Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, East Asia and the Pacific, Volume XII, Part 1

Truman Library, Truman papers, PSF–Subject file

Memorandum for the President of Discussion at the 120th Meeting of the National Security Council Held on Wednesday, June 25, 1952¹

top secret

June 25, 1952

The following notes contain a summary of the discussion at the 120th Meeting of the National Security Council, at which you presided. The Vice President did not attend the meeting. Under Secretary Bruce attended for the Secretary of State, Deputy Secretary Foster attended for the Secretary of Defense, and Mr. Kenney attended for the Director for Mutual Security.²

1. The Situation in the Far East

The National Security Council:

Noted an oral briefing by Commander M. D. Clausner, USN, Joint Chiefs of Staff, on the military situation in Korea.

2. United States Objectives and Courses of Action With Respect to Southeast Asia (NSC 124/1; NSC 124 and Annex to NSC 124; NSC Actions Nos. 597 and 614; Memos for NSC from Executive Secretary, same subject, dated June 24³ and June 25, 1952;⁴ Memos for NSC from Executive Secretary, subject: “United States Objectives and Courses of Action with Respect to Communist Aggression in Southeast Asia”, dated March 4, April 15, April 30 and May 21, 1952;⁵ NSC 48/5; NSC 64; SE–22⁶ and SE–27⁷)

The President referred to NSC 124/1, and Mr. Lay called the attention of the Council to the views of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on the report, as well as to the supporting papers which constituted a staff study in connection with NSC 124/1.

The President then requested the views of Secretary Bruce, who replied that on the whole the State Department was very well pleased with the report and had only certain clarifications in the language to suggest by way of amendment. Secretary Bruce proceeded to read his proposed changes, all of which were agreed to by the Council.

The President then turned to Secretary Foster and asked for any views which he might have on the report.

Secretary Foster stated that the Defense Department likewise approved the report, and said that he merely desired to read and have the Council note the views of the Joint Secretaries with respect to the importance of emphasizing to the French on all possible occasions the desirability of reducing the degree of their participation in the military, economic and political affairs of the Associated States. Beyond that, Secretary Foster wanted only to draw the attention of the Council to the fact that if the policies in NSC 124/1 were to be carried to a successful conclusion, it would very probably be necessary to divert U.S. forces from other areas in which they were committed or to increase the strength of U.S. forces in being.

There being no other comments or objections, the President declared that the statement of policy in NSC 124/1 had been agreed and adopted.

The National Security Council:⁸

a. Adopted NSC 124/1 subject to the following changes:

(1) Paragraph 2–a, line 12: Insert “in all probability” between the words “would” and “progressively”.

(2) Paragraph 3: Delete the second sentence and substitute the following: “In order to pursue the military courses of action envisaged in this paper to a favorable conclusion within a reasonable period, it will be necessary to divert military strength from other areas thus reducing our military capability in those areas, with the recognized increased risks involved therein, or to increase our military forces in being, or both.”

(3) Paragraph 5, line 1: Delete “important” and substitute “critical”.

(4) Paragraph 10–c–(2), line 2: At the end of the sentence after the word “lines”, add “including those in China.”

(5) Paragraph 10–c–(3), line 5: Insert “France” between the words “and” and “to”.

(6) Paragraph 11–(1): Delete, and substitute the following: “If agreement is reached pursuant to paragraph 7–e, establishment in conjunction with the U.K. and France of a naval blockade of Communist China.”

(7) Paragraph 11–(3), line 1: Delete Employment” and substitute “Utilization”.

(8) Paragraph 12: Delete the final phrase of the paragraph and substitute the following: “avoiding in so far as practicable those targets in areas near the boundaries of the USSR in order not to increase the risk of direct Soviet involvement.”

b. Noted the following statement by the Acting Secretary of Defense with respect to the views of the Joint Secretaries regarding NSC 124/1:

“In our opinion, if this policy is to be truly effective, it must be clearly recognized that the U.S. policy ‘to make it possible for the French to reduce the degree of their participation in the military, economic and political affairs of the Associated States’ (par. 8–d) must be emphasized and reemphasized to the French at each and every political, economic or military negotiation which the U.S. Government enters into with the Government of France, especially those negotiations which deal with the providing of U.S. economic or military aid to France or to Indochina.”

Note: NSC 124/1 as amended and adopted subsequently submitted to the President for consideration.

3. NSC Status of Projects

The National Security Council:

Noted the status of NSC projects as of June 23, 1952.

1. Prepared on June 26, apparently in the NSC Secretariat.
2. Gorrie was also present. In addition to members of the Council, the meeting was attended by seven persons, among them General Bradley, Walter Bedell Smith, and Edward H. Foley, Acting Secretary of the Treasury.
3. See footnote 9, supra.
4. See footnote 8, supra.
5. None printed.
6. See the editorial note, p. 53.
7. For text of SE–27, “Probable Effects of Various Courses of Action With Respect to Communist China”, see volume xiv.
8. The following paragraphs and accompanying note constitute NSC Action No. 655. (S/S–NSC (Miscellaneous) files, lot 66 D 95)