Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, National Security Affairs, Volume II, Part 1

PPS files, lot 64 D 563, “NSC 135”

Memorandum by the Director of the Policy Planning Staff (Nitze) to the Executive Secretary of the National Security Council (Lay)¹

top secret

Washington, November 13, 1952.

Progress Report, Re-examination called for by NSC 135/3 and NSC Action 668²

1. Pursuant to your memorandum of September 4, 1952,³ the Secretaries of State and Defense and the Director for Mutual Security designated representatives to constitute a Steering Group for the preparation of materials necessary for the re-examination of the allocation of U.S. resources called for by NSC 135/3 and NSC Action 668.

2. On September 19 the Steering Group agreed upon terms of reference which called for division of work on the project into three parts: (1) An analysis of the broad allocation of our resources under present programs and of our security posture in 1954 and the immediately following period on the basis of present programs; (2) An indication of additional or different high priority programs which it would be desirable to undertake to meet the threats which face us, together with an estimate of the resources which would be required within the next few years to carry out these additional programs; (3) An analysis of the possibilities of undertaking these further programs by a reallocation of the planned present programs, as against the desirability and possibility of increasing the total resources available for meeting our national security programs.⁴

3. Regional working groups have been organized, with representatives from the departments and agencies concerned to prepare material for the Steering Group’s consideration in accordance with the above terms of reference. Preliminary draft papers on Europe, the Far East, and the Middle East and Africa have been considered by the Steering Group.⁵ Material relating to the defense of the Western Hemisphere and to U.S. offensive striking power and general military reserves is being prepared by appropriate agencies.

4. The Steering Group does not believe that in the present stage of work on this project a preliminary substantive report would be feasible or useful. The work has progressed sufficiently, however, to warrant assurance that a report will be ready for NSC consideration before the January 1, 1953 deadline.⁶

Paul H. Nitze

1. A covering memorandum of transmittal from Lay to the National Security Council dated Nov. 14 indicates that the memorandum was “by the Chairman of the Steering Group on the re-examination called for by subparagraph 9–a of NSC 135/1 submitted pursuant to NSC Action No. 668–b” and that it would be scheduled on the agenda of an early Council meeting. Nitze signed the memorandum as Chairman of the Steering Group. The memorandum, submitted as a Progress Report, was considered by the NSC on Nov. 26. See footnote 2, p. 209.
2. NSC 135/3, Sept. 25, is printed on p. 142; regarding NSC Action No. 668, see footnote 7, p. 123.
3. Ante, p. 126.

4. See the paper prepared in the Department of State, Sept. 19, p. 127.

   Beginning Dec. 3, 1952, preliminary draft papers based upon the terms of reference agreed by the Steering Group on Sept. 19 began to be issued under the title “Reexamination of United States Programs for National Security; Summary and Conclusions.” In all, five drafts were completed by the end of the year. The last draft, issued on Dec. 31 by the Policy Planning Staff following discussions in and recommendations by the Steering Group, contains a handwritten notation: “Incorporated into final draft of 1–16–53” This reference is to NSC 141, “Reexamination of United States Programs for National Security”, p. 209. Documentation on the five preliminary drafts of Dec. 3–31 is in PPS files, lot 64 D 563, “NSC 135 (December, 1952)”.

5. These regional papers all passed through either four or five drafts between September and December 1952 before emerging in final draft form between Dec. 21, 1952 and Jan. 6, 1953. They form the basis for Part Two of NSC 141. Copies of both the preliminary and final draft regional papers are in PPS files, lot 64 D 563, “Working Group Reports NSC 135”.
6. Attached to the source text was a briefing paper entitled “National Security Council work on allocation of U.S. resources (NSC 135)” which simply restated Nitze’s presentation verbatim, but with the additional recommendation “That the President inform General Eisenhower of the work being undertaken in reexamination of the allocation of U.S. resources (NSC 135).” The 1952 national elections had taken place on Nov. 7.