Foreign Relations of the United States, 1951, European Security and the German Question, Volume III, Part 1

S/ISA files, lot 52–26, D–4/14

Memorandum by the United States Deputy Representative to the NATO Standing Group (Wright) to the Joint Chiefs of Staff ¹

top secret
DUSM–467–51

[Washington,] 5 September 1951.

Subject: Information on U.S. Position on Contribution of Forces to Meet 1954 NATO Force Requirements.

1. In accordance with guidance received from the JCS, the U.S. Deputy Representative to the Standing Group introduced into the Standing Group the U.S. position on contribution of forces to meet NATO force requirements of D.C. 28. At that time it was stated that these figures were based essentially on the military considerations involved, with only general economic factors being considered.

2. The U.S. Deputy Representative to the Standing Group has already received several requests for information on those considerations upon which the U.S. based its recommended contributions.

3. It is considered that to present information on factors to the NATO nations at this time might well forestall serious objections to increased contributions before or at the October Council meeting.

4. It is recommended that the U.S. Deputy Representative be provided support including the financial and economic factors of the U.S. position that show the national contributions are feasible.

5. It is understood that, as a basis for the information transmitted on “Closing the Gap”, that ISAC and ECA conducted several studies in the field of capabilities of NATO nations to provide military forces, investigating such items as industrial potential to produce equipment, financial stability and capacity to support military forces, economic effects of increased defense expenditures and availability of manpower. By copy of this memorandum it is requested that the Office of the Secretary of Defense provide the JCS with such background information as may be available at this time. It is expected that the information would be in brief general terms as appropriate.

6. It is requested that this information be provided by 30 September.²

Jerauld Wright
Vice Admiral, USN

1. This memorandum was circulated as International Security Affairs Committee document ISAC D–4/14 of September 12, 1951, along with the covering letter discussed in footnote 2 below.
2. On September 10, 1951, Frank C. Nash, Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, forwarded this memorandum to Thomas D. Cabot, Director for International Security Affairs in the Department of State, and requested in his covering letter that this matter be discussed by the ISAC.