Develop and perfect techniques, strategy and tactics to combat
and counter communist controlled guerrilla activities.
-
b.
- Utilize this information in coordinated and timely manner with
our friends and allies.
-
c.
- Develop on a continuing basis adequate intelligence regarding
the concepts, strategy and tactics of communist-controlled
guerrilla activity.
2. Accordingly, the United States, acting through the Department of
Defense in collaboration when appropriate with the Department of State
and CIA, should continue:
-
a.
- To assemble all information available in the United States on
the general subject of counter-guerrilla warfare.
-
b.
- To obtain and assemble all possible information on
counter-guerrilla warfare from friendly governments and from
informed Japanese and German individuals and from Japanese and
German war records.
-
c.
- To obtain on a continuing basis, information on communist
guerrilla activity on a world-wide basis.
-
d.
- To pool and collate the best information available on the
strategy, tactics and techniques of counter-guerrilla
operations.
-
e.
- To develop a program for making available to our friends and
allies a common fund of knowledge relating to strategy, tactics
and techniques for counter-guerrilla activities.
-
f.
- To develop a parallel program for the exchange of current
information on Soviet and communistic inspired guerrilla
activities with our allies and friends.
3. . . .
[Annex 2]
Draft National Security Council Staff Study
secret
[Washington, May 8, 1951.]
Collaboration With Friendly Governments on Exchange
of Information Concerning Operations Against Guerrillas
problem
1. To determine whether the United States should collaborate with
friendly governments on exchange of information concerning operations
against guerrillas.
analysis
2. There are many governments now friendly to the United States which
have had considerable experience in conducting guerrilla warfare and
counter-guerrilla activities such as Greece, Germany, Japan, the Chinese
Nationalist Government and the British Commonwealth (particularly in
Burma and Malaya). Yugoslavia has also had considerable experience with
guerrillas.
3. Much of this experience has probably not been reduced to writing, or
in any event it is not now available to the United States.
4. In the struggle against communist aggression, it is of the greatest
importance that the United States be in possession of the most complete
knowledge available on the subject of guerrilla warfare in order that
this country and its allies and friends may be in a better position to
counter and combat all types of guerrilla activity on a world-wide
basis.
5. Accordingly it is considered that the United States should obtain all
information from all sources dealing with guerrilla and
counter-guerrilla operations.
6. There could be two possible approaches to the information gathering
process: one through a multi-lateral approach, such as the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization, or a bilateral approach.
7. At the present stage of North Atlantic Treaty Organization
development, it would be inappropriate and probably of no avail for the
NATO countries as a group to undertake multi-lateral exchanges of
information in the development of strategy and tactics to combat and
counter guerrilla warfare. The various members of NATO would probably
not feel disposed at the present time to exchange information on this
general subject, in view of the sensitivity of certain aspects of the
information involved.
8. It is considered that members of NATO would be willing to furnish the
United States on a bilateral basis, the information desired. It is also
believed that certain friendly governments, not members of NATO, would
be disposed to supply the United States with information
[Page 85]
in their possession on the general subject
of guerrilla warfare and counter-guerrilla activities.
9. The Department of Defense is the agency of the United States
Government which is the most concerned with operations against
guerrillas. Military air and naval attaches stationed in all friendly
countries are in a position to gather the requisite information and in
particular to gain valuable intelligence on current anti-guerrilla
campaigns in French Indo-China and the Philippines. The departments of
the Army, Navy and Air Force can draw upon the resources of their
intelligence, research and historical sections and enlist the
cooperation of the Central Intelligence Agency in the preparation of
those studies referred to above.
conclusions
10. It is in the security interest of the United States that all
available knowledge on counter-guerrilla operations be obtained in order
that our own doctrine on such operations may be as nearly perfect as
possible.
11. The United States should engage in bilateral discussions with all
friendly governments who have had experience in guerrilla or
counter-guerrilla operations.
12. The Department of Defense, in collaboration when appropriate with the
Department of State and CIA, should
continue to conduct the discussions, compile the resulting information,
develop a counter-guerrilla doctrine and make recommendations as to its
distribution.
